Digital Games in Physical Cases

[Cartagia]

This may have been discussed before, but I couldn't find anything about it in the style guide, etc.

Right now, when there is a physical release of a product that does not include a physical of the game it is getting listed in the main physical section for that game.  The main example I have right now is the Fire Emblem 30th Anniversary Box Set.  It's big and cool as hell, but only comes with a game code.  So my question is - does this truly belong in Switch (NA) category, or should it be in the eShop one?  Or even a bigger curveball, should it be in Swag or Accessories?  It's a 99% physical product, but if we treat it like we do games that come with accessories, maybe it should be in Digital, since that's what the primary product (the game code) is.

I think arguments could be made for each of these, but I wanted to see what everyone else thought.

[dhaabi]

I wouldn't ever consider categorizing items like Fire Emblem - 30th Anniversary Edition in their respective digital categories, namely Nintendo eShop (Switch) [NA] in this instance. While the actual product is digital, it wholly ignores the physical aspects to this item. However, that being said, current categorization of Nintendo Switch [NA] is off-putting as well, albeit not to the degree of the alternative posed before.

As far as further alternatives, I don't think that Accessory has a strong argument, but Swag - Retail Code Cards could have its title amended to account for items like these. The two are really no different from each other. The last alternative that could possibly have an argument is Other, but I'm not too fond of that solution as these items are strictly related to categories already present.

[Cartagia]

Well, let's take Fire Emblem out of it and go with something like Fortnite for Switch.  It's literally just a game code in a box.

And, mind you, I'm not advocating for any specific changes, but this question just kept me up last night 

[dhaabi]

Well, let's take Fire Emblem out of it and go with something like Fortnite for Switch.  It's literally just a game code in a box.

Very true. This kind of item was more of what I was thinking of in my last comment. Fourteen items in Nintendo Switch [NA] alone are like this, in addition to at least two more items not yet submitted as an entry to VGC. Katamari Damacy Reroll (Prince and Ball Plush) doesn't even include a voucher to redeem the code; instead, the code is printed on the retail receipt upon purchase.

[tripredacus]

No physical item (box, case, etc) is allowed to exist in a digital category.
Retail code cards are not for code cards found within game boxes, only for code cards that are sold on their own.

Physical item that comes with "a game" of some sort, be it disc, or download code on paper, can go into the game category.

Now the exception to this is any situation where the game box does not have a download code inside, but is emailed separately. In that case, the physical item goes into swag or possibly accessories category, but not into game category. It is the same situation where LE has game and bonus stuff packaged separately.

[retromangia]

I agree with Trip on this, makes perfect sense.