Bethesda Game Studios were the most prominent developers of the most recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, revealing the release date for Fallout 4 on the system as well as announcing a new port of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
While a retail release was leaked for the former title, Bethesda has now confirmed that both games will be launching as code-in-box releases instead of on a cartridge. This also means that the games will not be available on Game Key Cards, downloadable games that can be shared and resold.
In an email to press, Bethesda confirmed that both titles will release digitally on the eShop and via code-in-a-box. Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 will be available at retail April 28, 2026, months after its February 24th digital release. There is currently no release date for Oblivion Remastered.
Curiously, while both of these titles are getting the worst-quality physical releases, Bethesda’s release of MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is getting a proper physical release day-and-date with its digital launch.
Bethesda has confirmed that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle will be available via a “physical game card at retail”. The press release does not mention a Game Key Card. As the game comes in at just under 60GB for the Nintendo Switch 2 version, it could easily fit on a proper cartridge instead of the download-focused alternative.
As for Fallout 4, the Anniversary Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 weighs in at 61GB, and includes all DLC as well as 150 Creation Club items. The game could also fit on a proper cartridge for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, and Bethesda has not given a reason as to why the game is not launching on a cartridge or via a Game Key Card. Additionally, as the game was designed for mechanical hard drives instead of SSDs, Fallout 4 wouldn’t have issues with asset streaming from a proper cartridge which titles like Star Wars Outlaws ran into.
While Game Key Cards have proven to be a controversial offer for Nintendo Switch 2 users, they are a better alternative than code-in-box releases as they can be shared between friends and even resold. In fact, according to recent data, the majority of Nintendo Switch 2 users own at least one Game Key Card.
Last year, Final Fantasy 7 Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi—who released FF7 Remake via a Game Key Card—explained that the technology was “a really amazing idea” for titles that simply couldn’t fit—or couldn’t run—from a traditional cartridge.
“I don’t personally see Nintendo working towards trying to improve the loading speed for the cartridges,” Hamaguchi said. “Rather, I feel that Nintendo will put more effort into popularising the Game Key Card format which again is a really fantastic idea for us developers
We have reached out to Bethesda for comment on why these particular titles will be launching as code-in-box titles instead of Game Key Cards.
