How many games can fit on a 128 GB SD card on the Switch?

As an avid Nintendo Switch gamer and content creator, one question I get asked constantly is "how many games can you fit on a 128 gigabyte SD card?" With install sizes varying widely across titles – from tiny indie games to massive 40+ GB third-party releases – the number can definitely vary. But based on my experience managing a sizable Switch digital library, you can expect to fit approximately 15-20 average sized games on a 128GB card.

Of course, there are a few key factors that determine just how many Switch downloads you can cram onto an SD card before maxing out that precious capacity:

Game Genres and Install Sizes

Across the Switch eShop and retail game card releases, install sizes can range from tiny 100MB indie experiences all the way up to 40-50+ GB deluxe editions of games like DOOM or The Witcher 3. Here‘s a rough breakdown:

• Small indie games: 100MB – 3GB
• Moderate first-party titles: 3GB – 15GB
• Large third-party AAA games: 15GB – 50GB+

As you might expect, you can store a whole lot more of those bite-sized retro indies compared to the giant open worlds of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or The Witcher 3.

To give some real world examples from my library – games like Hollow Knight and Cuphead occupy about 1GB each. A massive Zelda adventure like Breath of the Wild comes in around 14GB. And The Witcher 3 complete edition with all DLC is a whopping 42.5GB!

Game Updates and DLC

In addition to base install sizes, games receive updates over time with bug fixes, balance tweaks, and new content. These can range from small patches under 100MB up to 1-2GB+ additions. Popular games like Splatoon 2 and Super Smash Bros Ultimate have collected nearly 10 cumulative GB worth of updates since launch!

Downloaded expansions and DLC packs can also quickly eat up space. Depending on the game, they might add a few GB for new quests or modes. For example, the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 paid DLC totals around 5GB. So with updates and additional content, games often ultimately consume double or even triple their initial installation footprint.

Game Save Data

It‘s also easy to underestimate how quickly your precious SD card capacity gets nibbled away by game save files, temporary data, and heaps of screen captures. While each individual game rarely consumes over 1GB for saves, this data adds up faster than you might expect when jumping between a dozen-plus software titles.

I‘d conservatively budget at least 5-10GB of your SD card‘s overall capacity for these miscellaneous usage bits. Pro tip: offloading screenshots and videos to a PC occasionally can free up gigabytes!

Physical Game Cards vs. Digital Downloads

One great way to conserve SD card space is to purchase physical game card copies rather than downloading digital versions. Game cards store all necessary data internally rather than occupying precious external storage.

I like to buy physical for my "evergreen" first-party Nintendo titles – Super Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros etc. – that I‘ll come back to again and again. Downloads often have deeper sales for third party and indie stuff. Evaluate your personal usage habits across game types to find the right balance.

Tips for Maximizing SD Card Capacity

If you plan on building a large 100+ game Switch library spanning multiple SD cards over the console‘s lifecycle, here are my top tips for maximizing storage:

• Get the largest capacity SD card you can reasonably afford as a foundation.
• Offload screenshots, videos, and extraneous data to a PC when space runs low.
• Archive older games you aren’t actively playing to free up capacity.
• Buy physical releases for games you want to retain perpetually.
• Upgrade to a higher capacity 256GB or 512GB SD card later on if needed.

Properly managed with some prudent data shuffling, a 128GB card can accommodate plenty of great Switch games before needing an upgrade.

SD Card Capacities and Expected Games

So just how many games can you realistically get loaded onto SD cards of varying sizes? Check out these ballpark estimates:

As you can see, the number of games varies dramatically based on average install size. I‘d expect a 128GB card to accommodate about 8-12 giant third party games, or around 18 moderately sized Nintendo titles, or 30+ bite-sized indie games.

Stack enough smaller games and you might squeeze a few more than 20 total onto 128GB. But for a healthy buffer I‘d bank on a comfortable library of 15-20 average releases before needing to upgrade.

Is 256GB or a 512GB SD Card Worth It?

Given how large some AAA third party Switch releases have ballooned to, I usually recommend most gamers look to a 256GB or 512GB card as their "forever" storage solution rather than capping out at 128GB.

The price difference between capacities continues to shrink too – at around $25 between tiers depending on sales and brand, the cost per gigabyte now favors higher capacities. And you‘ll likely upgrade piecemeal over time anyway as SD card prices keep falling.

If building a gigantic library exceeding 100+ titles, 512GB or even 1TB cards are a great long-term investment. But 256GB reasonably satisfies most gamers. I’d suggest 128GB only for very casual players mostly interested in first-party Nintendo titles and smaller indies.

Hopefully this SD card capacity breakdown gives you a helpful guideline for roughly how many Switch games fit on 128GB, or when to consider upgrading to an even roomier 256GB or 512GB card for your burgeoning game collection! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m always happy to chat Switch library management strategies with fellow fans!