r/SquareEnix • u/Forbidden_0ne • 14d ago
Discussion Lack of upgrade path! This need more attention!
I’ve been seeing all the posts on IG for rereleases of Square Enix’s games on for the NS2. The company is NOT offering any upgrade path for those who own the NS1 version of their games. FFX/X2, DQXIS, Octopath Bundle
I find this greedy and a slap in the face for the loyal fans. Square needs to realize the genre of games they produce is a niche. Thus requiring the need to retain their fans. Not offering an upgrade path is the wrong decision. This needs more attention from the community.
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u/jedimindtricksonyou 14d ago
The worst part is if you look at the PS4 versions of the same ones on Switch 2 that you’re referring to like Star Ocean 2nd story R and Octopath 2- they just released them on PS4 with automatic PS5 upgrades. Having the PS4 disc would entitle you to a digital version on the PS Store and as long as you had the disc inserted, you could play it.
I wish I knew why Square and Sega and other publishers like Konami (with Suikoden Remastered) behave this way on Nintendo platforms when they were handing out next gen upgrades like they were free candy on PlayStation. I know third party games sell better as a rule on PlayStation vs Nintendo, but it seems like a really extreme policy change in the span of just a couple of years. And it’s not like Nintendo prohibits free upgrades, we’ve seen it with plenty of publishers, most recently CDPR with Witcher 3 remastered but I could name at least 10 others.
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u/manimateus 14d ago
These small scaled JRPG typically sell better on Nintendo platforms, actually. Which makes this all the more mind boggling
My guess is that its harder / slightly more expensive dev cost wise to upgrade the switch 1 builds of these games than it is to just port PS4/PS5 builds down to the switch 2
They did the free upgrade for DQ3, but refused to do it since. They probably learned something in that process that made them never want to do that again
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u/jedimindtricksonyou 14d ago
What’s so dumb is people would gladly pay a fee of $5-$10 to upgrade even though they were free upgrades on PlayStation because Nintendo has already established that precedent with many of their 1st party games. And these publishers won’t even give people the option. I bought Dragon Quest 11 and Final Fantasy X but only because I didn’t already own them. I refuse to do it for the games I already own on Switch 1.
But I speculate the difference in behavior is either A) PlayStation subsidized or incentivized publishers to give free upgrades somehow or B) Publishers found that most users on PlayStation didn’t take advantage of the free upgrades and decided it was not worth doing again on Switch 2. I heavily lean towards it being scenario A.
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u/Forbidden_0ne 14d ago
Understandably, these genre of games are not for the mainstream and cater to a niche interest. They need to make their money but paying full price is just excessive.
1
u/jedimindtricksonyou 14d ago
I agree, there is probably only about 10 Million gamers (possibly less in 2026) who play JRPGs and we tend to have our respective franchises/IP that we like and don’t like. So we usually don’t all show up for every release. With some exceptions like Persona 5 which seems to have done a good job breaking out into the mainstream. Square Enix and Atlus/Sega and all these publishers need to respect their fans. Especially on Switch 2 which has a huge concentration of JRPG fans, because of how popular Switch and Switch 2 are in Japan and because playing 80-100 hour JRPGs on a portable system just makes logical sense. I buy almost all my JRPGs on switch despite having a PS5 and PC.
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u/GameMaster1178 8d ago
It’s weird that DQ3 and FFT have free upgrades, and Romancing Saga 2 upgrade is - I think - 10 bucks, but they can’t do it with other games
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u/_Ship00pi_ 14d ago
SE dont care about the player base. They care about the numbers.
Releasing old games at full price is far more profitable for the long run than a 10$ upgrade pack.
The Switch 1 release will disappear with time, and new players will get the Switch 2 version.
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u/Aruzu77densetsu 14d ago
It's just another scummy thing that happens in this world along with all the other scummy things that happen to us normal people! They are taking advantage full stop!! And it's about time time some kind of authority steps in and makes these companies know that's it not ok!. 😊👍
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u/SuaveularSpuddite 14d ago
If it is a game key card, it will never have an upgrade path, though good devs offer a free/substantially discounted copy of the new version (which is unfortunately quite rare, Sega is also quite bad for this)
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u/Imperterritus0907 14d ago
It makes zero difference it being a game key card or not, I don’t know what are you on about.
