The Octopath Traveler series returns to where it started with Switch 2 ports | Image: Square Enix

Octopath Traveler Switch 2 Ports Skip the Upgrade Path

By Jason Siu Published 2 min read In News Tags Octopath Traveler, Octopath Traveler II
The Octopath Traveler series returns to where it started with Switch 2 ports | Image: Square Enix
By Jason Siu Published 2 min read In News Tags Octopath Traveler, Octopath Traveler II

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Eight years to the day after the original Octopath Traveler debuted on Switch, Square Enix announced that both Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II are coming to Switch 2 on October 1, 2026. The two HD-2D RPGs have been optimized for the new hardware with improved resolution and frame rates, and they’re already out digitally in Japan as of today. Preorders are open now, with each game running $59.99 individually in both physical and digital form, while a digital-only bundle packages the pair together for $74.99.

There’s a catch attached to these ports, though, and it’s one that affects anyone who already owns the games on Switch. Square Enix confirmed there are “no plans to sell an upgrade pack” for existing owners, and save data from the Switch versions is incompatible with the Switch 2 releases. If you want the improved versions, buying them again at full price is the only path, which is really unfortunate.

The Octopath Traveler series has shipped and sold more than seven million copies worldwide since the original kicked off Square Enix’s HD-2D push back in 2018. As I said when Octopath Traveler 0’s free demo arrived ahead of its December launch, the first two entries are great RPGs with fantastic soundtracks, and I made a similar point when the series earned a spot in Square Enix’s new concert tour: those soundtracks have really flown under the radar.

Once October 1 arrives, every entry in the series will be playable natively on Switch 2, since Octopath Traveler 0 shipped with a native Switch 2 version at launch back in December.

OCTOPATH TRAVELER & OCTOPATH TRAVELER II | Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date Announcement Trailer

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With over 20 years in online publishing, Jason Siu is currently a consultant at Autoverse Studios, where he contributes to the development of Auto Legends. His extensive background includes serving as Content Director at VerticalScope and writing about cars for prominent sites like AutoGuide, The Truth About Cars, EV Pulse, FlatSixes, and Tire Authority. As a co-founder of Tunerzine.com and former West Coast Editor of Modified Magazine, Jason has also authored two books for CarTech Books. In his spare time, he founded FullCleared to channel his passion for gaming, with a particular fondness for RPGs.
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