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If you are moving to a Nintendo Switch 2, transfer your old console before launching The Midnight Walk. For a complete move, use Nintendo’s System Transfer during the Switch 2’s initial setup. If you only need the game’s save, use System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data on both consoles. Nearby transfer does not make a backup: Nintendo deletes the save from the source console after it is sent, and an overwrite on the target cannot be undone. Save Data Cloud is an additional option for The Midnight Walk if you have Nintendo Switch Online.

Which transfer method should you use?

Your choice depends on whether Switch 2 is replacing the old console or you are moving only one game.

Route What it moves When to use it Important risk or requirement
System Transfer Linked Nintendo Accounts, eligible digital games, save data and settings as part of a console migration During initial Switch 2 setup when you want the new console to become your main system Internet access is required; at least one source user must be linked to a Nintendo Account. Digital games are redownloaded after the transfer.
Nearby save transfer One selected software save from one user After setup, when you need only The Midnight Walk save or another compatible title Both consoles must be present and online. The sent save is deleted from the source console; an overwritten target save cannot be recovered.
Save Data Cloud A backed-up save for supported software As a fallback or when the old console is unavailable Requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and a completed cloud upload. It is not a replacement for checking whether the save has actually backed up.

For most owners moving everything, start with System Transfer. For a second console, a single game, or a migration that has already passed the setup screen, nearby transfer is the more focused route.

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What you need before touching either console

Do these checks while the original save is still intact. They prevent the most expensive mistakes: transferring the wrong user, running out of storage, or deleting the only copy of a save.

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Charge and update both systems

  • Charge the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2, or keep both connected to their power adapters.
  • Connect both consoles to a reliable internet connection.
  • Install the latest available system update on both consoles. Nintendo’s nearby-transfer instructions specifically require the source console to be up to date.
  • Do not put either console to sleep or leave the transfer screen while the operation is running.

Confirm the Nintendo Account and user profile

A save belongs to the user profile that created it, not merely to the physical console. On the source Switch, identify the profile that owns your The Midnight Walk progress. Confirm that profile is linked to the Nintendo Account you intend to use on Switch 2. For System Transfer, Nintendo requires at least one source user linked to a Nintendo Account. On the target console, use that same account when the setup asks you to sign in.

Check space for the game itself

Nintendo’s 2026 listings put The Midnight Walk at approximately 14.6–14.7 GB as a download for Nintendo Switch 2. The exact figure can vary slightly between the Nintendo listing and eShop display, so leave more free space than the stated minimum. A save file is much smaller than the game, but a transferred system normally redownloads digital games after migration.

If internal storage is not sufficient, Nintendo’s eShop says Switch 2 accepts microSD Express cards. Use a card identified as microSD Express rather than assuming every older Switch microSD card is suitable for Switch 2 storage.

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Decide whether cloud backup is available

Nintendo lists Save Data Cloud support for The Midnight Walk. Cloud backup requires an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. On the old console, open the game’s save-data backup controls and check that the latest upload completed before you begin a destructive nearby transfer. A membership alone does not prove that the current save has been uploaded.

Option 1: Move the whole console during Switch 2 setup

Use Nintendo’s System Transfer when Switch 2 is replacing the original console and you want the account, eligible digital purchases, settings and saves moved together. Nintendo describes this feature as transferring digital games purchased on Switch along with save data to Switch 2. Digital games are automatically redownloaded after the transfer rather than copied as complete installations.

When to choose System Transfer

  • You are setting up a new Switch 2 and want the old console’s users and purchases available there.
  • You want to migrate multiple games instead of handling saves one at a time.
  • You can keep the source console available and connected while setup is running.
  • You want Nintendo’s account-and-system migration flow rather than a manual, game-by-game process.

System Transfer procedure

  1. Start the Switch 2 for the first time and proceed through the initial setup until it offers the transfer or migration option.
  2. Place the original Switch near the Switch 2, connect both to the internet and keep both powered.
  3. On the source console, select the user profile linked to the Nintendo Account that owns the relevant purchases and saves.
  4. Sign in with that same Nintendo Account when the Switch 2 requests it. Check the account identifier carefully; transferring the wrong account will not move the save you need.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize the transfer. Keep both consoles on their transfer screens until Nintendo reports completion.
  6. Finish Switch 2 setup and open the software library. Digital games that qualify for the migration are redownloaded automatically, so the time required depends on your internet speed and the size of each download.
  7. After The Midnight Walk has installed, launch it with the transferred user and verify that your existing progress appears before changing anything on the old console.

The initial setup is the safest time to use this route because Nintendo’s server-based migration is tied to the target console’s setup flow. If you skip that process and finish setup, use nearby save transfer for an individual game instead of trying to recreate the initial migration.

What System Transfer does not mean

System Transfer is not a guarantee that every item on the old console is copied bit-for-bit. Nintendo describes the feature in terms of eligible digital games, save data, linked accounts and settings. Physical game cartridges still need to be inserted when you play, and digital software may need to be downloaded again. Confirm each important game after migration rather than assuming that an icon on the HOME Menu proves the save is present.

