Nintendo Switch Update 20.0.0: Patch Notes

Okay, so here’s the thing. Nintendo just dropped this massive update for the Switch, version 20.0.0 — and wow, it’s got some wild stuff in there. Like, going through it felt like going down a rabbit hole of virtual gaming sorcery. I mean, they’ve got this thing called a Virtual Game Card now. Wild, right?

So, picture this: all those digital game purchases you made are like these invisible cards now, living in some virtual menu. And you can pop them in and out from up to two consoles. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure if that’s cool or just the beginning of a digital apocalypse. And get this, you can even lend these cards to folks in your Nintendo family group. Not my family-fam, my gaming fam. Difference!

Now — and here’s where it gets sorta bizarre but also genius — there’s this GameShare feature. It’s like you can team up with your mates on a Switch 2 and game together. But only locally. Seriously, Nintendo? Wi-Fi ain’t a thing anymore? But hey, whatever floats their boat, I guess. It’s not like I’m gonna start a faraway gaming commune any day soon.

Oh! They slipped in these User-Verification Settings. You know, to keep those virtual cards safe. Secret PINs or signing into your account—it’s like a secret club behind a pixelated door. Pretty sure they mixed in some spies and secret agents in there too, just for fun.

And what about this Online License Settings thing? Man, it’s like you can play stuff even if you’ve totally spaced and forgot your virtual card. Internet’s your saving grace here — just gotta stay connected.

Switch colors on the eShop and News icons — yeah, changes there too. Not even sure why I noticed that, but here we are.

Honestly, sometimes it feels like they’re just changing stuff to keep us guessing. Like the whole save data transfer thing. You can move multiple saves all at once now. Yay for efficiency? Or is that just me being lazy?

Then there’s this whole system transfer deal. If you’re planning to hop to a Switch 2, there’s a way to fling your data through the air or to a server, but only if you plan right. And don’t forget to connect to the internet either way. Technology, man, it’s a tricky beast.

Lastly — and brace yourselves — they decided to switch up the whole “Primary Console” terminology. Now it’s about being “Pass-enabled.” Pass what? I still need to find out. But supposedly, it’s to handle subscriptions and stuff, making sure we’re all getting along nicely on our shared consoles.

Anyway, to get into the nitty-gritty, I’d suggest diving into the Nintendo site. It’s got all the expanded details. Meanwhile, I’ll be fiddling with my newly updated Switch, trying to figure out how much of this update is magic and how much is just Nintendo being, well, Nintendo.