Critically-Acclaimed RPG is Back on the Nintendo Switch Eshop

Last month, Octopath Traveler was delisted from the Nintendo Switch eShop, but it's back now. The reason for the delisting was that Octopath Traveler changed its Western publisher; previously, it was Nintendo, but now it's Square Enix, the franchise's creator.

While the game's price tag still showed $59.99 USD, it appeared as «Not Available,» and purchasing the digital version of Octopath Traveler on the Nintendo Switch wasn't possible, though the game was still available on Steam and the Microsoft Store. When fans noticed that Octopath Traveler had been delisted from the Nintendo Switch eShop, some speculated that Octopath Traveler would receive a definitive version, while others believed the game would finally come to PlayStation.

On Twitter, Square Enix announced that Octopath Traveler was back on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Neither Nintendo nor Square have commented on why the game was temporarily unavailable on the Switch's digital platform. However, buying it via physical media was still possible, even if the game case came with a code to redeem on the Nintendo eShop.

This isn't the first time a game has been delisted from the Nintendo Switch eShop. Last month, Kemono Heroes was delisted for the same reason as Octopath Traveler when JanduSoft acquired the publishing rights from NIS America. This change happened shortly after Kemono Heroes, previously a Nintendo Switch exclusive, was announced for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Octopath Traveler is a Square Enix game that introduced the HD-2D graphical engine, also seen in other RPGs like Triangle Strategy, the Live A Live remake, and the upcoming Dragon Quest 3 remake. The game sold over 3 million copies, earning it a sequel. Octopath Traveler 2 was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC. An Xbox version has been confirmed for 2024. Many consider Octopath Traveler 2 one of the best RPGs of 2023.

Although many games produced by Square Enix's Team Asano were