A major French retailer appears to have all but confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is headed to the Nintendo Switch 2, and it looks like the game will be another Game-Key Card release — a format that’s already stirred plenty of debate among fans.
Rumors about a Switch 2 port of Assassin’s Creed Shadows have circulated since April, when PEGI rated the game for Nintendo’s next-gen console. Now, for the first time, box art has surfaced through a retail listing, accompanied by a description inviting players to “experience Assassin’s Creed Shadows in a whole new way with Nintendo Switch 2.”
According to members of the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, the new listing’s key art also prominently hints that Shadows will be distributed as a Game-Key Card title. That means, unlike Cyberpunk 2077, which ships on a full 64GB physical cartridge for Switch 2, this release will likely require players to download either part or all of the game before they can play.
This practice has proved divisive across the Nintendo community. Supporters appreciate still owning a physical box, while critics argue that Game-Key Cards are little more than shelf fillers — largely useless without an active internet connection.
Nintendo seems to be aware of the controversy. The company recently launched a survey asking Switch 2 owners how they feel about digital versus physical media, probing what influences their purchasing choices and whether attitudes toward full digital ownership have shifted.
Developers have also weighed in. In September, a Ubisoft developer involved in the Star Wars Outlaws Switch 2 port defended the move, citing the console’s improved data transfer speeds. They explained that reading performance from cartridges versus internal storage can directly affect game smoothness. Similarly, Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi suggested some developers prefer Game-Key Cards not to cut costs, but because the format can actually help their games run better on the hardware.
If you missed Assassin’s Creed Shadows when it launched in March, this might be the right opportunity to give it a try. The stealth-action epic earned an 8/10 in IGN’s review, and depending on how well it’s optimized, it could become one of the most ambitious titles on Nintendo’s upcoming console — Game-Key Card or not.
