Nintendo cartridge chip supplier Macronix is gradually leaving the ROM business, but that does not mean physical Switch or Switch 2 games are being discontinued. MST Financial senior analyst David Gibson expects other suppliers to keep physical cards available, even as he predicts more releases will move to game-key cards and digital downloads.
In a November 4 report, Gibson said Macronix would make no new ROM products and would stop reporting ROM sales separately after the third quarter. ROM, or read-only memory, stores the game data on traditional cartridges.
The withdrawal was already described in an October 29 Taipei Times report, which attributed the gradual phase-out to Macronix chairman Miin Wu. The company is directing new capacity toward NAND memory, including chips used in embedded multimedia cards, while also facing strong demand for NOR flash from data centres.
What is known about the Switch 2 impact
Gibson identifies Macronix as a chip supplier for both Switch generations. Its current involvement in Switch 2 cartridges is less certain, however: Power Up Gaming corrected its coverage to distinguish Macronix's established original Switch business from its unconfirmed Switch 2 supply role, noting that ROHM chips have been identified in Switch 2 cards.
There is no confirmed cartridge shortage, game price increase or end date for Nintendo's physical releases linked to this withdrawal. A supplier winding down production is not the same as Nintendo announcing that games will no longer ship on cartridges.
Gibson also qualified his forecast: "Macronix isn't Nintendo's only game memory card maker, so physical cards will likely carry on for some time." He expects the change to encourage more game-key cards and digital-only sales, but that is his assessment, not an announced Nintendo format change.
A boxed game can still require a full download
For buyers, the distinction is whether a physical card contains the game. Nintendo already sells both standard Switch 2 game cards and game-key cards, and its official explanation says the latter contain no game data.
A game-key card requires an internet connection for the initial download and enough space in the console's storage or on a microSD Express card. After setup, the game can be started offline, with the card inserted. Using the card on another Switch 2 requires downloading the game there too.
Nintendo prints the key symbol and required download space on the packaging. Those labels tell buyers whether the box contains the game itself or a card that unlocks a download, regardless of how Macronix's withdrawal ultimately affects supply.