How Game Sharing Works on PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch

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You can share digital games in a few different ways, but the rules depend on the platform: PS5 lets other users play the owner’s downloaded games on one enabled console; Nintendo supports loaded Virtual Game Cards and limited family-group lending; and Switch 2 GameShare hosts a temporary session for supported games. These are not the same as lending a digital game to any friend on another console. Xbox’s current Home Xbox details could not be confirmed from the official support page available here, so check Xbox Support for current instructions and limits.

First, decide what you mean by “sharing”

Platform features generally fall into three categories:

#	Product	Price
1	$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]	$100.00	Buy on Amazon
2	$25 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]	$25.00	Buy on Amazon
3	$50 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]	$50.00	Buy on Amazon
4	$10 -PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]	$10.00	Buy on Amazon
5	$75 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]	$75.00	Buy on Amazon

Shared access on one console: Other people using a designated console can play games associated with the purchaser’s account. This is how PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play works.
Lending a digital game: A platform temporarily makes a digital purchase available to an eligible person using another console. Nintendo Virtual Game Card lending supports this for members of the owner’s Nintendo Account family group.
A shared gameplay session: Another player joins a temporary session hosted by the game owner. PS5 Share Play and Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare work this way; they do not transfer ownership.

Choose the feature that matches the situation. Household access, a time-limited loan, and a hosted session have different account, console, connection, and duration rules.

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PlayStation 5: share purchases on one console

Enable Console Sharing and Offline Play

On the PS5 you want to share, open Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play.
Select Enable. The first PS5 used to sign in is enabled automatically.

Only one PS5 at a time can have Console Sharing and Offline Play enabled for an account. To enable it on a different PS5, disable it on the previous console first. Once enabled, other users on that PS5 can play the owner’s downloaded games and media, including when the console is offline. They may also use some PlayStation Plus benefits. Subscription titles still require an active subscription and remain subject to availability. See Sony’s Console Sharing and Offline Play guidance.

#1 Best Overall

$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]

Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.

Use Share Play for a temporary session

Share Play invites one visitor into a session with the host. The visitor can play as the host, or the two players can play together. The host needs PlayStation Plus; both players need PlayStation Plus for the play-together mode. A session ends one hour after the visitor joins, and some games or scenes may be restricted. Share Play is a session, not a digital-game loan or transfer of ownership. Details are in Sony’s Share Play instructions.

Nintendo Switch and Switch 2: use Virtual Game Cards

Load a card for play on a console

Nintendo treats digital purchases as Virtual Game Cards. A Nintendo Account can use up to two consoles to load these cards, and linked consoles can exchange them. When a card is loaded on a console, other users on that console can play the game, including offline. On other consoles, the account holder can play their digital games while online, but other users cannot play those games. See Nintendo’s Virtual Game Card overview and Nintendo’s digital-game play guidance.

Rank #2

$25 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]

Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.

Lend a Virtual Game Card to a family-group member

For a loan to someone using another console, the recipient must be a member of the owner’s Nintendo Account family group. The consoles must be near each other and online when the loan is made. The borrower can hold one borrowed card at a time; the owner can lend up to three cards at once. A loan automatically returns after 14 days, though it can be returned or retrieved sooner. The owner cannot play a card while it is lent, and some titles may not support lending.

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Nintendo also states: “When you lend a game, any DLC you have purchased is also lent.” Consult Nintendo’s lending and borrowing instructions for the current procedure and game eligibility.

Rank #3

$50 PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]

Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.

Nintendo Switch 2: host a GameShare session

GameShare is different from Virtual Game Card lending. A Switch 2 running supported software hosts the session, and guests join to play the supported game rather than receiving a lasting loan of the digital purchase. Local sessions can include guests on an original Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. Online sessions require Switch 2 systems. Up to four systems can participate, and some games may support only one connection method. Check Nintendo’s GameShare information for supported titles and connection details.

Xbox: verify Home Xbox rules with Xbox Support

Xbox’s My Home Xbox feature is relevant to sharing games, but the official support page available for this article exposed only a JavaScript requirement and no usable guidance. Current activation limits, setup steps, and offline conditions therefore cannot be stated reliably here. Check Xbox Support’s My Home Xbox page before changing console settings.

Rank #4

$10 -PlayStation Store Gift Card [Digital Code]

Redeem for anything on PlayStationStore: games, add-ons, PlayStationPlus and more.
Everything you want to play. Choose from the largest library of PlayStation content.
Use gift card funds to contribute towards PlayStationPlus memberships.

Which option fits your situation?

Feature	Who gets access	What it provides	Offline or duration rules	Key limits
PS5 Console Sharing and Offline Play	Other users on the one enabled PS5	Play owner’s downloaded purchases and media	Works offline on that console	One enabled PS5 at a time; subscription titles require an active subscription and availability
PS5 Share Play	One invited visitor	Temporary hosted gameplay session	Ends one hour after the visitor joins	Host needs PlayStation Plus; both need it for play-together mode; some content may be restricted
Nintendo Virtual Game Card loaded on a console	Other users on the console with the card loaded	Play the loaded digital game	Loaded card works offline	Nintendo Account can load cards on up to two consoles
Nintendo Virtual Game Card loan	A member of the owner’s Nintendo Account family group	Temporary access to the lent card	Loan returns automatically after 14 days	Nearby, online consoles to make the loan; borrower holds one card; owner lends up to three at once; owner cannot play the lent card; some games may not support lending
Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare	Guests in a hosted session	Temporary play of supported software	Not a lasting game loan	Switch 2 host and supported game required; up to four systems; online guests must use Switch 2
Xbox My Home Xbox	Not stated in the available Xbox Support content	Not stated in the available Xbox Support content	Not stated in the available Xbox Support content	Current setup and limits could not be confirmed

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When a physical game card is the better fit

If you own a physical Nintendo Switch game card, you can lend that copy by giving it to the recipient to insert into their console and launch. This is lending the physical copy; it does not share or transfer a digital purchase. Nintendo’s instructions are at its guide to playing physical games.

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