Nintendo Switch's Latest Update Disables Popular Game-Sharing Loophole
Switch owners have lost a helpful way to share online-enabled games thanks to the latest hardware update
ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN | Gameplay Overview Trailer Code Violet | 19 Minutes Of Official Gameplay | Reveal Trailer Venus Vacation PRISM - DEAD OR ALIVE Xtreme - Official Accolade Trailer [VV Prism] Black Ops 6 & Warzone - Official High Art Event Pass Gameplay Trailer Diablo Immortal x Berserk | Struggler's Path Gameplay Trailer Ragnarok X: Next Generation - Official Launch Trailer Fortnite - Galactic Battle Cinematic Trailer Borderlands 4 - Official 18 Minute Gameplay Deep Dive Overview Trailer Borderlands 4 - Official New Release Date Reveal Gameplay Trailer Ra Ra BOOM - Official Boss Fight Gameplay Trailer THPS Fest Announcement Trailer | A Livestream Event Towerborne - Official Game Preview Launch Trailer
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Sign up or Sign in now!
Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. 00:00:00Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy
Now Playing: Nintendo Switch - Virtual Game Card Update Overview Trailer
The Eurogamer report has discovered a workaround that will allow two Switch systems to play the same game, though without online play, via a new Online Licenses option in the console settings. For this to work, when a Virtual Game Card is sent from one Switch to another, the Online Licenses options must be activated on both consoles. Then:
- The Switch console that received the Virtual Game Card must play the game offline
- This will allow the Switch console that sent the Game Card to play the same game, as the console doesn't recognize offline play, and therefore will not be able to "see" the Virtual Game Card in use by the console that received it.
Multiple online forums, including ResetEra and Reddit, have voiced displeasure with the change, with one Reddit user noting that this will now force families with multiple Switch systems to buy a copy of a game for each Switch in order to continue playing online. "With two kids, game sharing saved us a lot of money, given that each digital game was effectively two copies," user Synkhe writes. "This update doubles our cost on all games going forward."
Nintendo has also announced a GameShare feature that will be available with the Nintendo Switch 2 when it launches on June 5. However, this feature will only be available for certain games, and it will only work when each Switch console is connected to the same local network.
Switch 2 Nintendo Direct April 2025: All The Biggest Announcements
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email [email protected]
Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2This story originally appeared on: GameSpot - Author:UK GAG
