Minecraft hits Switch 2 on Tuesday, free for some owners
Owners of the digital Switch version get the Standard edition at no cost, while cartridge owners only get a discount on the Ultimate Collection.
Minecraft arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and what you pay depends on how you own the original game. Nintendo opened pre-orders on Oct. 7 with three digital editions.
Bought Minecraft digitally for the original Switch? The Standard edition for Switch 2 is free on the eShop. The offer is temporary, and Nintendo has it running through Jan. 31, 2027. Japan and Taiwan are the exceptions, at 100 yen and 30 Taiwan dollars.
Own it on a cartridge? There is no free pass. Boot that cartridge on a Switch 2 any time from Oct. 27 through Jan. 31 and the game shows a discount offer to jump to the digital Ultimate Collection. Nintendo has not published the amount.
Starting from scratch, these are the three digital editions. Each one includes the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack with Vibrant Visuals, the game's graphics upgrade.
| Edition | Price (USD) | Minecoins | Adds to the one before |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 29.99 | None | Just the Mash-Up Pack |
| Deluxe Collection | 39.99 | 700 | Celebration Food, Rescue Dogs, Plenty O'Blocks and 3 character creator items |
| Ultimate Collection | 49.99 | 1,000 | Decocraft, Weapons + Tools and 5 character creator items in total |
The included Minecoins can only be spent on Nintendo devices. Vibrant Visuals does not work in some modes, such as split screen.
The download is an estimated 1.2 GB, a figure Nintendo warns could change before launch. A physical Switch 2 version is also on sale at retailers, with no published price.
Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, and the original announcement is covered in the pre-order story.
