Ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, Nintendo has quietly removed official support for a setup that allowed two consoles to play the same digital game online at the same time. With Nintendo Switch update 20.0.0, a new system called the Virtual Game Card changes how digital titles are managed and shared. On the surface, it seems like a more structured approach—but for many households, it restricts a setup that was previously documented on Nintendo’s own support site.
This was possible if one person (the purchaser) played on a non-primary console while signed in and connected to the internet, and the other person (using a different Nintendo Account) played on the primary console. Nintendo even described this setup in its official FAQ, so it wasn’t just a workaround—it was an acknowledged and supported use case.
Now, that option has effectively been removed, and the support page outlining it has since been edited. While a limited offline workaround still exists, Nintendo’s new system has removed the ability to play the same digital game online across two consoles. This has made popular setups—especially for online games like Splatoon 3 or Animal Crossing: New Horizons—no longer possible.
How Digital Game Access Is Changing
Nintendo has introduced a new system for managing digital games across multiple consoles. Called Virtual Game Cards, this feature changes how digital titles are accessed on linked devices. Whether you’re using a Nintendo Switch or planning to upgrade to the Switch 2, this system now defines how digital access works. (Not to be confused with Switch 2’s physical Game-Key Cards, which unlock downloadable versions of certain titles.)
Instead of simply downloading a game and launching it on any linked console, you now load a Virtual Game Card to the console you want to use. That game can only be active on one console at a time. To use it on another, you need to eject it from the first.
Nintendo also introduced a digital lending feature. You can lend a Virtual Game Card to someone in your Nintendo Account family group for up to 14 days. Both systems must be nearby and connected during setup. Each family member can borrow one game at a time, and you can lend up to three.
A new Online License setting allows a console to access your purchases while connected to the internet—even if the Virtual Game Card isn’t currently loaded. But again, only one console can use the license for a given game at a time.
These changes directly impact how digital games are shared. Until recently, Nintendo documented a setup where the purchaser could play online on a secondary console while another user played on the primary system. That setup allowed simultaneous access to online games from a single purchase—something many families relied on. With Virtual Game Cards, this is no longer possible.
How the Nintendo Community Is Responding
The change has sparked frustration among many Nintendo fans. Especially those in households that relied on shared online access to a single digital game. Until recently, Nintendo’s support site explained how one person could play online on a non-primary console while another user played the same game on the primary console, even using a different profile. This setup allowed two people to access the same game simultaneously—something especially useful for online titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 3, or Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Now, that approach is no longer possible. With Virtual Game Cards, a digital game must be loaded to one console at a time. To use it on another, the card must be ejected. This change prevents two users from playing the same digital game online together using a single copy.
Some in the community have noted that a limited offline workaround still works. If the primary console is put in airplane mode, the secondary console can often launch the game online. This allows one person to play offline while the other plays online—but only in solo modes, and never together. For families who used this method to play online co-op or competitive matches, the update feels like a loss. It removed something Nintendo had previously acknowledged and supported.
The result isn’t just frustration over one feature being removed—it’s a broader shift in how Nintendo handles digital ownership. With digital purchases now tied more tightly to a single active device, many are questioning the convenience of buying digitally.
How Nintendo’s Digital Sharing Approach Compares to Other Platforms
With the introduction of Virtual Game Cards, Nintendo now treats digital game access more like a physical cartridge system—one console at a time. This shift stands out when compared to how digital sharing works on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Steam
Steam’s new Steam Families system allows up to six members in the same household to share their digital game libraries. Each member has access to the full libraries of others, with their own save data, achievements, and personal profiles. Family members can play different games simultaneously from the shared collection without restriction.
However, only one person can play a specific game at a time, unless multiple copies of that game exist within the family. For example, if one member is playing Portal 2, another can’t launch the same title unless they also own it. This means simultaneous play of the same game still requires separate purchases—just like before. Some games are also excluded due to third-party DRM, subscriptions, or publisher restrictions.
Xbox
Xbox offers one of the most flexible digital sharing systems. By designating one console as your Home Xbox, any user on that console can access your digital games and content—even when you’re not signed in. Meanwhile, you can sign in on a second Xbox and play the same game using your account.
This setup allows for simultaneous play of the same digital game across two consoles. One using the Home Xbox license, the other using the purchaser’s active sign-in. It’s a popular system for households with multiple consoles. You can change your Home Xbox up to five times per year. Game sharing also extends to Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, though some game-specific content and in-game currency may not be shareable.
PlayStation
Sony’s Console Sharing and Offline Play feature lets you designate one PS5 as your primary console. Anyone using that system can access your digital games and PlayStation Plus benefits without signing in as you. You can also sign in on a second console to play your games there—but only while online.
However, you cannot play the same digital game on two different consoles at the same time using a single purchase. If someone tries to launch the game on a second console while it’s in use elsewhere, access may be blocked or interrupted. Share Play, a separate feature, allows short-term virtual sessions between two consoles. However, it does not offer full game access or true simultaneous play. Multiple copies are required for true simultaneous use across multiple consoles.
What This Means for Digital Ownership and Portability
Nintendo’s shift to Virtual Game Cards reflects a broader change in how it handles digital access. One with real consequences for households used to sharing. By removing support for simultaneous online play across two consoles, the company has restricted a setup it once acknowledged in official support materials. That change hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The new system introduces features like lending and online licensing. However, it also imposes tighter control over who can play what—and when. For those who used a single purchase to game together, especially in online titles, the loss feels personal. The remaining workaround, which requires one console to be offline, is limited and unofficial.
It also affects one of Nintendo’s biggest strengths: portability. With Switch and Switch 2 designed to be played anywhere, many families rely on more than one console—whether docked at home or on the go. This change makes it harder for two people to enjoy the same game without buying it twice.
Compared to the flexibility seen on Xbox and Steam, Nintendo’s approach now aligns more closely with PlayStation’s, where digital purchases are locked to a single active console. And with Game-Key Cards entering the picture for physical media on Switch 2, concerns about long-term access and preservation are growing. As digital libraries become the norm, key questions remain: How much control should a digital purchase offer? And when does convenience turn into restriction?
If you’ve used this shared play setup in the past, has this change affected how you plan to buy Nintendo games going forward? Are digital purchases still worth it when they can’t be shared the way they used to be?
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