Pokémon Pokopia became the first Nintendo-published game released on a Game-Key Card.
A Game-Key Card is a physical card that acts as a key for downloading the game’s software rather than containing the entire game in the traditional cartridge format. Pokémon Pokopia’s physical edition therefore combines a boxed product with a required digital download.
The distinction matters because Pokémon Pokopia was released exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. Its format marked an early example of how physical game distribution could work on that platform, especially for larger modern software packages.
The fact is sometimes misstated as meaning Pokémon Pokopia was the first physical game of any kind on Nintendo Switch 2. The more precise claim is that it was the first game published by Nintendo to use a Game-Key Card. The format describes the physical edition, not the digital version sold through Nintendo eShop.