The Outer Worlds will be coming to Switch on March 6 with a digital and physical release.

Unfortunately, the physical release won’t actually include a game cartridge.

Instead, gamers will get an empty game case with a download code.

The Outer Worlds finally has a release date on Nintendo Switch. Obsidian’s sci-fi RPG will be coming out digitally and physically on March 6, 2020. But there’s a problem with the physical release – it’s not actually a physical release.

You’ll get a case, but anyone who wants to buy a physical Switch cartridge of The Outer Worlds is out of luck. Instead, you’ll open the case to find a download code.

What a scummy thing to do.

You Can Pass on the ‘Physical’ Copy of The Outer Worlds for Switch

The case will include a warning that it doesn’t contain a cartridge. But then why call it a “physical” release at all?

Does Private Division, the publisher for the Switch version, think that collectors will want an empty case?

Here’s a hint: They don’t.

Who in their right mind gets excited to buy an empty game case?

Greed Is the Best Way to Kill Customer Interest in a Game

The shameless bait-and-switch isn’t the only problem with this “physical” release of The Outer Worlds.

It also forces customers to pay more than the sticker price to play their games.

The digital download requirement means that Switch owners must buy an SD card to play The Outer Worlds, which they’re already shelling out $60 for.

The worst part is it’s completely unnecessary!

The Outer Wilds has a file size of 20.49 GB on PlayStation 4. That means it would easily fit on a 32 GB Switch cartridge. It’s just the publisher skimping on a physical release.

The Outer Worlds Isn’t the Only ‘Physical’ Switch Release to Screw Gamers

The Outer Worlds isn’t the only Nintendo Switch title to give short-shrift to gamers with a not-so-physical release.

The same thing happened with Wolfenstein: Youngblood, whose 20.60 GB file size would have easily fit on a Switch cartridge.

And you can’t talk about awful Switch releases without mentioning Capcom. A developer that loves to screw over Switch owners by splitting its physical releases between cartridges and download codes.

The fact that gamers know it doesn’t have to be this way only adds insult to injury.

CD Projekt Red proved this definitely by releasing The Witcher 3 and all of its DLC on a single cartridge.

We know the future is going digital, but publishers need to acknowledge that it’s not here yet.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.