If you already own Octopath Traveler or Octopath Traveler II on the original Nintendo Switch, the new native Switch 2 versions are not conventional Upgrade Pack releases.
Nintendo and Square Enix both say there are no plans to sell an Upgrade Pack from the Switch versions to the Switch 2 versions, and save data is not compatible between the two generations.
That means an existing Switch owner who wants the native Switch 2 edition has to buy it separately and start that version with a new save.
The upside is real technical improvement. Independent hands-on testing reports a 60 FPS target, sharper presentation and substantially faster loading. The harder question is whether those gains are worth buying the same RPG again without carrying your progress forward.
Is there an Octopath Traveler Switch 2 Upgrade Pack?
No.
Nintendo’s product pages for the original Switch versions explicitly say there are no plans to sell an Upgrade Pack that converts them into the native Nintendo Switch 2 versions.
That is different from games where an existing Switch copy can be paired with a free or paid Switch 2 Upgrade Pack.
If you own Octopath Traveler or Octopath Traveler II on Switch, your existing game remains a Switch game. You can use backward compatibility on Switch 2 where supported, but that does not turn it into the separate native Switch 2 release.
Can you transfer your Switch save to the Switch 2 version?
No.
Nintendo and Square Enix state that save data is incompatible between the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 versions.
This is the most important issue for players who are already deep into a playthrough. Buying the native Switch 2 version does not provide a documented path to continue that original Switch save.
So there are really two separate ownership questions:
- Can you keep playing the Switch version on Switch 2? Backward compatibility may let you continue using the original version and its save
- Can you move that save into the native Switch 2 edition? Nintendo and Square Enix say no
What do the native Switch 2 versions improve?
Square Enix markets the Switch 2 releases around improved resolution and frame rate rather than new story or gameplay content.
Independent testing by RPG Site found that both native versions target 60 FPS in handheld and docked modes, compared with the 30 FPS target of the original Switch releases.
The same testing also found clearly shorter loading times. In its test setup, the first game reached the title screen in roughly 17 to 18 seconds on the native Switch 2 version, versus about 35 to 37 seconds on the original Switch setup. Octopath Traveler II showed a similar improvement, with the native Switch 2 version reaching the title screen in about 21 seconds versus roughly 34 to 36 seconds for the tested original Switch version.
Those figures belong to that reviewer’s test setup, not an IGZ benchmark, but they support the broader conclusion that the native versions are more than simple store relistings.
Is performance perfect?
No independent test supports treating 60 FPS as a universal locked result.
RPG Site reported some early frame-rate dips during docked play while its sampled handheld sections appeared steadier. The important wording is therefore that the native versions target 60 FPS rather than promising an absolute 60 FPS lock in every scene.
The visual presentation is also improved without becoming a fundamentally different game. The HD-2D art direction is still the same, so the benefit is cleaner presentation and smoother motion rather than a remake-scale graphics overhaul.
How much do the Switch 2 versions cost?
Square Enix’s US store currently lists both Octopath Traveler – Switch 2 and Octopath Traveler II – Switch 2 from $59.99 each.
Nintendo also sells a Switch 2 bundle containing both games and warns buyers to compare the bundle with separately priced copies because individual items may sometimes be discounted.
For an existing owner, that pricing matters because there is no Upgrade Pack discount built into the ownership path.
Should existing Switch owners buy again?
For most players who are happy with their existing Switch copies, the answer is not automatically.
The native versions have worthwhile technical benefits, especially the 60 FPS target and faster loading, but the ownership terms are unusually strict for a repurchase decision:
- no Upgrade Pack path
- no Switch-to-Switch-2 save compatibility
- separate full-price native releases
- no major new story or gameplay content established as the reason to rebuy
If you are midway through a long save, the lack of migration is the strongest reason to stay with the original Switch version for that playthrough.
If you were already planning a fresh replay, care strongly about smoother performance, or want the best portable Nintendo version, the native Switch 2 release makes a stronger case.
What about new players?
The decision is much easier if you do not already own the games.
The native Switch 2 releases offer the portability of Nintendo’s system with better image quality, a higher frame-rate target and shorter loading than the original Switch versions.
For a newcomer choosing specifically between the Switch and Switch 2 versions, the native Switch 2 version is the more capable version unless price or compatibility with an original Switch console matters more.
Can you just play the old Switch version on Switch 2?
Yes, the original Switch versions remain relevant precisely because buying the new native edition is not required to continue owning the game.
Nintendo lists the original Octopath Traveler II Switch version as supported on Switch 2 through backward compatibility, with behavior consistent with Nintendo Switch.
That gives existing owners a practical third option: keep the original version and its existing save rather than rebuying immediately.
What should you check before buying?
- which version you already own
- whether continuing your existing save matters
- whether 60 FPS and faster loading justify a separate purchase for you
- the current price of the individual games versus Nintendo’s bundle
- that you are selecting the Switch 2 version rather than accidentally rebuying the original Switch version
Nintendo explicitly warns buyers to select the version they require carefully because both Switch and Switch 2 editions exist.
Bottom line
The native Switch 2 versions are technically better, but they are not owner-friendly upgrades.
Existing Switch players get no Upgrade Pack and no save migration into the native releases. That makes the Switch 2 versions easiest to recommend to newcomers and returning players who were already willing to start again.
For everyone else, keeping the original Switch version on Switch 2 is a reasonable alternative while waiting for a sale or until a fresh playthrough makes the technical upgrades more valuable.
Sources
- Nintendo: Octopath Traveler for Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo: Octopath Traveler II for Nintendo Switch, including Switch 2 upgrade/save notice
- Nintendo: Octopath Traveler + Octopath Traveler II Bundle for Nintendo Switch 2
- Square Enix Store: Octopath Traveler – Switch 2
- Square Enix Store: Octopath Traveler II – Switch 2
- RPG Site: tested Switch 2 performance and loading comparison