When Square Enix released cloud versions of the Kingdom Hearts collection for Nintendo Switch in 2022, Nintendo eShop pages allowed players to try free demos before purchasing the full cloud editions.
That free-demo option has since been removed from the United States eShop, though the purchasable cloud versions remain on sale.
Nintendo eShop listings for the cloud versions continue to include a standard playability notice requiring an online connection.
The store text advised players to test the demo prior to buying; rewritten in plain terms, the notice reads: this title requires an active internet connection to play, and players were invited to try the available demo before making a purchase.
At the time of reporting, the demo removal appears limited to the US eShop.
The same free demo entries are still visible in other regions, including the United Kingdom and Japan.
Square Enix has not issued an official statement explaining the discrepancy or the removal in the US.
The Switch cloud collection launched in 2022 and bundles three previously released compilations and entries in the long-running Kingdom Hearts franchise: Kingdom Hearts - HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III.
Each of these entries is offered as a cloud-based version on Nintendo Switch, meaning the titles stream to the console rather than run natively from a cartridge or local download, which is why an online connection is required.
Players looking to access the cloud editions should find the full games available for purchase on the Nintendo eShop in the regions where they are listed.
Retail and digital availability can vary by territory, and eShop storefronts continue to show the online-play requirement on each cloud product page.
We reached out for comment and will update this report if Square Enix or Nintendo provides an official explanation.
For now, US users who previously relied on the demo presentations will find those demos removed from the United States eShop while full cloud purchases remain available and demos remain accessible in select international storefronts.
That free-demo option has since been removed from the United States eShop, though the purchasable cloud versions remain on sale.
Nintendo eShop listings for the cloud versions continue to include a standard playability notice requiring an online connection.
The store text advised players to test the demo prior to buying; rewritten in plain terms, the notice reads: this title requires an active internet connection to play, and players were invited to try the available demo before making a purchase.
At the time of reporting, the demo removal appears limited to the US eShop.
The same free demo entries are still visible in other regions, including the United Kingdom and Japan.
Square Enix has not issued an official statement explaining the discrepancy or the removal in the US.
The Switch cloud collection launched in 2022 and bundles three previously released compilations and entries in the long-running Kingdom Hearts franchise: Kingdom Hearts - HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III.
Each of these entries is offered as a cloud-based version on Nintendo Switch, meaning the titles stream to the console rather than run natively from a cartridge or local download, which is why an online connection is required.
Players looking to access the cloud editions should find the full games available for purchase on the Nintendo eShop in the regions where they are listed.
Retail and digital availability can vary by territory, and eShop storefronts continue to show the online-play requirement on each cloud product page.
We reached out for comment and will update this report if Square Enix or Nintendo provides an official explanation.
For now, US users who previously relied on the demo presentations will find those demos removed from the United States eShop while full cloud purchases remain available and demos remain accessible in select international storefronts.
