Game industry analyst David Gibson stated that storage manufacturer Macronix is exiting the ROM business and will no longer produce related products for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. As one of the major manufacturers of physical game cartridges for both generations of Switch consoles, the company's departure could tighten the supply of physical editions and accelerate the adoption of game key cards for the Switch 2.
Currently, this assessment remains speculative based on changes in the supply chain. Existing information does not specify when Macronix will cease related production, nor does it disclose current inventory levels, alternative suppliers, or a list of games already affected. Nintendo has not confirmed any shortage of physical cartridges.
Although game key cards are sold in cartridge-style cases, they do not store the full game data. Instead, they primarily serve to authorize players to download digital content online and cannot provide all game data directly like traditional full cartridges. This format has faced criticism from some players since its introduction, and Macronix's exit from the ROM business may encourage publishers to adopt key cards more widely.