Star Ocean Switch 2 announcement has fans up in arms

Jul 16, 2026 - 19:03

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Star Ocean Switch 2 announcement has fans up in arms

Published Jul 16, 2026, 11:11 AM EDT

Believe it or not, fans are still mad about the same things they were 3 days ago

Earlier this week, Square Enix received backlash from fans when it announced Nintendo Switch 2 ports of the first two Octopath Traveler games with no upgrade path or save transfers for those who already owned the RPGs on the original Nintendo Switch. History quickly repeated itself on Thursday, when Square Enix announced that a Switch 2 port of 2023's Star Ocean The Second Story R is available now.

Stop me if this sounds familiar: There will be no free or paid upgrade path for those who own the game on Switch, and old save files will not be compatible with the Switch 2 edition. The new version is priced at $49.99.

Square Enix announced the Star Ocean The Second Story R port by releasing a trailer on its social media channels, including the Star Ocean X account and the official Square Enix YouTube channel. In less than 24 hours, every place it was posted has been flooded with responses from disgruntled fans. The most-liked comment on the YouTube trailer simply reads: "UPGRADE PATH!!!" The second most-liked comment shares a similar sentiment, writing "No upgrade path, no purchase."

Star Ocean fans are also mad about a digital-only release

While Star Ocean The Second Story R's Switch 2 edition shares many of the same cons and few pros as the earlier Octopath Traveler announcement, Square Enix made one more blunder that fans aren't too pleased with. The game's Switch 2 version is only available digitally.

Physical media is a hot-button issue right now, most recently with Sony announcing it will end physical game production starting in 2028. With it becoming increasingly clear that digital ownership is less secure, fans want to feel like their purchases are forever. This is the comfort that physical games bring. This decision from Square Enix, in line with how it has handled most Switch 2 ports, further alienates loyal players who have already purchased these games and would gladly pay a small fee to upgrade.

The announcement comes just days ahead of a special Star Ocean 30th anniversary live stream set for July 19. Square Enix has said there will not be any information about new games in the series, instead focusing on its history and giving a behind-the-scenes look into development.

In perhaps the funniest instance of undercutting your own announcement, Square Enix is currently offering the original Switch edition of Star Ocean The Second Story R at a discount to coincide with the anniversary celebrations. If you act fast, you can grab the game for $24.99 before the sale ends on July 17.

Star Ocean The Second Story R is now available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC.