- Primary Subject: Nintendo
- Key Update: Following PlayStation’s timeline to end disc production and rumors of an all-digital next-gen Xbox, Nintendo faces mounting pressure to preserve physical media.
- Status: Confirmed (PlayStation discs phase-out); Leaked (Xbox Project Helix details).
- Last Verified: July 2, 2026
- Quick Answer: Nintendo must keep physical cartridges because they enable community sharing, save console storage space, and keep gaming accessible for younger players without constant internet.
PlayStation recently announced that starting January 2028, they will cease production of discs for new games.
Not long after, reports started circulating that Xbox’s next-gen console, Project Helix, will release without a disc drive. It won’t be surprising if this means new Xbox games won’t receive a physical version as well.
With Sony and Xbox cutting the cord on physical discs, the only saving grace is Nintendo. They have yet to say their stance on physical editions, but I’m hoping and praying they don’t stop producing cartridges.
Nintendo, Please Don’t Stop Releasing Physical Games
I am a huge advocate for physical games. I love collecting them, I love feeling the game in my hands, and I love being able to display it. It makes me feel like it’s truly my game, you know?
Credit: Nintendo
However, one of the best things about having a game’s physical version is how it promotes community. If you own a game your friend wants to play, you can share it with them. Physical games can be donated and bought second-hand for a fraction of the price. Physical games make gaming accessible.
And this especially rings true with the Nintendo Switch. If you buy a Switch game, you can let other people use it and don’t have to worry about your save file, since saves are part of the console’s internal memory and not the cartridge itself.
READ MORE: Playstation Killed Physical Discs, Digital Preservation Still Isn’t Really Legal: Welcome To Gaming’s Future
Nintendo maintaining cartridges also allows gamers to play without being connected to Wi-Fi. It saves space on the console too, since physical games use up less memory.
The Nintendo Switch is arguably one of the friendliest consoles to use, and I think the production of physical games is a big part of that. The Nintendo e-Shop isn’t the easiest to navigate — for its younger user base, using a cartridge and letting them physically switch from games ensures that they’ll keep playing.
Maybe I’m selfish because I’m a Switch gamer. Maybe it is better (profit-wise) for Nintendo to disregard the cartridge. But if they love their consumers, I hope they don’t change a thing.
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