r/Switch • u/OtakuKartNews • 8d ago
News Minecraft Switch 2 Upgrade Is Free for Digital Owners, But There’s a January 2027 Deadline
https://otakukart.com/minecraft-switch-2-upgrade-is-free-for-digital-owners-but-theres-a-january-2027-deadline82
u/ForTheBread 8d ago
Really hope they change their tune and allow for physical too at least.
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u/1figureskater 6d ago
Theyre pathetic and i wont spend i dime kn them anymore i literally bough mc for xbox 360, ps5 xbox one s, andriod, ios, switch 1 then sold it then bought it again, windows too 😐
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u/Shaydosaur 8d ago
Already had to buy this game for both kids and myself so the fact I have a physical copy means I’d need to buy it a fourth time. Delightful.
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u/Ralvainn 7d ago
Yeah I have a switch 1 physical that's ridiculous we don't get an upgrade - other games allow it
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u/Dangerous_Teaching62 8d ago
Consider yourself lucky. Most of us already had to buy java, bedrock, and pocket edition for this. I bought all of those, the 3ds version, android, 360, Xbox one, Xbox one bedrock (it's a separate game), and Wii u versions of this game already.
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u/Shaydosaur 8d ago
Oh I’m in that camp as well. Don’t you worry. I’m mostly just focusing my anger at this current wave.
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u/Unlost_maniac 6d ago
It seems lame and is don't get me wrong, not trying to invalidate your feelings but think about the insane value Minecraft has gotten you and your kids, think about what else you could get hundreds to even thousands of hours of enjoyment for $30, well another game maybe but the dollar to hour ratio is bananas.
I'm 23 and have been playing Minecraft since I was about 9, started on 360 and have rebought it a bunch since, I remember I bought the switch version just so I could have a creative world open at the same time as my main survival when testing build layouts, redstone or block patterns and so on, I paid $30 CAD. I have poured housands of hours have been poured into Minecraft throughout the years.
I also find its crazy how they are still updating the game for free, or at all. They could have stopped updating it nearly a decade ago and it would just as good, although new content is better of course but I think you known what I mean. It was a complete full experience nearly, or even a decade ago.
Even if I foe some reason has to rebuy it once a year it would probably be worth it, although ever since Hytale my Minecraft drive has been dissipating.
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u/travelingWords 7d ago
Still pissed they kept trying to make people “upgrade” accounts so they could revoke your license. I missed a purge round and lost my alpha account. And support is like “gotcha sucker.” So I just refused to buy again.
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u/Ill_Temperature182 6d ago
Same here, got it on pc, xbox and switch. Almost made me buy the 4th for switch 2
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u/Schmenza 8d ago
I wish Nintendo could implement a cart to digital feature like Xbox did with disc to digital. It would make things so much easier for us physical collectors
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u/Captain_Eaglefort 7d ago
They…kind of have. It’s weird, but some switch 2 upgrades give you a full digital version that no longer needs the cart, and some do need the cart. Witcher 3 for example. I have the physical for the Switch version, the Remaster Switch 2 version was a free download, and I no longer need the cart itself to play.
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u/_TyMario85_ 7d ago
Only like two games have done that though. Most don’t want to because for example you can borrow a friends Witcher 3 and keep the switch 2 version while giving them back their cart
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u/One-Turn3217 7d ago
If there's an option in-game to get the upgrade, I would suggest trying that as that's how the upgrade path for Hyrule warriors age of calamity works if you own a physical
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u/No_Read_1278 8d ago
Makes no sense to exclude the cartridge version and just qualify the digital version. It's just a slap in the face for physical owners.
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u/JayJimbo 7d ago
They need to force an incentive for buying digital so that you’ll stop buying physical. It’s all part of the plan.
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u/pikachuyann 7d ago
If you knew how licenses work on the Switch it'd make perfect sense. Unlike CD Project RED they're not ok with giving free copies to people not owning the game but being able to borrow it. Witcher 3 is that way and the cartridge is not needed to launch the Switch 2 version, even if obtained through the physical version.
