Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsGame sharing works differently on each console. On Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, a purchaser loads a Virtual Game Card onto a linked console; on PS5, Console Sharing and Offline Play makes the purchaser’s downloaded games available to other users on one enabled console. Xbox commonly uses a Home Xbox setting, but the current setup and benefits should be checked with Microsoft before relying on them.
How game sharing differs by console
| Platform | What makes a game available | Other users on the console | Console scope and offline play | Subscription benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 | A Virtual Game Card loaded on the console | Can play a loaded card on that console | One Nintendo Account can associate up to two Switch-family consoles for loading Virtual Game Cards. A loaded game can be played offline. | Not established as part of Virtual Game Card sharing in Nintendo’s guide. |
| PS5 | Purchased and downloaded games, with Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled | Can play the purchaser’s games and media | The setting applies to one PS5 at a time; other users can play downloaded content offline. | Some PlayStation Plus benefits are available to other users; subscription content still depends on an active membership and the game remaining available. |
| Xbox | Commonly described as a designated Home Xbox | Current terms were not established by an official Microsoft source here. | Current device limits, offline terms, and simultaneous-play rules are not established. | Which benefits transfer is not established. |
Nintendo and PlayStation’s official instructions are linked in the sections below. Xbox is included because the method is commonly called Home Xbox, but the available secondary overview is not enough to confirm current Microsoft rules: secondary overview of Home Xbox and other sharing approaches.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Nintendo eShop Physical Gift Card | $100.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
Share digital games on Nintendo Switch or Switch 2
Nintendo calls digital eShop games and DLC Virtual Game Cards. A card must be loaded onto the console for other users there to play the title. Once loaded, the game can be played offline. See Nintendo’s Virtual Game Card guide and its answer to whether other players can use games you purchased.
Load and move a Virtual Game Card
- One Nintendo Account can associate up to two Switch-family consoles for loading Virtual Game Cards.
- To move a card between those consoles, both must be powered on or in sleep mode and connected to the internet. You cannot move a card while its game is being played on the other console.
- After the card is loaded on a console, other users on that console can play it. Offline play is available for a loaded card.
Lend an eligible game to a family-group member
Lending is different from loading a card on your own linked console. It is limited to eligible games and members of your Nintendo Account family group, and the consoles must be near each other to lend or borrow. The lender cannot play the game while it is loaned. Nintendo allows up to three cards to be lent at once, with one game at a time per borrower; each loan returns automatically after 14 days unless it is returned or retrieved earlier. Some games do not support lending.
#1 Best Overall
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Keep save data separate from game access
Sharing the game license does not by itself move a save file. Nintendo says save data is associated with the Nintendo Account and the console used. Save Data Cloud is available to Nintendo Switch Online members for supported games; transfers move data from the source console. Check the support details for the particular game and console.
Use a physical game card instead
A physical Nintendo game card can be inserted into the console where someone wants to play, according to Nintendo’s multi-console guidance. That is a way to share a physical copy, not to transfer a digital purchase. Check compatibility for the specific game and console.
Rank #2
- Give the gift of fun with a Nintendo eShop gift code
- It's easy—apply it to your Nintendo eShop account in seconds.
- It ensures that you’ll always have funds on hand to help with purchases of new games and applications
- It’s designed for your Nintendo eShop purchases—no credit card required.
- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch system.
Share games on PS5
On the PS5 where you want sharing, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play, then choose Enable. Sony says the feature is automatically allowed on the first PS5 used to sign in to PlayStation. If you want to switch it to another PS5, turn it off on the previous console first. Follow PlayStation’s Console Sharing and Offline Play instructions.
With the setting enabled, other users on that PS5 can play the purchaser’s games and media that have been purchased and downloaded, even while offline. They can also use some PlayStation Plus benefits. The setting applies to one PS5 at a time. Subscription games remain conditional: the membership must be active, and the game must still be available through the subscription.
Rank #3
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
What to know about Xbox sharing
Xbox sharing is commonly discussed as setting a console as the account holder’s Home Xbox. However, current official Microsoft terms for setup, console limits, offline access, simultaneous play, and subscription sharing are not established here. Do not assume that Xbox works like Nintendo’s Virtual Game Cards or PS5’s console setting; check Microsoft’s current Xbox support instructions before changing the Home Xbox setting or relying on shared subscription benefits.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
