Nintendo Unveils New Virtual Game Card System to Hide Game Cards

Nintendo's latest Switch update has introduced the new Virtual Game Card (VGC) system, which is now live and offers players the ability to keep certain games out of sight. If you're someone who wants to keep your game collection private, this feature might be right up your alley.

As demonstrated by a user on X/Twitter, you can hide your Virtual Game Cards from your acquired list on Nintendo's VGC portal. This means that anyone snooping through your list won't be able to see which games you've tucked away. I personally tested this feature and successfully hid titles like Suikoden I&II HD Remaster and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Although these games still show up on my OLED Switch if installed or loaded, they vanish from the list once uninstalled.

To view your hidden games, you'll need to navigate to the "Redownload Software" section in your games list and then go to the "Can't Find Software?" option, where you'll need to log into your Nintendo account. The same applies to the website, where hidden games are tucked away in a separate folder under the "Can't Find Software?" option.

If you're concerned about others noticing certain games on your system, you can now hide them in this folder. However, be aware that this method is a bit cumbersome as you'll need to unhide and reload the games to play them again. Additionally, my account still showed me as playing Suikoden I&II HD Remaster in Play Activity when I booted it up.

This feature could be particularly useful for parental controls, allowing you to keep games like Mortal Kombat or Doom inaccessible to younger players. Or, if you're heading to a social event and prefer not to have certain titles on display, this could be a handy way to keep your game library discreet.

With the latest update, not only can you hide your Virtual Game Cards, but you'll also notice redesigned icons and the introduction of the system transfer feature in preparation for the upcoming Switch 2. However, this update has also largely closed a popular loophole for game sharing. For more details on the new Nintendo Switch firmware update, you can read more here.