Bill van Zyll, the Vice President and General Manager for Nintendo Latin America, disclosed in an interview that the company has no plans to abandon physical games. Over a year after the Nintendo Switch 2’s release, Zyll mentioned that there are “no plans for significant changes.” Both digital and physical games will be available in the future.
The latest statement is a big relief for Nintendo users. Following Sony PlayStation’s big decision to discontinue disc production in 2028, gamers feared that other platforms may follow suit. Zyll has put an end to the worries.
While there are plenty of plans for the future, the removal of physical games isn’t on the company’s list.
Nintendo to Continue The Production of Physical Games
Video games distributed by Nintendo have largely been in cartridges. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is the latest to have a physical release, arriving as a free digital upgrade for the original game.
In an interview with Coelho, Bill van Zyll stressed that the company has no plans to ditch the physical releases, noting that fans are still interested in the physical format.
“We’re barely just over a year into NS2 (Nintendo Switch 2). It’s got both digital and physical – that capability. There’s no plans to ditch physical. We know how much the fans like it as well, so our position has been to be agnostic.”
Nintendo has sidestepped the controversy created by Sony with its decision to remove circulation of physical games for PlayStation. While Sony receives a small percentage of earnings from discs, physical games are a big part of the company’s total revenue. In the quarter ending on June 30, the company made 38.5% of revenue from cartridges exclusively.
Nintendo Switch 2 sales in Brazil are increasing day by day
During the same interview, Zyll addressed whether the Switch 2 is performing better in Brazil than its predecessor. He mentioned that the new console is “firing on all cylinders” and more sales are expected.
“We’re firing on all cylinders right now. The acceptance and the sales of Nintendo Switch 2 are very very strong in Brazil.”
He further stated that players are transitioning smoothly from Nintendo Switch 1 to the latest console.
“Yes, they are transitioning from NS1 to NS2. We’ve always said software sells hardware, and this is going to be a great driver for Nintendo Switch 2.”
Notably, Zyll admitted that there are huge opportunities for Switch 1 to grow, especially for people looking for a source of entertainment for their families.
Last Word on Nintendo’s decision
Despite an increasingly digital world, tangible game ownership and physical media hold a valuable place for Nintendo. Their continued support for physical games is a welcome win for ardent fans of Switch 1 and Switch 2. Moreover, the company will have a longstanding presence in retail stores, allowing people to purchase tangible sources of entertainment.
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Featured Image Credit
Image via Nintendo promotional material
