Stray’s Switch 2 Debut Delivers 4K, Mouse Controls, and a Missing Free Upgrade

When the game went live on May 28, however, the discount was nowhere to be found. Instead, existing owners were shown the full $29.99 price tag. Annapurna Interactive quickly acknowledged the problem in a public statement posted to Bluesky:

"Today's launch for Stray on Nintendo Switch 2 was intended to have a 100% owners discount for those who already own Stray digitally on Switch 1 (excluding Japan). Due to an error on the storefront backend, this discount is not being correctly applied."

A follow-up message confirmed the company was "working with Nintendo to get this fixed over the next few days" and apologized for the inconvenience . For now, existing owners are advised to hold off on purchasing until the backend issue is resolved.

Developer, publisher, and the road to Switch 2

Stray was developed by the French studio BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, the gaming division of Annapurna Pictures . The game first launched on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam on July 19, 2022, where it quickly became a critical and commercial hit . Subsequent releases followed on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in August 2023, and on the original Nintendo Switch on November 19, 2024 .

The Switch 2 Edition marks the game's debut on Nintendo's latest hardware, arriving nearly a full year after the console's June 5, 2025 launch .

Annapurna's broader Switch 2 lineup

The Stray upgrade issue stands out because it's the exception, not the rule, in Annapurna Interactive's Switch 2 rollout. The publisher brought five titles to the platform in total, and two of them launched flawlessly with working free upgrades .

Sayonara Wild Hearts and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, both from developer Simogo, were available as Switch 2 Editions immediately when the lineup was announced in April 2026 . Both games received 4K resolution support, 120Hz gameplay, and—crucially—working free upgrades for existing Switch owners . Sayonara Wild Hearts also gained a new Remix Arcade mode that had previously been exclusive to other platforms .

The remaining titles in Annapurna's Switch 2 slate are Stray (May 28), to a T (June 11, $19.99), and Wanderstop (June 23, $24.99) .

Animated adaptation: the cat goes to Hollywood

While the game continues expanding across platforms, Annapurna has bigger plans for Stray's universe. An animated feature film adaptation is in active development at Annapurna Animation, the studio's film division established in December 2022 .

Nick Bruno, who co-directed the critically acclaimed Netflix animated film Nimona, is attached to direct the Stray adaptation . Annapurna Animation co-leader Robert Baird has described the project's tone as "hopepunk"—a term referencing stories of positivity and kindness against overwhelming odds—and characterized it as a "buddy comedy about a cat and a robot" . No release date has been announced, and the project remains in active development without a formal production timeline .

The film project is part of a larger Annapurna strategy to adapt its game catalog for other media. Studio executives have expressed interest in mining additional titles from the Annapurna Interactive library for film treatment, though Stray was chosen to lead the initiative because, as co-chief Andrew Millstein noted, the game has been "wildly popular" since its debut .

A legacy of charm, now in sharper focus

Stray's enduring appeal owes much to its singular premise—you play as an ordinary orange tabby navigating a post-human cybercity with the help of a small drone companion—and the atmospheric storytelling that turned a modest indie project into a global phenomenon. The Switch 2 Edition preserves that core experience while making it look and feel better than ever on Nintendo's hardware, provided the upgrade path finally starts working as promised.