Nintendo has no plans to abandon physical games, executive says

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Nintendo says it has no plans to abandon physical game releases, despite the industry's shift toward digital distribution. Nintendo has no plans to abandon physical games, executive says ⓘ Nintendo Nintendo says it has no plans to abandon physical game releases, despite the industry's shift toward digital distribution.

Andrew Sozinov , Published 10/12/2026 Gaming Console Nintendo has no plans to stop releasing games in physical formats, despite the industry's continued shift toward digital distribution. The company says it takes consumer preferences into account, particularly in regions such as Latin America, where physical copies remain popular.

Bill van Zyll, Nintendo's vice president and general manager for Latin America, said the company considers consumer preferences when deciding how to distribute its games and recognizes how much fans value physical copies. Speaking to the Brazilian YouTube channel Coelho no Japão at Brasil Game Show 2026, van Zyll said the Nintendo Switch 2 provides support for both digital and physical games, and the company has no plans to abandon physical media. So, there are no plans to ditch physical [formats].