Minecraft is finally getting the true upgrade that it deserves and is heading to the Nintendo Switch 2. This news was greatly appreciated, but the pricing remains a major issue that fans around the world have been discussing.
Minecraft isn’t a free game at all, and no matter which platform you’re on, you’ll need to purchase it for a certain fee. The same should ideally apply to the Switch 2 as well. However, since the game is already available on the Switch, it should ideally also be available as a Switch 2 upgrade, and that is exactly where the issue is.
You Might Have to Pay For the Minecraft Switch 2 Upgrade
Ever since the Switch 2 was released, Nintendo has offered upgrade packs for games already available on the Switch. So, if you had purchased the game on the first console, you didn’t have to buy it all over again; you just paid the upgrade fees, and you were good to go. These fees ranged from $5 to $20, depending on the difference between the two versions. According to PC Mag, here’s how the pricing structure works:
| Price | Functionality |
| Free | Minor upgrades, frame rate bumps. |
| $5 | Improved visuals, minor feature updates. |
| $10 | Performance and visual upgrades. |
| $20 | Major changes, including DLC-level content. |
Based on the description given during the Nintendo Direct, the Minecraft upgrade for Switch 2 falls into the $10 category, so it’s likely to be priced at that point. That is exactly where the issue is.
Previously, Microsoft offered cross-generational upgrades on the same platform for free. It happened with both PlayStation and Xbox, but it’s unlikely to happen with Nintendo. The reason is that the Nintendo Switch eShop and the one for the new console handle licenses differently.
Given that this latest release is being classified as a Switch 2 title, the base game + upgrade tier will factor into the final price. If Microsoft and Mojang have to offer it for free, they’ll need to negotiate for an exception with Nintendo to bypass the additional upgrade charges. Although the game has just been announced, adding the price tags to the announcement would’ve removed all ambiguity.
Minecraft for the Switch 2 got announced at the Nintendo Direct
by u/blahblahlucas in Minecraft
An announcement for the same should be due soon. Additionally, Minecraft is a really popular game, so people will buy it on the Switch 2 anyway, especially since it’s receiving a massive visual upgrade. However, another part of the problem is that many individuals have purchased additional cosmetics on the Switch. Since this is being classified as a brand-new game for the Switch 2, individuals are also concerned about how their in-game purchases would carry over to the platform and how it’d all work out.
There’s no release date for it either, which is further adding to the confusion. The pricing part will definitely be a defining factor to a certain degree, but purchases are still going to be at an all-time high for this game, based on how popular it is.
Another point of contention raised on social media is that Minecraft doesn’t run well on Switch for many players. Since this is an upgrade, and there’s a high probability that it’ll be a paid upgrade, players expect it to run well on the Switch 2. With the release date still up in the air, everyone expects this to be a more polished release, irrespective of when it releases later this year.
Despite being an extremely popular title, this shift to the Switch 2 will not come with external mod support. That’s going to be restricted to PC only, so if you need to use popular mods like the AppleSkin mod, then you’re going to be disappointed.
