Minecraft for Switch 2: is the upgrade free, and what happens to your worlds?

02 / Free or paid

Who gets it free, and who pays

The answer depends on how you bought the Switch version, not on how long you have played. Mojang calls this a limited time offer, so check your eShop account before the end of January 2027 rather than assuming it will stay open.

• Digital Switch ownerFree digital Standard Edition for Switch 2 through the eShop until the end of January 2027, with discounted upgrades to Deluxe or Ultimate.
• Boxed Switch ownerNo free upgrade. Launching the Switch version on a Switch 2 before 31 January 2027 brings an in-game offer for the Ultimate Collection at a discount.
• Japan, Taiwan, ThailandMojang lists a small fee instead of a free upgrade: 100 JPY, 30 NTD and 25 THB respectively.
• New playerStandard 29.99 USD, Deluxe 39.99 USD, Ultimate 49.99 USD on the US eShop on 23 October 2026. A physical Switch 2 version is also sold at retail.

03 / Your worlds

What happens to your Switch worlds

Nintendo's listing says it plainly: Nintendo Switch worlds can be carried over, so you can pick up where you left off. Neither Mojang's articles nor the listing describe the transfer steps, so watch for the in-game prompts on launch day.

Two details help. The Switch 2 listing supports Nintendo Switch Online cloud saves, and Realms are hosted servers rather than worlds stored on your console, as minecraft.net describes them. Oruvai's read: keep the original Switch version installed until you have opened your important worlds in the Switch 2 version and checked that they look right. Nintendo's offer text also assumes you keep launching the original Switch version on a Switch 2, so nothing forces you to move on day one.

04 / Marketplace

Marketplace items, Minecoins and Realms

Mojang's general rule is in its Minecoins FAQ: if you play on a console, you can link your platform account to a Microsoft account so that Minecoins and non-exclusive purchases are available across devices that run the Bedrock version of Minecraft. Mojang has not published a separate Switch 2 statement about Marketplace items in the pages checked.

The limit is in the small print of Mojang's pre-order post. Minecoins included in the Deluxe and Ultimate Collections, and any Minecoins bought in Minecraft on a Nintendo device, must be used in the Nintendo ecosystem. Coins bought on Switch stay on Nintendo hardware. Whether coins bought on other platforms appear on Switch 2 is not addressed in the pages checked, so check your balance after signing in.

Oruvai's read: sign in with the same Microsoft account you used on Switch, look through your inventory, and only then buy anything again. Nintendo's listing also mentions Realms Plus, which lets you play on a private server with up to 10 friends, and Marketplace Pass, which includes more than 150 worlds, skin packs and texture packs refreshed monthly.

05 / Visuals

Vibrant Visuals, and what Mojang has not promised

The headline feature is Vibrant Visuals, the graphics update Mojang released in June 2025 alongside the Chase the Skies update. On Switch 2 it is the default setting. Mojang describes directional lighting, volumetric fog, moving shadows and reflective water.

There are limits. Mojang and Nintendo both say Vibrant Visuals is not available in some gameplay, including split-screen, and with certain Marketplace worlds and content. Mojang says the version is optimised for the console's more powerful hardware, but the pages checked give no frame rate, resolution or render distance figures, so treat any such numbers you see elsewhere with care. Nintendo lists an estimated file size of 1.2 GB.

06 / Multiplayer

Split-screen, online play and cross-play

Nintendo's listing gives the player counts: one to four players on a single system, two to eight over local wireless and two to eight online. Cross-platform play requires a Microsoft account, and online multiplayer requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership, sold separately.

For families, the trade-off is clear. Split-screen still works for up to four players on one console, but those sessions run without Vibrant Visuals. Nintendo also lists Nintendo Account family-group lending as supported.

07 / Editions

Standard, Deluxe or Ultimate

Every version includes the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack, which Mojang has updated for Vibrant Visuals and which Nintendo says includes a Mario themed world, 15 music tracks and 40 skins. The bigger editions add Marketplace content, not new game features.

• StandardThe full game and the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack. Free for digital Switch owners.
• Deluxe CollectionAdds three add-ons (Celebration Food, Rescue Dogs, Plenty O'Blocks), three exclusive Character Creator items and 700 Minecoins.
• Ultimate CollectionAdds five add-ons, including Decocraft and Weapons + Tools, five Character Creator items and 1,000 Minecoins.

08 / Verdict

Should you upgrade now?

If you own the digital Switch version and play on a Switch 2, claim the free Standard Edition. It costs nothing, your worlds can come with you, and you get Vibrant Visuals, which Mojang calls its biggest graphics update to date.

If you own the boxed version, the decision is about the discounted Ultimate Collection, and that is worth it mainly if you wanted its add-ons and Minecoins anyway. Remember that those Minecoins stay on Nintendo hardware. If you mostly play split-screen with family, the upgrade matters less, because Vibrant Visuals is off in that mode.

Best fit: digital Switch owners on Switch 2 who play solo or online. Think twice if: you own the boxed version, play mainly split-screen, or keep Minecoins on other platforms.