> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://bullquill.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade: free for digital owners until Jan 31 - URL: https://bullquill.com/minecraft-switch-2-free-upgrade-how-to-claim/ - Published: 2026-10-27T02:18:12.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-27T02:25:43.000Z - Description: Digital owners of Minecraft on the original Switch get the Switch 2 Standard Edition at no cost, while Japan (100 JPY) and Taiwan (30 NTD) pay an upgrade fee. Cartridge owners have no announced upgrade path yet. - Author: Rowan Ashby - Tags: Games, Trending, Minecraft, Nintendo Switch 2, Mojang, Nintendo, #lang-en, #tr-minecraft-switch-2-free-upgrade-how-to-claim ## Key takeaways - Minecraft's native Nintendo Switch 2 edition launches on 27 October 2026, with Vibrant Visuals switched on by default. - Anyone who bought Minecraft digitally on the original Switch can claim the Switch 2 Standard Edition at no cost through the Nintendo eShop until the end of January 2027. - Japan and Taiwan are the exceptions: Nintendo lists an upgrade fee of 100 JPY and 30 NTD respectively. - Regular US prices are $29.99 (Standard), $39.99 (Deluxe Collection) and $49.99 (Ultimate Collection); digital owners can step up to Deluxe or Ultimate at a discount. - Boxed Switch cartridge owners have no announced upgrade path, and existing Switch worlds carry over to the new version. The Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade is free for anyone who bought the digital Switch copy, claimed on the Nintendo eShop until 31 January 2027 in most countries, according to Nintendo. Everyone else pays the regular $29.99 when the Switch 2 version launches on 27 October. The offer is limited in time, tied to digital purchases and handled differently in two markets. Below is what qualifies, what each edition costs, how to claim it and what still is not clear for owners of physical copies. ## Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade: who qualifies The free upgrade covers players who bought Minecraft for the original Nintendo Switch as a digital download. In a footnote on its pre-order page, Nintendo says Switch digital owners can upgrade to the digital Nintendo Switch 2 Standard Edition for free in all territories except Japan and Taiwan. My Nintendo News reported on 8 October that Nintendo of America had clarified on X that digital owners are entitled to the Switch 2 version free "for a limited time." Three conditions follow from the official wording: - **Digital only.** The offer names digital owners. Nintendo Everything wrote at announcement that it was "not currently hearing anything about an upgrade" for boxed copies. - **Same game, same platform family.** FinalBoss notes that owning Minecraft digitally on another platform, such as PC, Xbox or PlayStation, does not qualify for the Switch 2 offer. - **Before the deadline.** Nintendo says the free claim runs "until the end of January 2027"; Nintendo Everything and My Nintendo News both give the date as 31 January 2027. ## Editions and prices on Switch 2 Nintendo lists three digital editions. Every edition includes the Nintendo-exclusive Super Mario Mash-Up Pack, now updated with Vibrant Visuals. The table below uses the regular US prices from Nintendo's pre-order page. | Edition | Regular US price | What it adds | Path for digital Switch owners | | ------------------- | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | Standard Edition | $29.99 | Base game plus Super Mario Mash-Up Pack | Free until 31 Jan 2027 (100 JPY in Japan, 30 NTD in Taiwan) | | Deluxe Collection | $39.99 | Celebration Food, Rescue Dogs and Plenty O'Blocks add-ons, 3 Character Creator items, 700 Minecoins | Discounted upgrade fee | | Ultimate Collection | $49.99 | Deluxe add-ons plus Decocraft and Weapons + Tools, 5 Character Creator items, 1,000 Minecoins | Discounted upgrade fee | *Prices and contents from Nintendo of America's pre-order announcement, data as of 27 October 2026 (UTC). Regional prices differ.* Nintendo does not publish the exact discounted fees for Deluxe and Ultimate on its announcement page. Nintendo Everything reported that its eShop showed the Deluxe Collection at 75% off and the Ultimate Collection at 60% off when the offer went live. Check the price shown on your own account, because regional eShop pricing varies. Nintendo also notes that Minecoins included in these editions, or bought on a Nintendo device, must be used in the Nintendo ecosystem. ## How to claim the free Switch 2 upgrade Neither Nintendo nor Mojang has published a click-by-click guide on the pages reviewed for this article, but the offer runs through the eShop. Based on how the offer is described, the process looks like this: 1. **Use the right account.** Sign in on your Switch 2 with the Nintendo Account that bought the original digital Minecraft. The entitlement follows that purchase. 2. **Open the Nintendo eShop** and go to the Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2 listing. 