Minecraft is out natively on Nintendo Switch 2 today, October 27, 2026, and if you already own the digital version on the original Switch, the upgrade to the Switch 2 Standard Edition is free.
This is a native Switch 2 version, not the old game running through backward compatibility. It runs with Vibrant Visuals, Minecraft’s biggest official visual upgrade, with more vivid sunrises, reflective water, shaded forests, and enhanced lighting and shadow effects. Every edition also includes the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack, with a custom Mario-themed world, 15 music tracks, and 40 player skins inspired by the Super Mario series.
Three editions are on sale. The Standard Edition costs $29.99. The Deluxe Collection costs $39.99 and adds three add-ons, Celebration Food, Rescue Dogs, and Plenty O’Blocks, plus three exclusive Character Creator items and 700 Minecoins. The Ultimate Collection costs $49.99 and adds five add-ons, including Decocraft and Weapons + Tools, five exclusive Character Creator items, and 1,000 Minecoins.
The free upgrade is the headline for existing players, but it has limits. It applies only to owners of a digital copy of Minecraft for Nintendo Switch, it is claimed through the Nintendo eShop, and it is a limited-time offer: you must claim it by January 31, 2027. In Japan the upgrade costs 100 yen and in Taiwan 30 New Taiwan dollars. Digital owners can also step up to the Deluxe or Ultimate Collection at a discount instead of taking the free Standard Edition.
Players who own only the physical Switch cartridge get no free upgrade and must buy the Switch 2 version outright, starting at $29.99. The retail Switch 2 release is a Game-Key Card. There is one break for everyone, though: players who launch the original Switch game on a Switch 2 between October 27, 2026 at 9 a.m. PT and January 31, 2027 at 9 a.m. PT will get an in-game message inviting them to upgrade to the digital Ultimate Collection at a discount.
Your old worlds carry over to the new version, so you can pick up right where you left off. The game supports TV, tabletop, and handheld modes, split-screen play for up to four players on one system, and cross-platform play with a Microsoft account. Nintendo lists the download at 1.5 GB.
Minecraft is one of the best-selling games ever made, and its native arrival gives the Switch 2 a family staple in its first year. If you qualify for the free upgrade, do not wait: the offer ends January 31, 2027.
