Nintendo had a deep dive into the Switch 2 in a recent super-sized 60-minute Nintendo Direct, revealing plenty of new key information, including the price of the console ($449.99), its release date (June 5, 2025), and a whole slew of new games. What’s more, it was confirmed that the Switch 2 will only be compatible with microSD Express Cards, with up to 2TB cards supported.

This means that you won’t be able to bring your old storage cards over when you pick up the console this summer. To expand your storage, you’ll need to check out the cards that SanDisk and Lexar have listed on Amazon, and that we’ve linked to below, alongside GameStop, which is producing its own line of cards. This currently includes 128GB ($44.99), 256GB ($49.99), 512GB ($84.99), and 1TB versions ($149.99).

However, some are already being snapped up in bulk and are now listed as “temporarily out of stock” on Amazon. Target also currently has a Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card listed, but unavailable for purchase, at $59.99.

For reference, Nintendo Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage—a significant upgrade from the original Switch’s 32GB. That means you might not feel the need to expand your storage right away. However, keep in mind that Switch 2 games could be much larger than those on the original console.

For example, one of the biggest Switch games, Tears of the Kingdom, was 16GB, but its Switch 2 version—and games like Mario Kart World—could be far more demanding.

Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition, for example, is set to take up 64GB of space, 25% of your internal storage. While exact file sizes for other Switch 2 games haven’t been confirmed, it’s safe to assume they’ll also consume a hefty chunk of storage. Unlike the original Switch, which supported standard microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards, the Switch 2 will only support microSD Express cards.

Why MicroSD Express for Switch 2?

Nintendo is making a big change with the Switch 2’s storage expansion. But why? MicroSD Express cards are a huge leap forward in portable storage tech. While traditional microSD cards max out at 104 MB/s using the UHS-I interface, MicroSD Express cards can use PCIe and NVMe technology to hit speeds of up to 985 MB/s—nearly 10 times faster.

Because of these speed benefits, Switch 2 won’t support regular microSD cards. That means no using your old Switch’s memory card, unless it’s a compatible Express version. This ensures the system can handle larger, more demanding games without slowdowns.

But, there’s a big downside: They’re much pricier. Comparatively, a 128GB SD Card for Switch would cost you around $10-15, where as the same storage for an Express card looks to be about $45. Express microSD cards aren’t as widely available as standard microSDs, and brands like SanDisk, Lexar, Samsung are among the few making them.

This means that while Nintendo’s move to microSD Express-only seems to be all about speed and future-proofing, but it does put the higher costs for expandable storage on the user. Check out everything else Nintendo had to show during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Senior Editor, Commerce, for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.