Minecraft's Switch 2 Upgrade Is Free, but Only for Digital Owners

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Published Oct 8, 2026, 6:30 AM EDT

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Cartridge owners are left behind by Nintendo

Two characters wielding spears, facing down a Parked on a camel husk in Minecraft.

Minecraft fans are in for a treat this October, as it will finally receive a Switch 2 upgrade. Microsoft sold millions of copies of Minecraft on the original Switch. Some of these players will receive free access to the Switch 2 edition, but thousands more are considered ineligible and will have to purchase it separately.

When Mojang's expansive sandbox survival game fully launched in 2011, it was incredibly popular. Minecraft then released on the original Switch in 2017. Although it came out on the platform only a few years after release, Minecraft sold extremely well on Switch. Over nine years later, Minecraft is getting an upgrade for Nintendo Switch 2. This new edition brings improved visuals and allows players to carry over their save data from the original Switch. The bad news is that Nintendo is only allowing digital owners of Minecraft to claim a free upgrade to the Switch 2 edition — not those who own a physical cartridge.

Free Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade exclusive to digital owners on original Switch

Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2 costs $29.99, the same as the Switch version. Physical owners are outraged at this decision because if they want access to the upgrade, they will have to buy a new copy of the game at full price.

It is possible that Nintendo wanted to prevent a loophole that allows to take advantage of the free upgrades granted to physical game owners. With The Witcher 3, users were granted a free digital copy of the remaster when they inserted the cartridge into the console, allowing them to duplicate The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered across several Nintendo accounts. This could be a strategy to prevent this from happening again.

It's unclear whether Nintendo will offer a solution or compensate physical edition owners in any way. Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2 releases Oct. 27. Those who have Minecraft in their digital libraries on Switch have until Jan. 31, 2027, to claim their free copy of the upgrade.

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