Nintendo of America’s support page has revealed that the Nintendo Switch cartridge for NBA 2K18 requires a 16GB download for all the features included. Interestingly, 5GB of space is reserved for save files. You can read the full breakdown, below:
A microSD card (sold separately) is required to download NBA 2K18 for Nintendo Switch, in addition to 5GB per save file on the system memory. Please have the microSD card inserted before beginning the game download and ensure that you have a least 5GB of system memory (not on a microSD card) available.
Below are the storage space requirements:
Initial software download after purchase – 6.8 GB
Additional software update – 16.1 GB
Save file – 5 GB system memory per save file
Please note that a microSD card is required for both the digital and physical versions of the game. Additional information about this requirement is located on the game packaging and in the Nintendo eShop / Game Store.
This is BAD. I will not be buying games that require internet dwnloads. Not this, or, despite me really wanting it….Doom..
At least Doom only requires you to download the multiplayer which I’ve heard isn’t that great anyway.
Downloading only multiplayer is superb. There are many people who want a good campaign and nothing else.
5GB system memory per save file??? Am I misunderstanding something?
That’s just stupid. I’ve never heard of a game needing that much space for a damn save file.
I am kinda expecting this to be some kind of mistake at this point.
(5MB perhaps?)
I mean 5gb is just too ridiculous to be true. (I hope)
P3. Unfortunately this is a problem with using card instead of discs. Cards can theoretically solve the loading problems that discs have, but it costs more money for the devs to use larger cards. In the end, devs either have to charge more or leave it to consumers to obtain external storage.
I’d gladly pay more to own the actual entire game I just freaking bought on the actual cartridge it SHOULD be on.
No, nonono.
In General you are right, this is a problem of gamecards, but this much additional space? For a sports game? And this much space for save files?
No, this is just ridiculous
Not saying that the file size can’t be resuced more, but even sports games are getting up there in size these days. Quite a bit goes into them. More then you would think. 2K17 was nearly 48 gb. Fifa 17 was 40.
I agree that the 5gb save file is ridiculous though.
I agree to that, although comparing it with FIFA (which I already did before posting) it means that they used a small card even though they would clearly need a 32gb card at least….
But yeah, my main issue is the save file size, I mean what? That must be some kind of mistake…
Good thing I don’t like Basketball. It seems like they went with an 8GB card for this game if the download is this much. That’s just insane.
5gb per save slot for a sports game is sloppy, optimized, and bloated coding. These publishers rush development and cut corners to maximized profit on a yearly title that will sell no matter how mediocre.
This was one of the reasons why I don’t like the smaller cartridges of the Switch. Had they used 3DS sized cartridges then 32GB or even 64GB cards could be made by wiring 2x 16GB or 2x 32GB chips in parallel. There are times when that’s actually more price effective than one larger capacity chip. Figure one of the things that could be driving up the cost of 32GB cards is just the fact that less are being produced than lower capacity cards, which is usually the case. So if you have chips that can be used in 16GB or 32GB cards, then there’s potential to drive down costs of both 16 and 32GB cards.
And even though I’m gonna sound like a broken record, had they included some kind of on-chip implementation of LZMA or Deflate, then devs might have even been able to compress their games more without the cost of increased load times. In fact, a fast enough decompression algorithm can actually reduce load times over uncompressed files with more compressed files actually making decompression quicker.
Well NBA 2k on other platforms is 48gb. Either way if u get it on other platforms u still need to download.
Well no not really. Other platforms install the files from the disc, they don’t download them from the internet. So if someone deletes that game to clear up some room, then the next time they pop in a disc, it will just install locally again while the Switch needs to connect to the internet.
The reason that it’s more annoying in the case of a Switch game is because cartridges were supposed to prevent people who bought physical copies of the games from having to use internal or external storage for games. It becomes extra annoying because now people who buy physical copies of games are pretty much forced to buy a MicroSD card.
Very true. Personally, it’s not a problem for me but I can see where your coming from and yes that’s one of the compromises of the switch while these carts are still expensive. Hopefully they become cheaper soon
Luckily, there are lot of work being put into solid state storage so I think it’s pretty reasonable to say that 32GB or 64GB cards may be as affordable at the end of Switch’s lifespan as 8GB cards are now.
I’ll still be buying Doom as it’s just the multiplayer and we’very had that on seperately discs/downloads for many titles… for a long time. NBA 2K18 is just penny pinching with the 8GB cart.
5GB per user!? That’s just ridiculous! I have my profile, my brother has a profile and a profile for guests. That’s already the remaining space I have left on my Switch’s internal storage.
Nintendo really needs to implement cloud save storage.
It’s true, it’s a shame the card is not bigger, for a game that’s already 79.99 full price, they should’ve gone the extra mile and used bigger cards. On the other hand, good 128 GB microSD’s aren’t more than 40$ now, and most people have some size of SD in their switch already. I guess if you’ve got the $80 for a basketball game, you’ve got the extra$$ for the necessary SD card too.
That is so true. For what they’re charging for the game I really do not understand why they couldn’t give us a bigger game cartridge.
Also, I’m wondering if retailers are going to sell future games like this bundled with a micro SD card so we don’t have to search for one. Should they not make this process as easy as possible for us?
That all comes up to 27.9GB! And that doesn’t include what’s on the cartridge if you get this game digitally! Anyone saying we’re overreacting over the small internal data storage in the Switch is a fucking idiot at this point. Or do these morons not know all of this shit adds up over time? It’s simple math, morons.
In any case, I made the right choice to not buy any multiplatform games for Switch! I’d probably end up spending more money on data storage than I would fucking games since there is no cheaper alternative in the form of external hard drives! And if Nintendo refuses to work on getting them to fucking work with Switch, I might have to even limit the number of exclusives I get! I like buying most of my games digital & I’m not gonna change that to support Nintendo! I’ll take the highway long before I take Nintendo’s way, so…
Its not really entirely Nintendos fault. Its more of the 3rd party devs being cheap and not having Nintendo help along with compressing data. and 5GB save data? U know tht is some sloppy optimizing but thts to b expected from a shitty sports game tht comes from 2K. They make EA look good. and why worry abut needing to download the Doom mutliplayer anyways? Its a mediocre exp. compared to the glorious single player exp. and eh Micro SDs are a one off purchase if u go big. I bought 126GB card and its almost at 40% storage with 20 of my 26 games being digital.
5GBs for each separate save file is pretty fucked up if it’s true. Hopefully that’s a typo at least for those that might be sharing their Switch with family members & want this game for the whole family. It does sound like I’m putting too much fault on Nintendo, though, but I know they are only part of the problem. No company is innocent.
That’s not good.
Accidentally hit post too soon. I meant to include that it doesn’t make sense that a physical game needs a 16 gb additional download. Also how does an NBA game need that when Zelda BOTW was huge and it didn’t need a 16 GB download
Because Nintendo are gods at compression apparently.
At least Capcom used a 16GB cart for Revelations 1… 2K couldn’t be bothered to go even that far.
I get that these games let you create a character and whatnot but why would it need 5gb for a save file?! Seems like either a lot was added after the game was printed or these carts don’t fit much on them. Makes it a bit pointless to go physical though when the whole game isn’t even on the physical copy. Nowadays you should expect some sort of update but if you go physical the game should be on the cart in full so it can be played without an internet connection.