Hades II Sets a High Bar for Switch 2 Physical Releases — Here’s What Matters

Why This Announcement Actually Matters

Hades II just became the rare release that makes a physical Switch 2 cartridge feel worth chasing. During the September 12 Nintendo Direct, Supergiant Games set two crucial dates: early access on PC hits September 25, and a physical Switch 2 edition lands November 20. The cart reportedly includes the full game, a color artbook, a reversible cover, and a code for the soundtrack-plus cross-save between PC and Switch. That’s a lot of promises, and it caught my attention because Supergiant’s last rodeo with early access turned a great roguelike into an all-timer. This time, they’re adding a premium physical package and performance targets that sound almost too good to be true on Nintendo hardware.

• PC early access starts September 25; Switch 2 physical arrives November 20.
• Cartridge claims the full game on cart, with a color artbook, reversible cover, and OST code.
• Cross-save between PC and Switch means your runs travel with you.
• Performance targets: 1080p at 120 FPS on Switch 2; 720p at 60 FPS on the original Switch.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Let’s strip away the gloss. The early access date is classic Supergiant: get the game into players’ hands, iterate fast, and let feedback shape balance and systems. It worked brilliantly for the first Hades, which evolved from “strong foundation” to “instant classic” across updates. The twist here is the console angle: a physical Switch 2 edition lands less than two months later, and Supergiant says the cart contains the complete game. If that sticks, it’s a statement. In an era where “physical” often means “download half the game anyway,” a complete cartridge is a win for preservation and offline play.

The pack-ins are smart, not fluff. Supergiant knows its strengths: standout art and music. A color artbook showcases Jen Zee’s work, the OST code puts Darren Korb’s score in your library, and a reversible cover is a simple, collector-friendly touch. It mirrors what made the original Hades’ physical edition feel premium without veering into overpriced collector’s territory.

The Early Access Curveball

Here’s the interesting friction: PC goes early access on September 25, but Switch 2 gets a “full game on cart” by November 20. That’s a fast turnaround for 1.0. Either the early access build is already near-complete and Supergiant wants extra polish time with the PC community, or “complete game” here means feature-complete but still bound to see balance passes and content tweaks. I’d bet on the latter. Expect a robust, cohesive game on cart-and still expect patches. That’s not a knock; it’s how live support should work.

The cross-save angle is the sleeper feature. Hades thrives on short, compulsive runs. Being able to blast through two biomes on PC, then pick up that same file on the couch or on the go, is exactly the hybrid fantasy we’ve wanted more studios to deliver. If Supergiant keeps it as painless as their past save-transfer tools-ideally a simple in-game link rather than account spaghetti—this will set a standard other indies (and some big publishers) should copy.

Performance Targets: Hype vs. Reality

Targeting 1080p at 120 FPS on Switch 2 is a bold headline. The original Hades ran beautifully at 60 FPS, and doubling that framerate would make dodge windows feel silkier and inputs even tighter—noticeable in a game where animation clarity matters. The asterisk: your TV or monitor needs to support 120 Hz, and we still need to see how often the game actually sticks to that target. “Targets” are not promises, and dynamic resolution or variable refresh will likely do some heavy lifting. On the original Switch, 720p at a stable 60 FPS is perfectly fine; what matters is consistency. If Supergiant chooses stability over chasing numbers, that’s the right call.

Why This Physical Edition Actually Feels Respectful

I’m over expensive boxes with a code inside. Supergiant claiming a complete game on the cart—with tangible extras that celebrate the studio’s art and music—feels like a rebuttal to the worst trends of the physical market. It’s also practical. If you travel or share the Switch 2 with family, not relying on giant day-one downloads matters. And for fans who fell in love with Hades’ aesthetic, an artbook you can touch beats a “deluxe edition” JPEG gallery any day.

The Gamer’s Perspective: What This Changes

For Switch 2 owners, Hades II aiming for high frame rates is more than a flex—it signals that the platform won’t be stuck at “good enough” performance for fast-action indies. For PC players, early access means the best balance and build variety will likely land by the time the cart ships, making that physical release feel more definitive. And cross-save stitches these worlds together in a way the first Hades only partially delivered. If this becomes the baseline—play where you want, keep your progress—everyone wins.

One fair question remains: how “complete” is complete in November? If Supergiant communicates clearly—what’s in 1.0, what’s coming post-launch, how cross-save handles version parity—then expectations stay aligned and the goodwill they’ve earned over the last decade holds. Their track record suggests they’ll do exactly that.

TL;DR

Hades II hits PC early access on September 25 and brings a fully loaded Switch 2 physical edition on November 20, with cross-save and ambitious performance targets. The package looks thoughtfully premium without feeling like a cash grab. I’m excited—but I’ll be watching how “full game on cart” and 120 FPS claims translate in the real world.