Topic: “Borrowing” a Switch 1 digital game and upgrading it

Just wondering if this would work…so, for example, if I borrow a digital game from my wife’s Switch 1 onto my Switch 2, and there’s a free upgrade option, will it allow me to install the upgrade to play the Switch 2 version while I’m borrowing it?

And if so, would it also let me do that with any paid upgrades so any time I borrow it I can access the upgraded version as long as I’ve paid for the upgrade once?

I dont think ive seen this specific query answered before, but i dont see why you would be prevented from utilizing the free enhancements whilst borrowing the title for your Switch 2. I dont see any technical reason it wouldnt happen neither..

..but we shall see. Like ten days left!

@slider271 (deleted my previous post) I think the switch will likely give you the upgrade for a borrowed digital switch 1 game since the switch 2 is using emulation to play switch 1 games, there's a chance those borrowed switch1 games need a patch to run on switch 2, and the upgrade might just be lumped in with that.

I'm fairly certain the console/eshop system will not allow you to buy a paid upgrade if you don't own the game. Borrowing a physical game would let you buy the upgrade or dlc, since it would assume you own the physical game.

This is most likely case since they are borrowing only not the same as the digital account that purchased the game.

Has it been confirmed how paid upgrades will be bought? I mean, can you buy them on the eShop like you would with DLC?

Assuming it's the case, I'm under the belief you can buy paid upgrades even if you don't own the game.

The Switch 1 eShop allows you to buy DLC for games even if you don't have them. That's what I do for games I don't have in my collection but plan to eventually get. That also gives me access to updates and be ready by the time I get the games.
The Wii U also allowed it, but not the 3DS.

I'm sure for borrowed digital games it will prompt you to buy the upgrade, and if you do you keep the update when the game goes back to the original owner. Free updates I'm sure are a given that they'll be also downloaded with the game that was borrowed.

Thanks for the replies! I guess we’ll have to wait and see, and @hammergalladebro makes a good point about being able to buy DLC for games you don’t actually own.

The free enhancement would be its own license.

Not a lot of people would find themselves in this situation, but: it’s entirely possible to own dlc for a game, without owning the game itself.

The free updates will be treated as a patch, which will be tied to the base game digital license (virtual game card). It should update automatically when you first download the game on the Switch 2. I suspect that the Switch 1 will receive the same patch, in order to keep the version number consistent for save files. It will be designed to only enable the improvements when running on a Switch 2.

As others have mentioned you can currently purchase Switch 1 DLC without owning the base game. You should also be able to purchase the Switch 2 Edition without owning the base game. I can currently pre-order the Breath of the Wild Upgrade Pack without owning Breath of the Wild on Switch. (I'm one of those strange people that only own it on Wii U.)

That said, I'm not sure this is the best way to acquire the Upgrade Pack. If the base game is tied to her account, I think it would be best to purchase the Upgrade Pack with her account. You can't purchase Switch 2 games using the Switch 1 eShop, but she could purchase the Upgrade Pack through the website or using her account on your Switch 2. That way when she lends to you, (or someone else in your family group), the upgrade pack and the base game will be lent together.

Additionally if after you purchase the Switch 2 it will be just your Switch 2 and her Switch 1 in the household then instead of using the lend to family group method, you can have both systems linked to both your Nintendo Account for Virtual Game cards. Remember that all users on a system play using a system with a virtual game card loaded. This will give you a lot more flexibility, as you aren't limited to only one game borrowed, the 14-day limit, or needing to be in close proximity every time you want to share a game. Of course if there will be more than 2 Switches in the household you will have to figure out how best to setup your virtual game card linked systems.

(I wish that Nintendo had implemented allowing a 3rd linked system, if one of those Systems was a Switch 2. Then for users who currently own an original or OLED Switch and a Switch Lite could continue to have those load virtual game cards while also adding the Switch 2.)

@Diven
At this point we're just assuming the free upgrades will display as a version update not DLC. I think it's a fair assumption but we don't know that yet. But yes, presumably when you load one of these games with a free update on Switch it'll just update to that version when you load it on Switch 2

But yes, DLC would be able to be transferred alongside the game. Either by lending or moving the game between systems

And with that in mind, there's a cleaner way to do all of this. Presumably @slider271 and their wife trust each other enough to share accounts, kinda part of that contract they would. So the easiest solution would be to just add both accounts to the Switch 2 and transfer the licence to the Switch 2. Then buy or otherwise get the DLC on the account that owns it

Because once you've transferred the licence to a console all users can play it as if they own it. Regardless of whether their account has it or not. And also by doing it this way you don't have the DLC and game licences on different accounts which removes a completely unnecessary step

As since no Switch 2 is out. One should contact Nintendo support about this sharing as nothing has come out as Switch 2 isn't out to verify or see how this works.