Persona 3 is a fan-favorite game in the Persona series, and Persona 3 Reload offers a new way to experience the game while remaining faithful to the original. Persona 3 Reload released early in 2024, giving most fans plenty of time to immerse themselves in the world and explore Tartarus.
Players on Nintendo consoles have been left out of this remake experience, though. The game is not available on the original Nintendo Switch, and was not added to the Switch 2’s library when the console launched on June 5, 2025. However, it is confirmed that their wait for a port to Nintendo consoles will soon come to an end, though it may not be exactly what fans were hoping for.
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Persona 3 Reload Will Use a Game-Key Card on Switch 2
During the recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, it was confirmed that Persona 3 Reload will be available for Switch 2 players to buy on October 23, 2025. Persona fans have already had the opportunity to play the original version of Persona 3 on Nintendo Switch, but the improvements made by Persona 3 Reload make the remake worthwhile for Nintendo players.
To enjoy the benefits of the remake’s Switch 2 port, players will have to make a compromise, though. The physical edition of Persona 3 Reload is not technically physical at all. Instead, the box contains a Game-Key Card, meaning players would essentially be downloading a digital version of the game from the cartridge. Preserving physical games becomes difficult with Nintendo Switch 2 because of these Game-Key Cards, risking the Switch 2 versions of these games being lost in the future.
Game-Key Cards are becoming an expectation for the Switch 2’s third-party titles, but one game makes this issue all the more confusing. There was some debate about whether Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds’ physical release would be a Game-Key Card, but it has since been confirmed that the entirety of the base game’s contents will be on the physical cartridge. Sega publishes both the Sonic and Persona series, so it’s strange that the publisher is giving one game a true physical release while the other is stuck on a Game-Key Card.
There are many other Game-Key Card ports published by Sega, such as Sonic X Shadow Generations, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, and Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S.
While it’s still great that Persona 3 Reload will be coming to a Nintendo system at all, the way it has been ported to the system is not ideal. As well as the physical release being on a Game-Key Card, the Switch 2 release does not include the Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis DLC in any of its editions. Players are still able to buy Episode Aigis separately alongside the full-priced game, but this could discourage some players from buying the game on this platform, especially those who have access to the title on Xbox Game Pass.
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Game Preservation and Ownership
One of the main concerns with Game-Key Cards is that, despite their appearance, they are not physical versions. Earlier in 2025, the controversy surrounding Doom: The Dark Ages’ physical release functioning similarly to Game-Key Cards across all platforms resulted in players cancelling pre-orders for the game. Players have recently become more aware than ever about game preservation and ownership, and these types of physical releases are only causing more concern. Persona 3 Reload fans may be able to enjoy the Switch 2 port now, but the Game-Key Card does little to guarantee its future playability.
Game-Key Cards bridge the gap between the physical and digital gameplay experience, but the physical aspect can be inconvenient to some players. Since the Switch 2 Game-Key Cards only contain a license to download the digital version, players must insert the cartridge to play the content they already have downloaded onto their console. This ultimately makes the physical releases of these games feel redundant for consumers, encouraging them to buy the digital version instead to bypass the need for a cartridge.
Some Games Might Not Fit Game-Key Cards
It’s no secret that the file sizes of games are becoming exponentially larger as hardware improves, so Game-Key Cards give third-party developers a way to physically release games on Switch 2 without needing to adjust the game to fit entirely on the cartridge. This is great for these developers, as well as players who want to be able to play larger third-party games like Persona 3 Reload which may not have made their way to the console otherwise.
However, there are third-parties which are leading the way, showing that Game-Key Cards are not the only way for players to play these games. The Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 is the gold standard for this, making the open-world game fully playable from the cartridge. Physical media deserve care and attention to provide a convenient experience without compromise, which is something Game-Key Cards lack.
It has been confirmed that first-party Nintendo Switch games will not use Game-Key Cards, but this is less of a certainty for third-party games. It’s not impossible for third-party developers to put the full version of their games on the cartridge in many instances, and some may shift towards this option later in the Switch 2’s lifetime. For now, though, players may be able to expect more Game-Key Card physical releases on Switch 2.
The launch of Persona 3 Reload on the Nintendo Switch 2 is perfect for fans of the series who have yet to play the game yet, or even those who are double-dipping with the new version. The remake is finally making its way to a Nintendo system, but players should be aware that the cartridge is a Game-Key Card and what this means before they make the decision to buy one of the best Persona games in the series. Players hoping to enjoy the game's 100s of hours worth of content may benefit more from the convenience of the digital version.
Persona 3 Reload
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- February 2, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17 / Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- P-Studio
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, RPG, Life Simulation, Strategy
