The Switch 2 version of “Elden Ring/Elden Ring” will be available in both digital and physical formats at the end of this year, but the so-called “physical version” is actually a Game-Key Card: the box contains a download redemption card, and players still need to go online to download the complete game to the console. This approach is equivalent to hitting a pain point for players who want to collect, resell second-hand, or just plug in a card and play.
The price is not cheap yet
US retailers list this version at US$79.99 (approximately TWD 2,560 / HKD 624 / MYR 376); some European retailers price it at €69.99 (approximately TWD 2,450 / HKD 595 / MYR 357). In other words, players still pay a “masterpiece-level” price, but what they get is not a “complete cartridge” in the traditional sense.
It’s also written very clearly on the box: Internet connection is required, downloading is required, and the size is not small.
The screenshot shows the packaging label “Full game download via internet required” and mentions that the download capacity is about 75GB. In other words, buying the physical version requires not only an Internet connection, but also sufficient storage space. If you originally bought the physical version just to save capacity or avoid repeated downloads, then this version will run counter to your needs.
Players still have to pay because it includes the main body and DLC
This version includes the base game and the expansion content “Shadow of the Erdtree”. For those who have not yet entered the game and want to buy it all at once, the content is indeed very complete; but for those who are looking forward to a complete cassette collection, this is more like selling the complete version with a redemption code card. If you want the content, you have to accept the format.
Here’s a microcosm of Switch 2’s physical strategy
Game-Key Card is not a new concept, but when it appears on a masterpiece like this $80 level, the impact will be amplified. What players care about most is “whether what I bought is a physical product that can be saved, exchanged, and plugged in and played”, rather than a beautiful box plus a download voucher. If more 3As follow suit, the physical market for Switch 2 may become more divided: collectors will be more selective, the second-hand market will be colder, and ordinary players will be forced to compromise between capacity, network and price.