Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the only new Bethesda Switch 2 release getting a game cartridge

If you’ve been clinging onto physical games like they’re sacred relics, Bethesda’s latest Nintendo Switch 2 releases come with disappointment to a lot of hardware owners out there.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the only newly announced Bethesda release on Switch 2 that will ship with an actual cartridge in the box. The rest of the lineup is going down the far less exciting code in a box route.

Indy gets the full shebang, Fallout and Elder Scrolls do not

In the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase on February 5, Bethesda confirmed three big Switch 2 releases for 2026 in the form of Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

Sadly, as previously mentioned, it’s only MachineGames’ Indiana Jones that will include a physical Game Card. Bethesda has confirmed the Switch 2 ‘physical edition’ for Fallout 4 and Oblivion Remastered will instead be download codes inside a retail box. No cartridge, no Game-Key Card, just that new game smell and a redeemable code.

This isn’t exactly a new trend since Skyrim: Anniversary Edition falls into the same code in the box bucket on Switch 2. This actually makes Indy the lone proper physical option for Bethesda collectors right now, which is a pretty sad state of affairs.

The download code avenue is a channel that a lot of developers are heading down to essentially reduce costs. We get it, times are hard, especially in the gaming industry, but having that tangible disc or cart is something that is hard to replicate the feel of.

So, if you’re the type who likes lending games, trading them in, or just actually owning the thing you paid for, Indy is basically your only pickup in this wave.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches May 12, 2026, and you can get your pre-orders in right now.