Final Fantasy 7 Remake Director Defends Controversial Switch 2 Choice

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The Switch 2 version of *Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade* will use a Game-Key Card instead of a traditional game cartridge. According to the game’s director, Naoki Hamaguchi, this is to help the game run as smoothly as possible. Hamaguchi recently explained this decision and shared more details about some of the challenges of bringing *Final Fantasy 7 Remake* to the new console.

On September 12th, Naoki Hamaguchi announced that *Final Fantasy 7 Remake* will be available on the upcoming Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. Shortly after, Square Enix showed off the packaging for the physical copies of the game. Fans quickly noticed the Switch 2 version will be released as a Game-Key Card, which has led to some criticism online – a common reaction to this type of release for major games.

Switch 2 Game-Key Cards Offer Faster Loading Times Than Cartridges

I was reading an interview with Hamaguchi, and he was explaining why they’re releasing the new port on a Game-Key Card instead of a traditional cartridge. Basically, he says that really high-quality, HD games like *Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade* just run into speed issues when you try to put them on a cartridge. Loading times would be a real problem! So, using the Switch 2’s internal storage – which is what the Game-Key Card lets them do – makes the game run much faster. It’s like they’re making the ‘physical’ copy digital to avoid those slowdowns, which makes a lot of sense to me!

Yoshinori Kitase, addressing fan concerns about *Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade* being released on a Game-Key Card, stated he understands why some players aren’t happy with this format. However, he explained that releasing a traditional cartridge version wouldn’t have been worth it because of the longer loading times. He pointed out that the physical limitations of cartridges would inevitably result in a slower experience.

Why Are Switch 2 Game-Key Cards So Controversial?

Since their announcement in April 2025, some Nintendo fans have expressed concerns about Game-Key Cards. These concerns center on the long-term availability of games, as the cards are essentially digital licenses in physical cases and rely on Nintendo’s servers, which could eventually be shut down. Nintendo has explained that Game-Key Cards allow developers to overcome the storage and speed limitations of traditional game cartridges and reduce the cost of distributing games, as they are much cheaper to produce. Importantly, like regular physical games, Game-Key Cards can be easily transferred to a new owner.

A cartridge will always be lower quality simply due to the limitations of its physical format.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is coming to the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S on January 22, 2026. Square Enix plans to release the entire Final Fantasy 7 remake series on both platforms eventually. While a release date for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the Switch 2 hasn’t been announced, it will likely be a Game-Key Card release, similar to the Remake Intergrade.

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2025-09-26 20:59