Nintendo Unveils New Virtual Game Card System to Hide Game Cards

Nintendo has rolled out its new Virtual Game Card (VGC) system with the latest Switch update, providing users with enhanced privacy options. If you're someone who prefers to keep your game collection under wraps, you'll be pleased to know that you can now hide your Virtual Game Cards from your acquired list on Nintendo's VGC portal. This feature ensures that any games you choose to hide will not be visible to others browsing your list, for any reason you might have.

I personally tested this feature and successfully hid games such as Suikoden I&II HD Remaster and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While these games still appear on my OLED Switch when installed or loaded, they are removed from the list once uninstalled. This adds an extra layer of privacy for those sharing their console.

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

If you have games that you'd prefer to keep private, perhaps for parental control or simply to maintain a certain image at social gatherings, you can now store them away securely. However, note that this method is a bit cumbersome as you will need to unhide and reload the games to play them again. Additionally, even when hidden, the system still records and displays your play activity, as I noticed with Suikoden I&II HD Remaster.

This feature could be particularly useful for parents looking to restrict access to certain games like Mortal Kombat or Doom on shared consoles. Or, if you're concerned about the titles in your Switch library being seen at a rooftop party, this gives you the option to keep them discreet.

With the latest update, Nintendo not only introduced the ability to hide Virtual Game Cards but also revamped icons, added a system transfer feature in anticipation of the upcoming Switch 2, and closed a popular loophole for game sharing. For more detailed information on the new Nintendo Switch firmware update, you can read further here.