Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed 3 director 'hates' the Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Card system, 'We’re losing some of what made the business special'

• Far Cry 4 and Revenge of the Savage Planet director Alex Hutchinson thinks Nintendo's Game Key Cards are "sort of lame"
• The director thinks Nintendo will "get away with it" because of "the power of nostalgia in our business"
• He believes "we’re losing some of what made the business special"

Alex Hutchinson, the director of Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed 3, has said that the Nintendo Switch 2's controversial Game Key Cards are "sort of lame".

Speaking in an interview with VideoGamer following the release of his new game, Revenge of the Savage Planet, Hutchinson said he sees the appeal of digital downloads as someone who has released both physical and digital games, but that he isn't a fan of Nintendo's new system.

"It’s funny that Nintendo is going to get away with it," Hutchinson said. "It just shows you the power of nostalgia in our business that the way they will beat up Microsoft versus Nintendo is just not the same, especially in Europe. It’s like, 'oh, Nintendo’s doing it, alright we’re not gonna say much.'

"I hate it," he continued. "I think it’s sort of lame. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s getting away… we’re losing some of what made the business special. Trading Game Boy cartridges at school, or, you know, DS for the modern audience. There’s something nice about that."

Game key Cards are physical Switch 2 games that will contain a download "key" on the cartridge, but don't include the full game data.

While new Switch 2 titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will offer standard physical game cards like the original Switch, some third-party titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, and more will be Game Key Card only releases.

There are also rumors that Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will be a Game Key Card, as well as The Duskbloods, but we'll have to wait and see.

In case you missed it, the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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