Recent sales statistics in the United States show Nintendo platforms enjoying the highest percentage of physical video game sales (63%), leaving 32% for PlayStation and just 4% for Xbox (and a remaining ~1% for special PC editions). However, new reports suggest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will not be getting a proper physical cartridge for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Gamers playing on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox have already had a taste of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 through its early access beta (for pre-order customers), which went live on August 21 and will continue until tomorrow, the 25th. However, the game is also coming to Nintendo Switch 2 – the first on a Nintendo console since Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii U in 2013.

Nintendo Switch 2 customers can join in with the other three platforms during the open beta, taking place between August 28 and September 1. The full game will be released to all platforms on October 23, so there’s still a couple of months to wait before you can get your hands on the game, albeit probably not with a physical cartridge for your Switch 2.

No digital-only video games at Video Games Plus

According to Canada-based retailer Video Games Plus (VGP), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be a “code-in-box” release for the Nintendo Switch 2, alongside Diablo IV (which hasn’t even been officially announced yet, but had its supposed release date leaked last week). “The future of physical gaming should concern every physical game fan,” says the retailer.

VGP also points out Grand Theft Auto VI, which won’t be launching on the Switch 2, but will be shipping without a disc on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Video Games Plus says it won’t be carrying any products that offer no physical disc or cartridge and has opted to forgo these products at its store. It’s a big call for such blockbuster releases, particularly GTA 6.

We still don’t know the file size for Modern Warfare 4 on the Nintendo Switch 2. File sizes were notably left out of the recently published system requirements on PC, which are for the beta version. Players soon discovered the beta version on PC is around 30GB, but we’ll have to wait and see the full game’s size, which will likely vary by platform.

Switch game file sizes tend to be significantly smaller than their PC counterparts, due to targeting lower resolutions with more aggressive asset compression, but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s worth pointing out that a standard Switch 2 cartridge’s capacity is up to 64GB, so even if there is a physical media release further down the road, additional storage space may be required to store the entire game.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.