After years of waiting for news, we learned last month that Deltarune Chapters 1-4 would not only be coming out on June 5 but that it would be a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title. However, in a newsletter sent out last night, developer/composer Toby Fox explained that the game itself will launch a little earlier than the console, depending on where you live.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will be available for purchase in Japan starting at midnight on June 5, and since Deltarune will be a launch title, the game will also go live digitally at that time. However, Deltarune is not a console exclusive – it’s also launching on PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC – so tying its international release to the staggered launch of just one of its platforms doesn’t make sense. Instead, the game will go live worldwide at midnight JST.
Since Japan’s time zone is ahead of most of the world, Deltarune will launch on June 4 in most areas. In the US, that becomes 8 AM Pacific and 11 AM Eastern, while Europe can expect to play the game in the early evening, and Asia can expect it later that night. The exceptions to this are parts of Australia, New Zealand, and other territories east of Japan. Because their midnight will come even earlier than Japan’s, meaning the Switch 2 launch happens earliest there, they’ll get access to Deltarune a few hours before the rest of the world’s simultaneous release.
On the subject of Australia and New Zealand, Fox’s newsletter urges them not to spoil the game. “But, for convenience’s sake, we’re just going to ignore you guys and pretend that the game is not out…” the newsletter says. “Meanwhile, don’t say anything about it please.”
The newsletter also announced cross-generation purchasing, which applies if you buy the game on a Nintendo or PlayStation platform. For example, if you buy a PlayStation 4 version of the game, you also get a PlayStation 5 version, which is pretty standard on the platform. However, the same will go for Nintendo: if you buy the game on the Switch, you can get the Switch 2 version at no additional cost. Whether you’re unsure what time your Switch 2 will arrive on launch day or you didn’t get one yet, you can buy the Switch 1 version and have the upgrade ready when you get the new platform. A prior newsletter also confirmed that you can transfer save data between the two versions.
Deltarune is Toby Fox’s follow-up to Undertale, one of the most successful indie games of all time. If you’re interested in playing the first two chapters, they’re available on PlayStation, Switch, and PC for free. The complete game, which will include four chapters and free updates for any subsequent chapters, will be $24.99.
