Nintendo Switch 2 is getting the best-selling game of all time in October
To craft, or not to craft
đ Minecraft arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27, 2026, featuring enhanced âVibrant Visualsâ like improved lighting and shadows
đ These graphical upgrades will apply to the Minecraft Marketplace and the Super Mario Mash-Up pack, though some modes like specific split-screen content are excluded
đ° Existing Nintendo Switch owners can expect an upgrade path for the new version, likely involving a small fee
đ As the worldâs best-selling game with over 300 million copies sold, Minecraft continues to thrive for Microsoft following its 2014 acquisition of Mojang Studios
Nintendo Switch 2 owners can look forward to an updated and optimized version of Minecraft on October 27, 2026, which takes advantage of the more powerful hardware.
Minecraft on Switch 2 renders the world with âVibrant Visualsâ, which means enhanced lighting, shadow effects, and more.
Vibrant Visuals are supported across all content in the Minecraft Marketplace, and will also apply to the much-loved Super Mario Mash-Up pack. However, Vibrant Visuals are not available in some gameplay, including split-screen when using certain Marketplace Worlds content.
Those who already own Minecraft on Nintendo Switch will be offered a digital upgrade path, with more details to follow. Itâs more than likely that Microsoft will ask Nintendo players to cough up a small fee for the Switch 2 version.
Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, and has surpassed 300 million copies sold worldwide in 2023, putting it ahead of GTA 5 and Tetris. However, Tetris may still hold the title unofficially, as sales are harder to track because of the many versions released.
Unlike some of its other acquisitions, Minecraft has proven a successful acquisition for Microsoft, which bought developer Mojang Studios in 2014 for $2.5 billion. Weâve seen various spin-offs like Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Legends, plus the successful release of A Minecraft Movie, which is scheduled to hit cinemas on July 23, 2027. Netflix also won the rights to create a Minecraft animated series in the future.
Up next: GTA 6 trailer 3 will debut exclusively on Netflix on August 27
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutâs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarâs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.