Nintendo Switch 2 Making Big Changes to Game Cases

Summary

Nintendo Switch 2 game cases will feature wraparound art on spines.
This is in contrast to Switch 1 boxes, which featured red spines.
Switch 2 games that are Game-Key Cards will have a disclaimer on their boxes.

According to social media posts, the Nintendo Switch 2 game cases will feature wraparound art on the spines. The Switch 2 game cases will also feature labels that identify which titles are on a Game-Key Card, which will require downloading additional data to play the game.

The Switch 2 will arrive on June 5 worldwide, though pre-orders have recently hit a snag in the US. Following the Trump administration’s wave of tariffs across multiple nations, Nintendo delayed US pre-orders of the Switch 2 from April 9 to an undetermined date while the company reevaluates the tariff situation. The company stated that the delay in pre-ordering the Switch 2 in the US will have no impact on the June 5 global launch. Users in Canada and other countries with set pre-order windows are unaffected, so it remains to be seen when Nintendo will restart US pre-orders and if any price changes will occur as a result.

Nintendo Highlights Switch 2’s Exclusive Online Features

Nintendo highlights three new online features that will be exclusive to the Switch 2 version of its NSO subscription service.

While some Switch 2 games have drawn ire from fans for their initial prices, the console’s game cases may address a sore spot its predecessor had. As spotted by Nintendeal on Twitter (and by Nintendo Life), the Switch 2’s game cases will no longer have red spines on the sides. Instead, the box art of the front cover will wrap around the spine, with white letters that spell out the game’s name. The post was taken from the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, which has an ongoing hands-off exhibit of the Switch 2 ahead of its June 5 launch.

Switch 2 Game Cases Will Not Have Red Spines

Switch 2 game cases will also have red packaging, and Game-Key Cards will also be red to further differentiate them from the original Switch. Some games, like Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Street Fighter 6: Years 1–2 Fighters Edition, will launch on Game-Key Cards. These cards will come with a label on the bottom that indicates how much additional data must be downloaded to play the game. In the case of Bravely Default, some retailer listings confirmed that 11GB of added data will be necessary.

According to retail packaging information, Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will also include the Switch version of the game along with the upgrade pack, though it is unclear if the latter is included on the card or via a digital voucher. It is also not known if The Champions’ Ballad DLC is included with Breath of the Wild‘s Switch 2 edition, so fans must wait until June 5 to know for certain.