Nintendo Unveils New Virtual Game Card System to Hide Game Cards

Nintendo's newly launched Virtual Game Card (VGC) system on the latest Switch update offers a discreet feature that allows users to hide their game cards from public view. If you're someone who values privacy and prefers to keep certain games out of sight, this feature is for you. As demonstrated by a user on X/Twitter, you can now conceal your Virtual Game Cards from your acquired list on Nintendo's VGC portal. This means that anyone snooping around your list of Virtual Game Cards won't be able to see the games you've chosen to hide, 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 would still show up on my OLED Switch if they were installed or loaded, they disappeared from the list once uninstalled. This adds an extra layer of privacy for users concerned about what games are visible to others.

To access your hidden games, navigate to your games list via the "Redownload Software" section on your Switch. From there, head to the "Can't Find Software?" area and log into your Nintendo account to view the list of your hidden titles. The same process applies on the Nintendo website, where your hidden games will be stored in a separate folder under the "Can't Find Software?" option.

This feature might be particularly useful for parents looking to control access to certain games, such as Mortal Kombat or Doom, on a shared console. It can also be beneficial for those who simply wish to keep some games private, perhaps when bringing your Switch to social gatherings where you don't want certain titles to be visible.

While the process to unhide and reload games to play them again can be a bit cumbersome, it does offer a level of control over what others can see. However, note that even hidden games will still show up in your Play Activity when you start playing them, as was the case with Suikoden I&II HD Remaster on my account.

In addition to the VGC system, the latest Switch firmware update brings redesigned icons, introduces a system transfer feature in anticipation of the upcoming Switch 2, and has mostly closed a popular loophole for game sharing. For more detailed information on the new Nintendo Switch firmware update, you can find further reading here.