(UPDATE) Octopath Traveler Is Delisted On The Nintendo eShop, Nintendo Responds

The critically acclaimed RPG from Acquire and Square Enix, Octopath Traveler, launched exclusively for the Nintendo Switch consoles in 2018 before it gained a multiplatform release a few years later. The game's critical success led to Acquire producing a sequel, Octopath Traveler 2, which also garnered major success; however, eagle-eyed fans spotted an interesting development on the Nintendo eShop.

First reported by multiple sources online, Octopath Traveler appears to have been temporarily delisted on the Nintendo eShop; however, when this occurred is unconfirmed. While it's unavailable to buy from Nintendo's digital store, it's been stated that the game's pre-purchased codes received from other third-party sources are fully functional.

5th March 2024 Update: Nintendo has issued a response following Octopath Traveler's delisting on the Nintendo eShop in a Support FAQ page. They stated that the game is "temporarily unavailable" as of 1st March 2024, but it will be available for purchase shortly. The original reporting continues below.

Additionally, the game is still listed on other digital storefronts, including Steam, so players can still acquire Octopath Traveler on other platforms, excluding PS Store, as the game is not available for PlayStation consoles. The reason for Octopath Traveler's delisting on the Nintendo eShop was revealed by Japanese gaming news outlet Gematsu, who said that the publishing rights for Octopath Traveler had been changed.

Shared in a post on Twitter, Gematsu provided a link along with supporting images, which shows that the game's publishing rights had been returned to Square Enix as recently as December 2023. In the comparison images, Nintendo had previously published Octopath Traveler before handing over the rights back to Square Enix, who was responsible for the game's sequel, Octopath Traveler 2's publishing rights before its release last year. 

As of writing, we cannot officially confirm why the game is unavailable to buy from the Nintendo eShop as Square Enix has yet to release an official statement. As mentioned before, players can still acquire and play Octopath Traveler on the Switch, but they'll have to obtain a code from the My Nintendo Store or other third-party sources before redeeming it.