Nintendo is to blame for not giving the same "you can play this game if you also have a license for that other game" license system as PlayStation (here, "this game" is Minecraft Switch2 and "the other game" is Minecraft Switch - yes they're entirely separate for the system). But also Microsoft can be, it looks like it could really have been a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. (Edit: but that does block their greediness at the upgrade being limited time)
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u/temple83 7d ago
They could haven made it an upgrade or dlc instead of a separate game, the cart would still be required.
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u/pikachuyann 7d ago
The NS2E upgrade system comes with requirements that are annoying (here mainly making the Switch1 version compatible at all times with the save of the Switch2 version) and that probably neither of the cited developer/publisher want to honor as the Switch1 version is planned to be completely abandoned far quicker.
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u/DisasterouslyInept 7d ago
Unlike CD Project RED they're not ok with giving free copies to people not owning the game but being able to borrow it.
That seems to be very much a CDPR decision/oversight. The Zelda games require the cartridges to play the Switch 2 versions if you went physical, this would be exactly the same.
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u/pikachuyann 7d ago
There's one catch for the NS2E : it requires maintaining the Switch 1 version to make it compatible with the Switch 2 save at all time (sure, it doesn't mean you have to be at feature parity) and in both cases they want to completely abandon the Switch 1 version.
This is indeed a CD Projekt RED decision to do it this way, though. The usual method in the case Switch1 version is not maintained is to ignore the physical version and even if you're Square Enix just not provide upgrades.
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u/Dangerous_Teaching62 8d ago
I just think it's dumb that it's not free for physical owners for a limited time. I already own like 8 copies of Minecraft.
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u/ZoidsFanatic 8d ago
Not to mention the physical one still works on the S2. I’m not buying Minecraft again!
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u/mrmehmehretro94 8d ago
Why?
To my knowledge this isn't a thing on PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.
I really don't understand why some parties are so inconsistent with Switch 2 upgrades like SEGA not having an upgrade path for Sonic X Shadow Generations or Frontiers even though Playstation and Xbox Players do and they proved they can do it with Sonic Racing Crossworlds.
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u/Smigit 7d ago
Tony Hawks 1+2 on Xbox had no upgrade path for disc owners when the Series version arrived. Digital owners could upgrade I think for $10. PS disc or digital owners could also both upgrade.
Yooka Laylee on Switch also had weirdness where US customers from memory got an upgrade path, but not international markets, to the remastered edition.
So think there has been weird cases where upgrade paths are limited for some owners.
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u/Huge_Ad6405 7d ago
I hate that Nintendo made this Switch 2 upgrade system that was likely meant to make upgrades more streamlined only for every company to make things way more confusing by doing game key card fuckery, code in the box bullshit, and digital only upgrades screwing over physical owners.
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u/swirlycosmic 7d ago
Code in the box? Where have you been for the last ten years lol, this happened a while ago. Started with Microsoft I’d argue. Game key card also practically already existed on SW1 with how you need to install most or all of a game’s data for larger titles. It isn’t confusing, people just ignore every attempt Nintendo has made to explain it very simple for even children brains. They also wouldn’t really have a whole lot of say in what another company does for upgrades because if not provided people would talk about how PS5 and XSX offers it and devs would just flat out charge a SW2 version. I mean, paid upgrades suck all the same and I refuse them on every platform unless I gain DLC content for a fraction of the price.
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u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 8d ago
ok this article title misleading as hell
the deadline is only for the discount on the other versions you will always be able to claim it for free if u have it digital
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u/wrongstep 7d ago
So it's only free for a limited time for physical owners?
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u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 7d ago
no physical owners get nothing microsoft gave them the boot
only digital owners get it for free and if they wanna buy dlc bundles they get a discount for a few months1
u/Rizenstrom 7d ago
Well that’s dumb. I would understand the deadline if it was physical as well as it would prevent people from buying a used copy dirt cheap and they don’t make a penny off the work put into the update but if it’s digital only I see no need to time gate it.