3. **Check the price.** For eligible accounts outside Japan and Taiwan, the Standard Edition should be offered at no cost. FinalBoss advises that if the eShop shows the regular price, your account may not qualify. 4. **Confirm the order.** Finish the free order, or choose the discounted Deluxe or Ultimate upgrade instead if you want the add-ons. 5. **Download and launch.** Install the Switch 2 version and sign in to carry on with your existing worlds. Nintendo opened pre-orders on 7 October and described the free Standard Edition as available to pre-order. If you claimed it early, check your eShop purchase history or the game's listing if the download does not start on launch day. ## Do my worlds transfer? Yes. The Switch 2 eShop listing says Nintendo Switch worlds "can be carried over, so you can pick up right where you left off," according to Final Weapon, and Nintendo Everything reported the same. FinalBoss adds an important caveat: carrying a world across does not by itself make it compatible with Vibrant Visuals, so some older or Marketplace worlds may keep the standard look. ## Vibrant Visuals and what changes on Switch 2 The biggest difference on the new console is Vibrant Visuals, Minecraft's official graphics overhaul. Beebom described it as enabled by default on Switch 2, with enhanced lighting, shadows and water reflections. Nintendo's footnote lists the limits: Vibrant Visuals is not available in some gameplay, including split-screen and when using certain Marketplace worlds and content. Other features carry over from the existing version. Nintendo Everything notes that online multiplayer requires a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and cross-platform play needs a Microsoft Account. Nintendo's eShop listing, as quoted by Final Weapon, also mentions Realms Plus private servers for up to 10 friends. ## Physical cartridge owners: what you can and cannot do If you own Minecraft on a Switch cartridge, there is no announced way to get the Switch 2 edition for free. FinalBoss reports that inserting the original cartridge does not unlock the Switch 2 edition or trigger an eShop discount. What you can still do: - Keep playing the original Switch version on a Switch 2 through backward compatibility. Nintendo's store page for the Switch version lists it as supported on Switch 2. - Buy the Switch 2 Standard Edition at the regular $29.99, or buy the physical Switch 2 version, which Nintendo says is sold at retail. Neither Nintendo nor Mojang has said whether a cartridge-based upgrade will be added later. Until they do, boxed owners should assume none is coming. For comparison, not every Switch 2 release offers a cheap upgrade. Bullquill's guide to [Final Fantasy Resonance's launch](https://bullquill.com/final-fantasy-resonance-launch-what-to-know/) covers a game with no Switch-to-Switch 2 upgrade, and our [Nintendo Switch Sports Resort launch guide](https://bullquill.com/nintendo-switch-sports-resort-launch-what-to-know/) covers another October release built for Switch 2\. More coverage is collected on the [Minecraft](https://bullquill.com/tag/minecraft/) and [Nintendo Switch 2](https://bullquill.com/tag/nintendo-switch-2/) topic pages. ## What it means For most existing players, the decision is simple: if you bought Minecraft digitally on Switch, claim the Standard Edition before 31 January 2027 and keep your worlds. Waiting carries a cost. My Nintendo News expects the upgrade to become paid after the deadline, although Nintendo has not confirmed that, and FinalBoss says players outside the upgrade route face the $29.99 regular price. The offer follows a familiar pattern. Nintendo's store page shows that owners of the 2017 Nintendo Switch Edition were also moved to the current version for free. For Mojang, a free upgrade moves its existing Switch player base onto the new console without asking them to buy the game twice. Boxed owners are the clear losers for now, and Japan and Taiwan pay only a token fee. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade free? Yes, for players who bought Minecraft digitally on the original Nintendo Switch. They can claim the digital Switch 2 Standard Edition free on the Nintendo eShop until the end of January 2027 in all territories except Japan (100 JPY) and Taiwan (30 NTD). ### When is the deadline to claim the free Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade? Nintendo says the offer runs until the end of January 2027, which outlets including Nintendo Everything and My Nintendo News give as 31 January 2027. ### Can physical Minecraft cartridge owners upgrade to Switch 2? No upgrade path has been announced for boxed copies. Cartridge owners can keep playing the Switch version on Switch 2 through backward compatibility or buy the Switch 2 edition at the regular $29.99. ### Do Minecraft Switch worlds transfer to Switch 2? Yes. The Switch 2 eShop listing says Nintendo Switch worlds can be carried over so players can continue where they left off.