Minecraft will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27, Mojang announced. The release date follows an earlier ESRB rating leak and a subsequent confirmation from Nintendo during a Direct showcase, though a release date was absent at the time.
Existing owners of Minecraft on the original Switch will be able to upgrade to the Switch 2 version. However, Mojang has indicated that this upgrade may not be free, with more details to be revealed at a later date. This follows a trend seen with other Switch 2 titles, where Nintendo anticipates paid upgrades for games such as The Legend of Zelda and Kirby, and Square Enix has sometimes omitted upgrade paths entirely.
The Switch 2 version of Minecraft will feature visual enhancements under the banner of "Vibrant Visuals." This includes upgrades to lighting and shadow effects. While most Marketplace content will support these visual improvements, certain gameplay features, including split-screen play and specific Marketplace Worlds, will not.
The Nintendo-exclusive Super Mario Mash-Up pack is confirmed to benefit from the Vibrant Visuals upgrade. Separately, Minecraft's July preview build introduced craftable cushions, allowing players to sit in-game nearly 17 years after the title's initial release.