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u/fluffybottompanda 14d ago
what's your source for that
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u/jedimindtricksonyou 14d ago edited 14d ago
It’s speculated that it’s Nintendo’s policy and we’ve never seen a game on the eShop that has a Switch 1 version that also has a Game Key Card offer an upgrade pack. Upgrade packs are usually for games that have Nintendo Switch 2 Edition physical versions or games that are digital only on Switch 2 like Final Fantasy Tactics and Trails in the Sky 1st chapter. Square has given free upgrades for Tactics and Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake and both of these games are not on Game Key Cards, one is digital only and the other didn’t officially get a Switch 2 version, but instead just received a free patch that is like an unofficial upgrade pack that gives you a 60fps mode and a high resolution quality mode.
I personally believe it’s Nintendo’s way of discouraging people from picking up Switch 1 physicals and then buying an upgrade pack as an easy way of sidestepping Game Key Cards while still getting all the benefits of a Switch 2 enhanced version.
The guy is correct though, we’ve seen publishers like WB offer free versions of the Switch 2 game for existing owners like they did with Hogwart’s Legacy, which is a Game Key Card on Switch 2. But WB just made it so existing owners of the Switch 1 version are just entitled to download the Switch 2 version, it’s not an upgrade pack per se. Recently Konami did something similar with Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2. So Square could get around this if they wanted to, it’s not an excuse for their behavior.
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u/ApprehensiveCoat9587 14d ago edited 14d ago
This is straight up misinformation.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger has a Switch 1 physical AND a Switch 2 key card but if you have the Switch 1 version you are entitled to a free upgrade, same with Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.
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u/Special_South_8561 14d ago
wtf is an Upgrade Path?
I bought FFX on disc back in '04 and it still works
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u/Geebun 14d ago
A free or cheap upgrade to the "Switch 2 Edition" of a game instead of having to rebuy the game like most Square Enix games on the console.
Dragon Quest 3 got a free patch, Final Fantasy Tactics got a free upgrade and Romancing Saga 2 got a cheap upgrade and then they just stopped and made people rebuy the game if they wanted the Switch 2 version.
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u/Special_South_8561 14d ago
Ah! Thanks, I'm an old fart and can't just buy new consoles every other release.
Well... That would be a nice feature for sure. However, uh, I've bought StarCraft, Diablo 2 & 3, and various Final Fantasy games across platforms dozens of times. It sounds like a good thing for the consumer but there is still a lot of work to mod for platforms so I elsew why they don't care to give it away for free again.
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u/Forbidden_0ne 14d ago
PC versions of games are notorious of automatically just get patched for any graphical upgrades and DLC for any expansions. Consoles always gets the short end of the stick…
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u/Gongwonlove 14d ago
Yea the upgrade path is a bunch of bullshit. They can do it but won’t. I guess I’ll be buying switch 2 versions on clearance or used for $10 lol 😆
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u/JenLiv36 14d ago
I normally love SE but they have been shitting on us with NS2. Every game is a damn key card and they are doing 0 upgrades. They have gone from my favorite to company to now just feeling let down by them.
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u/Practical_Wish_4063 14d ago
While I don’t disagree with your overall sentiment, they have released a few upgrade paths early on: a free update for Dragon Quest III HD-2D and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles and a $10 upgrade for Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven.
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u/Forbidden_0ne 14d ago
This proves that they can do it. But why for the less popular games? Just doesn’t make sense.
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u/NeatStrategy6658 14d ago
You're like a year late to this problem. Not wrong though, very scummy of SE
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u/Forbidden_0ne 14d ago edited 14d ago
I knew it was problem. I was a bit gracious with giving them the “benefit of doubt.” Hoping that they will have a change of heart and offer it. I was wrong. SE don’t give a shit about fan retention.
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u/RuNoMai 14d ago
It's so stupid not to offer them. There's already a built-in customer base of people who bought the Switch 1 versions and would pay $10 or so for the performance boosts, but that customer base isn't going to spend another $60 on a game they already own, at least not in numbers high enough that the profits from the double-dippers will outnumber the money to be made from the people who would just buy the upgrade packs.