Switch 2 Family Setup: Digital Games, Kids Accounts, and More

How to Share Your Nintendo Switch 2 Library on Two Consoles with Virtual Game Cards

When I bought our Nintendo Switch 2, I expected a smooth upgrade from the first Switch. What I got instead was confusion—conflicting guides about primary consoles, online-only access, and frustrating workarounds involving flight mode and profile hopping. As a parent juggling Fortnite-loving kids, multiple digital downloads, and the dream of playing on two consoles without conflict, I spent hours of research trying untangling how I should setup the new console.

After much frustration I discovered, Nintendo’s 2025 Virtual Game Cards system is the real fix no one was talking about.

This guide is for parents, gamers, and families setting up a second Switch 2 and wondering:  

• Can I share digital games between consoles?
• Do I need a second Fortnite account?
• How do I avoid making one console “primary” and messing up access?

If that’s you, you’re in the right place. This article covers how I made it all work—sharing my digital library, managing kids' accounts, and enabling Fortnite on both consoles—without resets, re-purchases, or complex hacks.

1. Why Virtual Game Cards Change Everything  

Gone are the days when your digital library lived on one console and everyone else had to log into your account to play. Virtual Game Cards treat every digital title like a cartridge you can “load” and “eject” across consoles:  

• Load a game to Switch 2 with a tap
• Any profile on that console can launch it—even offline
• Lend a title to any Nintendo Family Group member for 14 days (recall it whenever you want)  

Result: you share your entire collection without swapping logins or fighting over who’s the “primary.”  

2. Quick-Start: Setting up your new Switch 2  

1. Boot up.
2. Dont select Transfer, instead Sign in with existing account

Thats it!

3. Loading Your Digital Library on Switch 2

1. From the Home screen, open Virtual Game Cards.

2. Select “Load to This Console” under each game you want.

3. Watch the progress bar, then jump right in.

Now every profile—parent, kid, guest—can play your games, offline or online, no further setup required.

4. Fortnite on Two Switch 2 Consoles  

Virtual Game Cards make it simple to share your digital library across consoles—but Fortnite is a special case. It doesn’t use Nintendo’s game license system. Instead, your progress, Battle Pass, and V-Bucks are tied to your Epic Games account, not your Nintendo purchases.

To play Fortnite on both consoles at the same time, here’s what you need to do:

✅ Switch 1 — The Kids’ Console

• Create or upgrade your kids' profiles to Child Nintendo Accounts
• Link each child’s profile to a separate Epic Games account  

If they’re under 13, Epic will create a Cabined Account—you'll get a request to approve features like chat or friends.

• Each child now has their own Fortnite progress and settings

✅ Switch 2 — Your Console

• Keep using your main Nintendo Account
• It stays linked to your original Epic Games account (with your progress, skins, V-Bucks, etc.)

Now both consoles can run Fortnite simultaneously:

• Kids play on Switch 1 using their own Epic accounts  
• You play on Switch 2 with your existing account  
• No disconnections, no session-kicking, and no progress overlap  

And best of all? Thanks to Virtual Game Cards, you don’t need to mess with:

• Switching primary consoles  
• Turning off Wi-Fi  
• Buying the game twice  
• Or logging in and out of your Nintendo Account constantly

Two consoles, two sets of Fortnite progress, and one happy household.

5. Multi-User Tips for Fortnite  

• Under-13 players get an Epic Cabined Account (no chat or purchases until you approve).  
• 13+ can register their own email and manage settings—but stay in your Family Group for parental controls.  
• Fortnite remains free-to-play, so you don’t need to rebuy it on either console—just separate Epic IDs.  

Summary: The Full Family Setup in 5 Minutes  

1. Upgrade local profiles on Switch 1 to child Nintendo Accounts (preserves saves).  
2. Join your Family Group—everyone gets online features and cloud saves once you subscribe.  
3. Load games on Switch 2 via Virtual Game Cards.  
4. Create that second Nintendo/Epic combo on Switch 2 for simultaneous Fortnite.  
5. Manage lending from the Virtual Game Cards app or online portal—14-day loans, unlimited recalls.  

With Virtual Game Cards, setting up your second Switch 2 is now a breeze: no primary/secondary drama, no flight-mode hacks, and no more fumbling with user accounts. Your digital library travels wherever you do, and Fortnite can rock on two consoles at once—perfect for busy families or parents who refuse to sit on the sidelines.

Ready to load your first game onto Switch 2? Fire up that Virtual Game Cards app and let the fun begin!