Yes. If you own Red Dead Redemption on the original Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack is free on the Nintendo eShop, and it works whether your copy is a download or a cartridge. The one exception we found is Japan, where Nintendo’s eShop charges ¥100 for the same upgrade.
Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare came to Switch 2 on December 2, 2025, and Rockstar promised free upgrades for current owners when it announced the new versions. Below we cover the price in every region we checked, how to claim the upgrade, what to do with a physical copy, what the Switch 2 Edition adds, what happens to your save, and what to buy if you don’t own the game yet. All prices come from Nintendo’s own eShop listings, checked on November 7, 2026.
What the Upgrade Costs by Region
Rockstar’s launch post says owners of the original Switch version “can upgrade for free on Switch 2 with the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack on the Nintendo eShop.” Nintendo’s regional stores list it that way almost everywhere:
| Region | Upgrade Pack (Switch owners) | Switch 2 Edition (new buyers) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $0.00 | $49.99 |
| Canada | CA$0.00 | CA$69.99 |
| United Kingdom | £0.00 | £49.99 |
| Europe (Germany, France) | €0.00 | €49.99 |
| Australia | A$0.00 | A$74.95 |
| New Zealand | NZ$0.00 | NZ$84.95 |
| Mexico | MX$0.00 | MX$999.00 |
| Brazil | R$0.00 | R$249.90 |
| Japan | ¥100 | ¥6,820 |
The Switch 2 Edition prices are regular list prices, and the eShop discounts the game from time to time, so you may see less. Neither Rockstar’s announcements nor Nintendo’s listings put an end date on the free upgrade, unlike the Minecraft Switch 2 upgrade, which has a deadline.
How to Claim the Upgrade, Step by Step
Nintendo’s support page on Switch 2 Edition upgrades says owners of either a physical or a digital copy of the Switch game can add an upgrade pack. Here is the process on the console:
- Pick the right user. On your Switch 2, use the user linked to the Nintendo Account you play on. If you own the game digitally, that has to be the account that bought it.
- Open Nintendo eShop from the HOME Menu and search for Red Dead Redemption.
- Choose the listing named “Red Dead Redemption: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack”. It sits next to “Red Dead Redemption: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition”, which is the full game for new buyers at $49.99. If the eShop asks you for $49.99, you are on the full game’s listing.
- Check the price before you confirm. It should read $0.00 (or the zero price in your currency, or ¥100 in Japan).
- Download it and make room first. Nintendo’s UK listing puts the Switch 2 Edition at an 11.8 GB download. On Switch 2, games install to the system memory or a microSD Express card.
- Launch the game. The upgrade pack’s listing says “The Nintendo Switch version is required to play,” so digital owners need the Switch version on their account, and cartridge owners need the cartridge in the console.
You can also claim the pack from Nintendo’s online store while signed in to the same account.
Can You Upgrade a Physical Copy?
Yes. The Upgrade Pack works with the original Switch cartridge, at the same zero price. Keep the cartridge inserted whenever you play the Switch 2 Edition, because the pack upgrades the Switch version rather than replacing it.
If you want a physical copy and don’t own the game yet, Nintendo’s US store lists only the original Switch cartridge as a physical edition, and Rockstar’s announcements don’t mention a Switch 2 game card. Some retailers in Europe and Australia list a boxed Switch 2 version as a “code in a box”, which holds a download code rather than a cartridge, so read the box before you pay. Buying the Switch cartridge and adding the free Upgrade Pack gets you the game on a card you can lend or resell, with the Switch 2 Edition upgrade on your account.
What the Switch 2 Edition Adds
The upgrade is technical rather than new content. Rockstar says that on Switch 2 it added “support for DLSS, HDR, mouse controls, and the same fluid 60 frames per second gameplay at high resolution”, matching the 60 frames per second it promises on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Nintendo’s listing adds that HDR output works on compatible TVs.
The story content is the same in both versions. Nintendo’s listings for the Switch version and the Switch 2 Edition both include Red Dead Redemption, the Undead Nightmare expansion and the bonus content from the Game of the Year Edition, and both state that “Red Dead Redemption does not feature multiplayer content.” The original Undead Nightmare had multiplayer modes, which our list of every Rockstar game in order covers, but neither Switch release includes them.
What Happens to Your Save
Your progress comes with you. Rockstar’s announcement says “Switch 2 players can continue with their previous save data from the previous Nintendo Switch console.”
- Already moved to Switch 2 with a system transfer? Your Red Dead Redemption save moved with it. Install the upgrade and load your game as usual.
- Save still on your old Switch? Move it with Nintendo’s system transfer, or back it up with Save Data Cloud and download it on the Switch 2. Nintendo’s listing notes that Save Data Cloud needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
If You Don’t Own Red Dead Redemption Yet
On Nintendo’s US store, the Switch version and the Switch 2 Edition both list at $49.99, so there is no saving in buying the older version and upgrading, unless you want the cartridge. If you only play on Switch 2, buy the Switch 2 Edition directly. Rockstar also released the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S the same day, with free upgrades for PS4 owners and for digital owners of the backward compatible Xbox One version.
Its story picks up after Red Dead Redemption 2’s, so if you want to play them in story order, our Red Dead Redemption 2 length guide shows how long the 2018 prequel takes. Red Dead Redemption also ranks fourth on our list of games to play before GTA 6. Still waiting on the console itself? Our guide to buying a Nintendo Switch 2 covers it, and every Red Dead guide we have written is on our Red Dead hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Red Dead Redemption Switch 2 upgrade free? Yes, for owners of the Switch version. Nintendo’s eShop lists the Upgrade Pack at zero in the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Brazil. Japan’s eShop charges ¥100.
Does the free upgrade work with a physical cartridge? Yes. Nintendo says owners of a physical or digital Switch copy can add an upgrade pack. Keep the cartridge in the console when you play the Switch 2 Edition.
Is there a Red Dead Redemption Switch 2 cartridge? Nintendo’s US store lists only the original Switch cartridge as a physical edition, and Rockstar has not announced a Switch 2 game card. The Switch cartridge plus the free Upgrade Pack is the way to own the Switch 2 Edition on a card.
Do I keep my save when I upgrade? Yes. Rockstar says Switch 2 players can continue with their save data from the original Switch, whether it arrives by system transfer or through Save Data Cloud.
Does the Switch 2 Edition include Undead Nightmare? Yes. Nintendo’s listing includes Undead Nightmare and the Game of the Year Edition bonus content, the same content as the Switch version.
Does the Switch 2 Edition have multiplayer? No. Nintendo’s listing states that Red Dead Redemption does not feature multiplayer content, on Switch or Switch 2.
Is there a deadline to claim the free upgrade? Neither Rockstar nor Nintendo lists one. The Upgrade Pack has been on the eShop since December 2, 2025.