How do digital purchases work on Switch?

Is it better to buy digital or physical for switch?

Much of it comes down to personal preference. If you like having shelves lined with your games that you can browse and reminisce, you'll want to go for physical. If you prefer the convenience and speed offered through digital purchases, and don't want game boxes lying around, then you'll want to go digital.

When I buy a digital game on my switch do all accounts on the switch have access?

Digital games are tied to the Nintendo Account that purchased them. All users on a system will be able to play games purchased by any Nintendo Account that has registered the system as their primary console.

How do digital copies of switch games work?

Downloadable software that you purchase is tied to your Nintendo Account and can be played on your primary Nintendo Switch console and, under certain conditions, other Nintendo Switch consoles where you link your Nintendo Account.

Will a digital purchase stay on your account for Nintendo Switch?

Purchases on the Nintendo Switch eShop are tied to the Nintendo Account that made the purchase. You can register one primary console per Nintendo Account. Once you've registered a primary console, your digital purchases can be played by anyone that uses the primary console.

Using 1 Account on Nintendo Switch & Switch Lite - Playing Your Digital Purchases & Cloud Saves

Can you keep digital Switch games forever?

Pros of digital games on Switch

All games you buy digitally are stored via your Nintendo Account ID, so you can just redownload them as many times as you want when you delete games to free up space, no problem. You can't lose a digital game since it's right there on your system.

What happens if I buy a game digitally for the Nintendo Switch and then get the physical?

The short answer is, nothing bad happens if you insert a cartridge for a game you already own digitally. And nothing bad will happen if you own the game physically, but buy digitally later on. If you have both physical & digital, the switch will play the game from the cart when the cart is inserted.

Why physical is better than digital?

Another big plus: There are no subscriptions needed for physical games; they're always yours. What's more, unlike digital games, physical games have a resale value. This value can even rise above the original purchase price if the game becomes a collector's item.

Can I download a digital copy of a Switch game I already own?

Games that have been archived (not deleted) will still have an icon on the HOME Menu, and can be redownloaded by anyone on the console. Games that have been deleted will not have an icon on the HOME Menu, and can only be redownloaded with the Nintendo Account that originally purchased the game.

Can I buy a digital copy of a Switch game as a gift?

It is not possible to send a gift in the Nintendo eShop (on-device or off-device). You may consider gifting a prepaid Nintendo eShop card or a download code instead.

Are digital Switch games tied to console or account?

Digital games are tied to the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase them. All users on a console will be able to play games purchased by any Nintendo Account that has registered the console as their primary console.

Can I use my digital Switch games on multiple consoles?

You can link your Nintendo Account to multiple consoles. You can play digital games you've purchased on any Nintendo Switch console that has been linked to your Nintendo Account. Please note that you can register one primary console per Nintendo Account.

How do I transfer a digital game on my Switch to my same account on another Switch?

From within the System Settings of the original console, use the option to Transfer Your User and Save Data for each account you wish to transfer. You can also select Transfer Your Save Data if you want to move an individual game save file to a different system.

Are there downsides to digital Switch games?

Do you actually own digital games?

Because you have never owned a game you bought. You own a license to the software on the media but you don't actually own the software itself. So there is no difference between buying a digital and physical copy as far as ownership or rights are concerned.

Why are Nintendo Switch digital games so expensive?

The same reason Nintendo games are expensive is the same reason Apple products are. It is an extremely well-known and trusted brand with decades of history behind it. People trust Nintendo, therefore, they are willing to pay more for Nintendo products.

How many games can a Switch hold?

The standard Nintendo Switch has 32 GB of storage, allowing you to store and install around 4-8 games, including large games like Zelda. However, if you have the option for a Switch with 64 GB of storage, you can store double the number of games, up to 8-16.

What is the main advantage of using a digital?

Digital technology enables the storage of massive amounts of information in relatively small spaces. Large amounts of media, such as photos, music, videos, contact knowledge, and other reports can be carried around on small devices like mobile phones.

Is it cheaper to buy physical games or digital?

You can expect to pay the same price for a digital copy of a game as you would in a brick-and-mortar store. At launch, a game might even be cheaper in-store, as retailers cut into their own profit margin to get feet through the door and perhaps sell a few other items besides a hot new game.

Are digital consoles worth it?

If you don't have a large collection of physical games from a previous console, and already love and rely on game streaming services such as Xbox Game Pass, then a digital-only console would be perfect for you.

How do I get already purchased games on my Nintendo Switch?

To redownload the game, launch the Nintendo eShop using the Nintendo Account that originally purchased the game, select your user icon in the top-right corner to access the shop settings, and highlight Redownload. Select the game in the list of previously purchased titles, then select the orange icon to redownload.

Will I lose my Animal Crossing Island if I get a new Switch?

If you have enabled island backup, you will be able to restore the last saved version of your island and all residents on a replacement Nintendo Switch console. You must have already enabled island backup on the original console to use this feature, but you can restore the island save data using only the new console.

Can you save digital Switch games to SD card?

*Game save data is only stored in the system memory, so it can't be moved to the microSD card.

Will I lose my game progress if I get a new Switch?

Your save data will be deleted on the source console. *Save data is stored on the console you're currently using. In order to play games with your latest save data on multiple systems, you'll need to transfer the save data each time you use a different console.

Can two switches play Mario Kart with one game?

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe supports wireless play, allowing up to 8 players to connect multiple Nintendo Switch consoles together via a local wireless connection.