Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 launch has hit an unexpected snag: several first‑party titles appear to be shipping without support for cloud save backups. Observant shoppers browsing Nintendo’s online storefront have noted explicit disclaimers on key game pages warning that Save Data Cloud functionality is unavailable, raising fresh concerns just weeks before the console’s June launch.
The most prominent example is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which carries a notice stating that its save data cannot be stored using the Nintendo Switch Online paid membership’s cloud backup service. Equally surprising, the Donkey Kong Bananza listing bears the same caveat. Both entries break with Nintendo’s long‑standing practice of offering cloud saves for every major first‑party release.
Curiously, this restriction seems to vary by region. While North American and European eShop pages carry the “no cloud saves” warning, listings on Nintendo’s Japanese website make no mention of any limitation. This discrepancy has fueled speculation that the notices may stem from a localization oversight rather than a deliberate policy shift.
Nintendo has not yet issued an official explanation, and attempts by media outlets to secure comment remain unanswered. The lack of clarity leaves fans wondering whether the omission is temporary—perhaps an error in the online copy—or indicative of a broader change in how Nintendo plans to manage save data on its next‑generation platform.
For players, the stakes are high. Cloud saves have long been a cornerstone benefit of Nintendo Switch Online, protecting hours of gameplay from hardware failures or loss. Without that safety net, users risk losing progress permanently in the event of a system malfunction or accidental deletion.
Some may find reassurance in Nintendo’s established system‑transfer feature, which allows existing save files from Switch 1 editions of titles like Breath of the Wild to migrate to the new hardware. However, any progress made in a Switch 2‑specific release could remain stranded on the device itself, with no automatic online backup available.
Until Nintendo clarifies the situation, dedicated players are advised to maintain frequent manual backups—such as local system transfers or encrypted SD‑card copies—to safeguard their data. As the Switch 2 release date approaches, all eyes will be on Nintendo to see whether cloud save support returns before launch or if this limitation will redefine how gamers protect their achievements.
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