Understanding Archiving on Your Nintendo Switch: A Comprehensive Guide

Archiving on your Nintendo Switch is a fantastic way to manage your console’s storage without losing your game progress. In essence, it removes the game files from your system, freeing up space, while keeping the game icon on your home screen. This allows you to easily redownload the game later without having to repurchase it or worry about losing your saved data.

The Nuances of Archiving: What You Need to Know

Archiving isn’t deleting. It’s more like putting a game on a temporary shelf. Let’s delve deeper into the process, benefits, and key differences between archiving and other storage management options on your Nintendo Switch.

Archiving vs. Deleting: Key Differences

The most crucial distinction lies in what happens to the game icon and the ease of redownloading:

• Archiving: The downloaded software is deleted, freeing up valuable storage space. However, the game icon remains on your HOME Menu. To play again, simply select the icon and the game will redownload.

• Deleting: Both the software and the icon are removed from your HOME Menu. Redownloading requires navigating to the Nintendo eShop and finding the game again.

Think of archiving like packing away out-of-season clothes. They’re not gone forever, just stored elsewhere until you need them again. Deleting, on the other hand, is like donating those clothes – they’re removed from your possession entirely.

What Happens to Your Save Data When Archiving?

A major concern for any gamer is the fate of their hard-earned progress. Thankfully, archiving does NOT delete your save data. Your save files are stored separately in the system memory, not on the game card. This means you can confidently archive games knowing you can pick up right where you left off when you redownload them. Game saves are stored in the system, meaning even moving a game from your system to your SD card will not preserve or move the game save data.

The Benefits of Archiving

• Freeing up Storage Space: This is the primary benefit. Archiving allows you to uninstall large games you’re not currently playing to make room for new ones.

• Maintaining a Clean Home Screen: Keeping the game icon ensures easy access for redownloading. You won’t have to search the eShop every time you want to revisit a game.

• Preserving Your Game Progress: As mentioned earlier, your save data remains intact, eliminating the need to start from scratch.

When to Archive vs. Delete

Consider archiving games you plan to play again in the future. Delete games you know you’re finished with and don’t anticipate revisiting. While deleting does technically free up a tiny bit more space (the space occupied by the icon information), the convenience of archiving usually outweighs this slight advantage.

Utilizing a MicroSD Card

While archiving helps manage storage, investing in a microSD card is highly recommended for Nintendo Switch owners. This external storage allows you to download and store significantly more games, reducing the need for frequent archiving. You can have a lot of games installed on your switch, but only the most recently played ones will be visible on the main screen. Hitting a certain number of games will bring you to the all software screen.

Data Archiving in Broader Terms

In a broader context, data archiving is the process of moving data that is no longer actively used to a separate storage device for long-term retention. This is common in businesses to comply with regulations, reference for future compliance or research, or to retain valuable information while freeing up space on primary systems. It differs from backup, which creates a copy for restoration, while archiving migrates data for long-term storage.

Ethical Considerations

Archiving is generally considered an ethical practice. It allows you to manage your storage effectively without resorting to piracy or other unethical means. However, it’s crucial to ensure you’re only archiving games you legally own.

FAQs: Archiving on Nintendo Switch

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the ins and outs of archiving on your Nintendo Switch:

1. Does Archiving Delete My Game Save Data?

No, archiving does not delete your save data. Your progress is safe and will be waiting for you when you redownload the game.

2. Can I Redownload Archived Games?

Yes, you can easily redownload archived games by selecting the game icon on your HOME Menu.

3. Do I Have to Repurchase Archived Games?

No, you do not have to repurchase games you’ve archived. You already own the digital license.

4. What Happens if I Delete a Game Instead of Archiving?

Deleting removes both the game files and the icon from your HOME Menu. You’ll need to redownload the game from the Nintendo eShop.

5. Does Archiving Free Up Space?

Yes, archiving frees up storage space on your Nintendo Switch by removing the game files.

6. Where is Game Save Data Stored on Nintendo Switch?

Game save data is stored in the system memory of the Nintendo Switch, not on the game card or microSD card.

7. Can I Move Game Save Data to a MicroSD Card?

No, you cannot move game save data to a microSD card. It remains in the system memory.

8. How Do I Free Up Space on My Nintendo Switch Without Deleting Games?

Archiving is the best way to free up space without deleting games. You can also manage screenshots and videos to free up a bit of space.

9. What’s the Difference Between Archiving and Backup?

Archiving moves data for long-term storage, while backup copies data for restoration. Nintendo Switch does not natively offer a backup functionality for game saves.

10. How Many Games Can a Switch Hold?

Technically, you can have more than 12 games, but only the 12 most recently played will show on the main screen. Exceeding this number will create an “All Software” icon. With a large enough microSD card, you can store dozens or even hundreds of games.

11. What if I Lose My Nintendo Switch? Will I Lose My Archived Games?

No, as long as you are using the same Nintendo account, you will have access to your licenses of the archived games.

12. If I have multiple profiles on my Switch can everyone access the archived games?

Yes. Games that have been archived (not deleted) will still have an icon on the HOME Menu, and can be redownloaded by anyone on the console.

13. Is there a limit to how many times I can archive or redownload a game?

No, you can archive and redownload a game as many times as you need. There are no limits.

14. Can physical copies of the game also be archived to free up space?

No, archiving only works on digital copies of games. Since physical copies are on game cards, they are always taking up space.

15. Can archived games be redownloaded without internet?

No. Games require an internet connection to be redownloaded.

The Future of Game Preservation: Lessons from Archiving

The concept of archiving, as applied to the Nintendo Switch, offers valuable insights into the broader challenges and opportunities in game preservation. As digital distribution becomes increasingly dominant, the need for effective archiving strategies becomes paramount.

The Role of Educational Organizations

Organizations like the Games Learning Society, accessible at GamesLearningSociety.org, play a crucial role in exploring the educational potential of games and advocating for their preservation. Understanding how games impact learning and culture requires ensuring they remain accessible for future study and enjoyment. The Games Learning Society recognizes games as legitimate fields of study.

Moving Forward

Archiving on the Nintendo Switch is a simple yet powerful tool for managing your game library. By understanding the process and its implications, you can make informed decisions about how to store and access your favorite games while maximizing your console’s storage capacity. As digital game libraries continue to grow, effective archiving strategies will become even more crucial for preserving our gaming heritage.