You start over, and you pay full price to do it.
As Nintendo Switch 2 establishes its library, Square Enix has chosen to release both Octopath Traveler titles this October as full-price purchases with no upgrade path and no save data transfer — a decision that asks loyal players to pay twice for journeys they have already begun. In an era when the games industry is still negotiating the ethics of hardware transitions, this choice arrives not merely as a business decision but as a statement about how publishers value the time and trust their audiences have already given. The precedent being set here will echo beyond these two games.
- Square Enix is charging full price for Switch 2 versions of both Octopath Traveler games, with no discount for players who already own them on the original Switch.
- Dozens of hours of player progress are stranded — there is no mechanism to transfer save data to the new hardware, forcing a complete restart.
- Gaming press outlets including Kotaku, Polygon, and Crunchyroll have responded with sharp, unified criticism, calling it the worst possible approach to a Switch 2 port.
- The decision lands at a particularly sensitive moment, as the Switch 2 is new enough that publisher choices now are actively shaping industry-wide expectations.
- Competing publishers have offered upgrade discounts, save transfers, or both — making Square Enix's silence on these options conspicuous and widely condemned.
Square Enix is bringing both Octopath Traveler games to Nintendo Switch 2 this October, but the terms have drawn immediate and widespread criticism: full price for both titles, no discount for existing owners, and no way to carry over save data from the original Switch.
For players who have already invested dozens of hours into either game, the choice is stark — pay again and start over on the new hardware, or stay on the old console to keep their progress. There is no middle ground, no loyalty tier, no technical bridge between the two experiences.
The gaming press has not been gentle. Kotaku called it the worst possible way to handle a Switch 2 port. Polygon and Crunchyroll echoed the sentiment, with the latter finding it unreasonable to charge full price for what amounts to a modestly enhanced version of a game players already own. The critical consensus is unusually unified.
What gives the decision particular weight is its timing. The Switch 2 is new enough that publishers are still writing the rules for how ports and upgrades should work on the platform. Other publishers have offered discounts, save transfers, or both. Square Enix has offered none of these — and in doing so, risks not only alienating its existing audience, but setting a precedent that others may follow for the worse.
Square Enix is bringing both Octopath Traveler games to Nintendo Switch 2 this October, but the company is taking an approach that has drawn sharp criticism from gaming outlets and observers: the games will sell at full price with no upgrade discount for existing owners, and there will be no way to transfer save data from the original Switch versions.
The decision means players who own either game on the current Switch will need to buy them again in their entirety if they want to play on the new hardware. There is no discount tier, no loyalty option, and no technical bridge to carry over the dozens of hours some players may have already invested in their first playthrough. You start over, and you pay full price to do it.
This announcement has landed poorly across the gaming press. Kotaku called it the worst possible way to handle a Switch 2 port. Polygon echoed the criticism. Crunchyroll's take was blunt: the idea of charging full price for what amounts to a slightly enhanced version of a game people already own struck them as unreasonable. The consensus is not subtle—this is seen as a failure of publisher responsibility at a moment when the industry is still figuring out how to treat backward compatibility and ports on new hardware.
The timing matters. Nintendo Switch 2 is still new enough that publishers are setting precedents with their first major releases. How Square Enix handles Octopath Traveler will influence expectations for what comes next. Other publishers have offered upgrade paths, discounts, or save transfers on their Switch 2 ports. Some have done all three. Square Enix has chosen none of these options.
For players, the practical effect is clear: if you want to continue your adventure on the new console, you are paying twice. If you want to keep your old save file, you stay on the old hardware. There is no middle ground. The games themselves—the original Octopath Traveler and its sequel—are well-regarded titles with substantial playtime. Asking players to repurchase them without any accommodation for their existing investment feels, to many observers, like leaving money on the table while also leaving players behind.
Citas Notables
Kotaku called it the worst possible way to handle a Switch 2 port— Kotaku
Crunchyroll criticized charging full price for what amounts to a slightly enhanced version of a game people already own— Crunchyroll
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Why would Square Enix make a choice that seems to frustrate so many people?
It's a question of what the company thinks it can get away with. The games are good enough that some people will buy them again. No upgrade discount means full revenue on every sale.
But doesn't that damage trust? If I own Octopath on Switch, why would I buy Switch 2 games from Square Enix again?
That's the real cost nobody's accounting for. You're right—it creates friction. Other publishers are offering discounts or transfers, which makes Square Enix look tone-deaf by comparison.
Is this about the technology being hard, or is it just a business decision?
It's almost certainly business. Save transfers are technically straightforward. The company is choosing not to do it because they want full-price sales from everyone.
What happens if this becomes the standard?
Then the Switch 2 becomes less appealing as an upgrade for people with existing libraries. You're not carrying your games forward—you're starting over and paying again. That's not how upgrades usually work.