Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on February 25, 2027. NIS America and developer Nihon Falcom announced the Ys VIII Switch 2 port on October 20, and it brings two real upgrades over the 2018 Switch release: play at up to 120 FPS, and two-player co-op through GameShare. The first physical edition is already up for pre-order on NIS America’s US store, at $49.99, and it uses a game-key card.
NIS America’s announcement trailer shows the Switch 2 version in action:
Table of Contents
Ys VIII Switch 2 at a glance
| Detail | What NIS America has confirmed |
|---|---|
| Release date | February 25, 2027 (published by NIS America in the West) |
| Frame rate | Up to 120 FPS |
| Co-op | 2 players via GameShare, including online through GameChat |
| New language | Spanish, the first time the game has supported it |
| Included DLC | All cosmetic DLC released for the PS4 and PS Vita versions |
| Physical edition | Special Edition, $49.99, game-key card (NIS America US store) |
| Standard or digital price | Not announced; no Switch 2 eShop listing yet (checked Oct 21, 04:45 UTC) |
| Rating | ESRB T (Teen) |
What’s new in the Switch 2 version
NIS America’s official game page lists the Switch 2 changes. The headline is frame rate: the new port runs at up to 120 FPS. “Up to” is a ceiling, not a promise, and nobody has measured the port yet. For comparison, Siliconera notes that the original Switch version ran at around 30 FPS.
Co-op is the other big change. Until now Ys VIII has been a solo adventure. On Switch 2, a friend can join in through GameShare, Nintendo’s feature for playing together from one copy of a game. NIS America’s store page says this works over GameChat too, so the second player doesn’t have to be in the same room. The press release quoted by RPG Site also confirms Spanish-language support, a first for this game. The port is based on the PS4 release and bundles the cosmetic DLC from the PS4 and Vita versions.
The $49.99 Special Edition includes the soundtrack, a keychain and a store-exclusive bandana; the game itself is a game-key card. Image: NIS America
Is the Ys VIII Switch 2 physical edition a game-key card?
Yes, for the edition on sale so far. NIS America’s store lists the Ys VIII Special Edition as “Nintendo Switch 2 [Game-Key Card]”. It costs $49.99 and includes:
- The Switch 2 game (as a game-key card)
- Original Soundtrack: Castaway Classics
- An acrylic keychain
- A Bottled Secrets Bandana, a store-exclusive extra
A game-key card doesn’t hold the game itself. Nintendo’s support page explains that it works as a key: you download the full game the first time you insert it (which needs an internet connection and enough free storage), and the card has to stay in the console while you play. NIS America hasn’t said whether a standard physical edition is coming, or what format it would use.
Can you upgrade from the Switch 1 version?
Not as far as anyone knows. NIS America hasn’t announced an upgrade path or a discount for current owners. That’s different from ports like Cult of the Lamb’s free Switch 2 upgrade. For now, the Switch 2 release looks like a separate purchase.
If you don’t want to wait, the original Switch version is $39.99 on the US eShop. Nintendo lists it as “Supported” on Switch 2, meaning it plays the same way it does on a Switch. So it works on the new console, but it won’t get the 120 FPS mode or GameShare co-op.
Dana's chapters run alongside Adol's story, and her actions can change his world. Image: NIS America / Nihon Falcom
Who Ys VIII is for
Ys VIII is worth your time if you like fast action RPGs with a strong sense of place. Adol, the series’ red-haired adventurer, is shipwrecked on the cursed island of Seiren. There he and the passengers he rescues build a village and set out to find a way off the island. In battle you swap between party members on the fly. A second story follows Dana, a mysterious blue-haired maiden from a curiously advanced civilization who appears in Adol’s dreams, and NIS America says her actions can affect his world. Fishing and trials fill out the island.
It’s a natural next stop for RPG fans after this week’s other big Switch 2 role-playing launch, Final Fantasy Resonance. The series’ newest entry, Ys X: Proud Nordics, is already on the Switch 2 eShop at $69.99.
What’s next
Ys VIII’s Switch 2 eShop listing should show the digital price, file size and pre-order details. Until it goes up, the $49.99 Special Edition is the only confirmed price. Watch for a standard edition, and for any word on upgrades for Switch 1 owners. Ys VIII is the latest in a run of Switch 2 ports announced this week, after Riders Republic’s December 9 Switch 2 date. For what’s out right now, see our list of new Switch 2 games this week, with prices and file sizes.
Sources: NIS America (game page), NIS America Online Store, NIS America (YouTube), Nintendo eShop, Nintendo support, RPG Site, Siliconera.
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Featured image: NIS America / Nihon Falcom
