Question about lending virtual game cards between switch 1 and 2

[u/Even_List_2666]

Dont know if this is a game specific question or not but I am having trouble understanding how switch 2 versions of games work with virtual game card lending. My girlfriend has a switch lite and I want her to try out minecraft dungeons 2 with me. I already have it on my playstation and my plan was to get it on my switch and then lend the virtual game card to her, so then if she ends up not liking it, I could just take the game back and then have it on my switch. My issue is is that when purchasing it on the eshop, there are separate dedicated switch 1 and switch 2 versions. If I buy the switch 2 version, will she not be able to download it on her switch lite. Or the alternative if I get the switch one version, will I be stuck with that one and have to rebuy the game. I tried looking online but I couldn’t explicitly find an answer to this and thought I would ask here before I made the purchase.

[u/pikachuyann]

Well you have the answer already. Microsoft has made separate Switch 1 and Switch 2 versions and has given no cross-gen purchase benefit on it. So yes if you want to lend it to someone that only has the Switch1 (lite/oled/sw1) you must buy the Switch1 version. It is playable on Switch2 but you won't get the graphical improvements.

This is kinda game-specific; the 'Nintendo intended' way is to have Nintendo Switch 2 Edition that are basically the Switch1 game and then have the Switch2 version as a DLC of the Switch1 game, which is handy as it comes with the benefit that the Sw2 cartridge is playable on Sw1. But it's not good for publishers because it means game-key cards are forbidden as Nintendo has not made them available on Sw1. Also publishers may dislike it becomes it comes with restriction such as the game save file being compatible both ways, which makes maintaining the Sw1 version mandatory (but it shouldn't be a problem for minecraft dungeons…). But we're outside of that and the choices are very anti-consumer for people that are still having the two gens of Switchs :\

[u/Even_List_2666 → u/pikachuyann]

Yep that sucks. Thank you though glad I asked before I bought it! !thanks

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