The times of transition between two console generations are often fraught, with publishers trying to sell to two ever-shifting markets, with their expectations of forward or backward compatibility, and the perceived inherent unfairness of needing to buy the same game twice. Square Enix has taken an interesting approach to this when it comes to Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D: tell everyone tough shit.
The forthcoming re-re-re-remake of the first two Dragon Quest games is due October 30, coming to all current consoles and both the Switch and the Switch 2. Square Enix has made it clear that the Switch 2 version will take advantage of the brand new console’s more advanced tech, explaining this distinction by saying “each version has a different graphical specification based on the hardware’s processing capabilities.” The publisher goes on to point out that beyond this, there are no differences to what’s actually in the game, whether that’s story or in-game items. OK, that all makes sense.
The new FAQ on the Japanese site for the series then breaks down potential confusion over compatibility: the Switch 1 version will work on the Switch 2, but the Switch 2 version won’t work on the Switch 1 (perfectly normal, but underlined by the Switch 2 build coming with an empty cart). Further, playing the Switch 1 version on the Switch 2 won’t unlock its improved version, but rather will run exactly the same as it would on the original console. Right, that sucks, but sure. So, given all this, what’s the option for people who buy the Switch 1 cart, but then get a Switch 2 and want to take advantage of the improved graphics in the game? Um, the option is to spend another $60 and buy the whole game over again.
“Can copies of the Switch version of DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake be upgraded to the Switch 2 version?” the FAQ asks itself, rather tellingly acknowledging the frequency with which such a question will be asked. “No,” it replies to itself, “there is no upgrade path currently available or planned. Please buy your copy for whichever system you would like to play it on.”
Clearly any publisher can do whatever it wants. What Square apparently wants is to roll its eyes and flip a finger at anyone who might upgrade from their current console to the new one at any point after they’ve bought this game. And it’s that peculiarly forthright attitude of “Just buy the right version” in the FAQ that makes it much harder to swallow.
It’s not exactly an inconceivable situation that a Switch 1 owner might buy this remake of the classic 1986 Dragon Warrior and its 1987 sequel in October of this year, and then a couple of months later, under their Christmas tree, discover a shiny new Switch 2. Now, the “copy for whichever system you would like to play it on” has rather dramatically changed. That person might, quite reasonably, assume there would be a way to upgrade their version of the game for this new device, and they wouldn’t be wildly out of order to think they might be allowed to do that for free. At the very worst, for something like a $10 fee, as outrageous as that would be given both the Switch and Switch 2 versions of the game cost exactly the same.
It’s worth noting that saves won’t be able to transfer between the two versions, either, suggesting these are two incompatible versions of the same game.
So, should you be one of the the very many people who will be in this situation or one like it, Squeenix’s expectation is that you just spend another $60 on a game you already bought. Obviously, most people will just play the crappier Switch 1 version on their Switch 2 and take their lumps, making it even harder to see why the Japanese publisher would take such a bizarre path. Just let people upgrade their copy, Square! What’s going on here?
We’ve reached out to Square Enix to try to understand the thinking behind this decision, and will update this article should we find out.
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