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Star Ocean Switch 2 announcement has fans up in arms
Square Enix has released a Nintendo Switch 2 port of the 2023 RPG Star Ocean The Second Story R, but has sparked backlash by offering no upgrade path or save-file transfer for existing owners of the Switch version, echoing complaints from a similar Octopath Traveler ports announcement earlier the same week. Fans have flooded social media and YouTube with criticism, arguing that loyal players who already bought the game should be able to upgrade for a small fee rather than pay full price again.
The new Switch 2 edition costs £39.99/$49.99 and is digital-only, which has further angered fans given wider anxiety about physical media, following Sony's announcement that it will end physical game production from 2028. The timing has also drawn ridicule, as the announcement comes just days before a Star Ocean 30th-anniversary livestream on 19 July, and Square Enix is currently discounting the original Switch version to $24.99 until 17 July as part of the celebrations. Star Ocean The Second Story R is now available on Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5 and Windows PC.
In short
- Square Enix's Switch 2 port has no upgrade path or save transfer
- New edition costs $49.99 and is digital-only
- Announcement clashes awkwardly with a discounted original version and anniversary event
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The fans' position has merit because several publishers have established that upgrade paths are both feasible and valued by consumers. When someone has already paid for Star Ocean The Second Story R on Switch, asking them to pay full price again for essentially the same game on Switch 2—particularly given the digital-only format and the company's simultaneous sale of the original—feels extractive rather than rewarding loyal customers. Industry precedent suggests that offering discounted upgrades or free transfers is both economically viable and generates customer goodwill.
The case against
Square Enix's position reflects standard commercial practice for new platform releases. Each version represents distinct development, optimisation, and publishing investments across different hardware architectures, and companies typically licence software independently per platform. Whilst some publishers offer upgrade paths, this remains an optional gesture rather than an industry requirement, and Square Enix is under no obligation to subsidise customer transitions to new hardware. The simultaneous discount on the original version provides an existing alternative for price-conscious buyers, and those preferring portability can continue playing their original Switch copy.
Explained simply
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a role-playing game released in 2023 by Square Enix, currently available on Nintendo Switch and several other platforms. The publisher has announced that the game will be released on Nintendo Switch 2, the successor to the current Switch console.
The Switch 2 version will cost £39.99/$49.99 and will be digital-only, with no option for existing Switch owners to upgrade their current version or transfer save files. This means players must purchase the game again at full price to continue their progress on the new hardware.
This announcement reflects ongoing tensions in the gaming industry over digital ownership and how publishers manage game releases across different console generations. The digital-only approach also connects to wider discussions about the future role of physical game media.
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