As the controversy surrounding the Nintendo Switch 2 game cards continues, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi doubled down on his own feelings on the matter. Ever since Nintendo confirmed in April that Switch 2 game cartridges would act as a sort of physical “token” to access digital downloads of its games, fans, collectors, game preservationists, and the media have expressed concerns about long-term game ownership and the increasingly transparent boundaries between physical and digital media. Now, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth the director rekindled the fire with his own words.
In a recent interview with Wccftech, Hamaguchi openly supported the idea of Switch 2 cartridges containing only the license key needed to download the game. This isn't the first time the director has stood up for the game's controversial keycards, but his support is even more relevant now with the first entry into the game. Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 in January.
FF7 Rebirth's Naoki Hamaguchi Thinks Switch 2's Game Key Card Is “A Really Awesome Idea”
As someone on the inside of game development, as opposed to those who examine key Switch 2 game cards from the outside, Hamaguchi has a pragmatic view of a problem that most gamers may never see. That's exactly what came out when he spoke to Wccftech at this year's Tokyo Game Show about the Switch 2 release Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade.
When asked if he sees Nintendo eventually increasing the speed on Nintendo Switch 2 cartridges to accommodate big games like Final Fantasy 7 RebirthHamaguchi attributed this to the hardware of the console itself. He then added strong support for the game card concept, saying, “I feel like the game card format that Nintendo has created for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a really amazing new idea that they've brought to us.”
Much of his support for the idea, as suggested by Wccftech's question above, is rooted in an opinion he expressed during another interview with JP Games in September. According to Hamaguchi, “From a developer's point of view, [game-key cards] allow us to bring more high-end experiences to Switch players,” thanks to their “semi-download” nature and the resulting smoother loading. That being said, he also acknowledged the concerns many fans have about game key cards, noting that “there are good reasons and debates that should go into it.”
- Released
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February 29, 2024
- ESRB
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T for Teens due to blood, language, mild themes, alcohol and tobacco use, violence
