The Nintendo Switch does not ship with a huge amount of internal storage. Where as the PS4 and Xbox One have 500GB and 1TB options, the Switch offers just 32GB. However, unlike other consoles, the Switch doesn't need all that much storage thanks to the use of game cartridges.
If you ship a game on optical disc, then it needs somewhere to install files so as not to take forever to load. But by using carts, the data can stay where it is while allowing for very fast load times. Storage is only really required for save games and additional content (patches, DLC).
Nintendo realizes an increasing number of gamers prefer to download their content rather than buy physical copies, and so the Switch includes a memory card slot. The good news is, as reported by Nintendo Wire, it's SDXC compliant, meaning the Switch will support Micro SDXC memory cards of up to 2TB in size.
At launch, additional storage will be limited to 256GB. That's simply because memory cards larger than that don't exist yet. 512GB cards will appear next, but even if you found one the price is likely to match or exceed that of the Switch. Storage manufacturers have yet to embrace 1TB and 2TB cards.
The important point, however, is that the Switch may look like it lacks storage, but the option is there to add the same, and eventually more than ships inside a PS4 or Xbox One. You will pay a small fortune to add such large cards, though.
Here's a run down of the typical prices right now for Micro SDXC cards:
- 32GB - $10
- 64GB - $20
- 128GB - $40
- 256GB - $200
Clearly, nobody is going to purchase a card larger than 128GB right now, but will they need to? A lot will depend on how Nintendo decides to handle accounts for the Switch. Hopefully it won't be like accounts on the 3DS where transfers were required between cards. If Nintendo ties the account to a person rather than a piece of hardware, then multiple smaller cards should work.