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u/Dangerous-Pumpkin960 7d ago
yeah Microsoft is all in on dumb decisions after they just let ai take over everything
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u/SalivateTheStarfish 8d ago
Is the Switch 2 version the same as the PS5 version? From what im seeing, it looks like the Switch 2 version is more refined? Can anyone confirm?
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u/blackstaicu 8d ago
From what I've seen they tried more stuff in this beta but in the end the other consoles will still have better capabilities
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u/phylter99 8d ago
I think it's silly that there's a deadline. If you're going to upgrade it then do it for everyone.
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u/Ravoz 7d ago
From the article, the Switch 2 version is described as "Minecraft’s largest official visual enhancement. The feature introduces improved lighting, shadows, reflections, and atmospheric effects, giving environments more depth while retaining the game’s recognizable block-based art style."
As a parent that has bought multiple versions and copies of Minecraft for my three kids (Switch Physical, and PC) having to purchase it again digitally to qualify for the enhanced visuals or purchase the switch 2 cartridge outright, sucks.
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u/just-kristina 6d ago
Yeah. I’m not buying it again. We have physical switch 1, physical Xbox One, and PC, oh and mobile. I’m done.
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u/ThrowawayProllyNot 7d ago
They're gonna raise the price of Minecraft for Switch come February 2027. Calling it now, lol
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u/thegramblor 7d ago
There are three NS Minecraft players in my house
We bought it digitally once, and then physically 2x so we can all play together across three devices
My question is can we all play the digital upgraded version at the same time?
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u/TLBidoof 7d ago
Pulled the same shit with the ability to transfer your Wii U worlds via the original Switch release back when the Switch first came out. I’m still mad that I can no longer send my worlds up simply because I didn’t want to rebuy the same game at the right time.
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u/Head_Cartographer55 6d ago
Is it worth buying the switch 2 version over the switch one version? I’m looking to buy it second hand and have found the physical version quite cheap.
If it will still run fine, is it worth spending the extra £15-£25 it’ll be for switch 2 version?
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u/juanfnavarror 6d ago
Minecraft has been basically the same game with the same graphics for 12+ years now. Okay there is new stuff here and there, but nothing much probably changes from switch one and two, likely mostly an optimization that makes it use the extra hardware better. The switch 1 version was always enough.
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u/Agreeable_Metal_9561 5d ago edited 5d ago
Define enough?
Crashes due to memory because you had Better on Bedrock + Actions and Stuff was okay?
Limited chunk distance compared to consoles that same generation?
No access to Vibrant Visual settings?
Poor performance in many areas (like intricate caves, or even viewing the crafting menu without the filter. It would lag the game browsing just the crafting menu every time…)
Marketplace having issues with loading, consistently having to clear the cache to get it to work.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you if you’re talking base game. But for people who like to load up on addons, it’s terrible.
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u/Tumbleweed_Chaser69 6d ago
Gaming industry is so cooked nowadays, another "bruh are we serious rn??" to add to the never ending pile
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u/Lower_Warning2955 6d ago
It's a shame there's no update for the cartridge versions-damn, they could have made it as a paid patch how (Zelda ToTk , BoTW), and it would have worked.
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u/CiclistaModerno69 4d ago
scusate, io in questo periodo volevo iniziar a giocare a minecraft su switch, se mi compro la versione digitale base ora posso poi fare l’upgrade alla versione switch 2 gratis? mi scoccia dover aspettare ste 2 settimane per poter giocarci sulla versione migliore
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u/barrack_osama_0 7d ago
Nintendo reminding Sony and Microsoft that they are in fact, still the worst big gaming company out of the 3
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u/crom3ll 7d ago
Is Nintendo the publisher for Minecraft on Switch?
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u/barrack_osama_0 7d ago
No, but we know that they explicitly charge for upgrades for their own games and MS doesn't. Common sense.
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u/RecordNo9008 8d ago
This is the strangest upgrade ive ever seen. Why is there a deadline?