Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA comes to Switch 2 on February 25 with 120 FPS and co-op

February 25, 2027, at up to 120 FPS

NIS America revealed the new version with an announcement trailer released on Tuesday, October 20. Its official description sets the date, February 25, 2027, and highlights the two main improvements: the game can run at up to 120 frames per second on Switch 2, and it supports GameShare, the console’s game-sharing feature, so a friend can join in co-op. Nintenderos adds that the 120 frames per second are meant to make both exploration and combat feel smoother.

According to Nintenderos, GameShare co-op is new compared with the original Switch version, and Anime News Network, citing the press release, specifies that it’s for two players. The spec sheet on the official website, ysviii.com, still lists a single player (“Players: 1”) without detailing GameShare, and it doesn’t give the launch day yet (“Coming 2027”), so for now the exact date comes from the trailer.

A physical Special Edition on a Game-Key Card

The Switch 2 version is getting a physical release. The product page on ysviii.com announces a Special Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 that includes the game, a digital soundtrack and an acrylic keychain.

There’s one detail worth knowing: this edition uses a Game-Key Card, so the case doesn’t contain the full game and an internet connection is required to download it, as the official website itself notes. NIS America hasn’t announced an official price yet, nor whether owners of the original Switch version will be able to upgrade to the new one.

A cursed island and a blue-haired maiden

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is an action RPG. Adol wakes up shipwrecked on a cursed island and, together with the other castaways he rescues, builds a village to survive and look for a way off the isle. Meanwhile, he begins to dream of a mysterious blue-haired maiden, Dana, whose fate is tied to the island’s secrets.

Combat lets you switch characters on the fly mid-battle, and Dana has her own playable sections. Rescued castaways aren’t just story beats, either: once in the village, they provide services that help along the way.

A classic that keeps travelling

Falcom’s game originally launched on PS Vita in Japan on July 21, 2016, and has since appeared on PS4, PC, Switch, Stadia and PS5. NIS America brought it to the West in September 2017 and, according to Anime News Network, it had sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide by October 2018. On PC, for example, NIS America itself has published it since April 2018. NIS America is now presenting the Switch 2 version with a tagline that sums up the return nicely: “The ultimate action RPG sets sail once more!”