Nintendo does not appear ready to abandon physical game releases, but the cost of producing Switch cartridges could rise as the company relies on a smaller group of suppliers for the ROM chips they contain. At the same time, digital software sales are growing, potentially reducing demand for physical cartridges over time.
Physical cartridges remain part of Nintendo’s plans
Nintendo is not necessarily following Sony toward a future without physical game production. The company said last month that it has no plans to stop offering game cartridges in the near future.
However, manufacturing those cartridges could become more expensive. Nintendo is now forced to rely on suppliers such as ROHM and LAPIS Semiconductor for the remaining ROM chips used in its cartridges.
Higher production costs could affect the prices publishers charge for physical Switch games. Earlier this year, Nintendo began charging more for some physical releases than for their equivalent digital downloads.
Last year, Japanese publisher Inin also said it would offer a full cartridge release of R-Type Dimensions III after the cost of manufacturing the cartridge was reduced by using a smaller-capacity format for Nintendo Switch 2.
Digital sales continue to grow
Meanwhile, Gibson notes that digital software sales accounted for 61.5 percent of Nintendo’s business in the second calendar quarter of 2026, up slightly from the previous year.
If that share continues to increase, demand for ROM-based Nintendo cartridges could decline, potentially offsetting some of the higher manufacturing costs associated with producing them.
Source: arstechnica.com