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Option 2: Transfer only The Midnight Walk save

Nearby save transfer is the right choice when the Switch 2 is already set up, you are keeping both consoles, or you want to move only one game. Nintendo’s instructions cover Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED models for compatible software. Nintendo Switch Online is not required for this local transfer.

Step-by-step nearby transfer

  1. Place the original Switch and Switch 2 close together. Connect both consoles to the internet and connect them to power if possible.
  2. On the source console, install the latest system update. Check the profile that contains your The Midnight Walk progress.
  3. On the source console, open System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data.
  4. Select Send Save Data to Another Console.
  5. Select the source user, choose The Midnight Walk if it is listed, then select Next and OK.
  6. On the Switch 2, open System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data.
  7. Select Receive Save Data and accept the incoming transfer.
  8. Wait for the completion message on both consoles. Do not close the settings screens while the save is being moved.
  9. Start The Midnight Walk on Switch 2 with the receiving user and confirm that the expected progress loads.

If the target console already contains a save for the selected software, stop at the overwrite warning. Compare the target and source situations before accepting. Nintendo warns that overwritten save data cannot be recovered.

The source save is deleted, not copied

Nintendo’s support wording is explicit: nearby transfer “does not create a copy of your save data.” Once sent, the save file is deleted from the source system. Treat the final confirmation as irreversible unless you have a separate, current cloud backup. If you plan to keep playing on the old Switch as well, cloud backup or a different supported synchronization process is safer than nearby transfer alone.

Using Save Data Cloud as protection

Because Nintendo lists Save Data Cloud support for The Midnight Walk, Nintendo Switch Online can provide a recovery path if the local transfer goes wrong or the old console is unavailable. It is still a separate process from nearby transfer.

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Before the move

  1. On the original Switch, make sure the user with the game’s save is linked to the Nintendo Account that has the active Nintendo Switch Online membership.
  2. Open the game’s save-data backup controls from the HOME Menu or system save-data management area.
  3. Choose the option to back up or upload the save and wait for a successful completion status.
  4. Check the backup date before starting a nearby transfer. If the date is older than your latest play session, the cloud copy will not include that progress.

After the move

On Switch 2, use the same Nintendo Account and the game’s save-data download or restore control if you need the cloud copy. Do not download an old cloud save over a newer local save without checking the dates: restoring the wrong version can replace recent progress. Cloud availability is tied to supported software and account membership, so this route should be treated as a backup for The Midnight Walk, not as proof that every Switch title supports cloud restoration.

Storage and download planning for The Midnight Walk

The Midnight Walk is listed by Nintendo as a Nintendo Switch 2 game from Fast Travel Games, released March 26, 2026. Nintendo’s official listings give the download size as about 14.6–14.7 GB. Plan for that installation separately from the save transfer.

Planning item What the Nintendo listing establishes What you should do
Platform Nintendo Switch 2 Install the Switch 2 edition on the destination console.
Release date March 26, 2026 Use the current Switch 2 listing when checking the software version.
Download size Approximately 14.6–14.7 GB Keep more than 14.7 GB free because system overhead and updates also need space.
Save Data Cloud Supported Use an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and verify the upload date.
Expansion storage Switch 2 supports microSD Express cards Add compatible expansion storage if internal space is insufficient.

A save transfer does not install the game. If the title was purchased digitally, System Transfer arranges a redownload; with nearby transfer, install the software on Switch 2 through the appropriate game library or Nintendo eShop before launching it. Keep the console online during that download.

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What to verify before starting the game

  • Switch 2 is signed in with the same Nintendo Account that owns the source save.
  • The receiving user profile is the one selected during transfer.
  • The Midnight Walk is installed or queued for installation.
  • The game opens without asking you to create a new save over the transferred one.
  • Your latest recognizable progress, settings or unlocked content appears.
  • If you used cloud backup, the backup date is current and you know which local or cloud version you intend to keep.

Perform this verification before deleting the old console’s user, resetting it, selling it or accepting any additional overwrite prompt.

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Troubleshooting common transfer problems

The Midnight Walk does not appear in the send list

First check that the game is installed or recognized on the source console, that you selected the user who owns its save, and that the source system has the latest update. Nintendo’s nearby-transfer process applies to compatible software; if the title is not offered, do not select an unrelated save or force an overwrite. Check whether the game is associated with a different user profile, then use the supported cloud-backup route if the game’s listing and your membership allow it.

The target says a save already exists

Stop and identify which save is newer. Nearby transfer can overwrite the destination save, and Nintendo says overwritten data cannot be recovered. If the target save matters, back it up through any supported cloud option before proceeding, or leave the target unchanged and reassess which console should be authoritative.

The transfer fails or stalls

  • Keep both consoles close to the wireless router and to each other.
  • Confirm both systems are connected to the internet and have adequate battery or external power.
  • Restart neither console until the on-screen status indicates that the operation has stopped safely.
  • Install pending system updates, then retry from the beginning of the transfer menu.
  • If the source save was already deleted by a completed nearby transfer, do not repeat the send operation; use a verified cloud backup if one exists.

The game downloads but starts with no progress

Close the game and check the user profile used to launch it. A save transferred to one profile will not necessarily appear when another profile starts the software. Also verify that the transfer completion message appeared and that you did not download an older cloud version over the local save.

You no longer have the old Switch

Nearby transfer requires both consoles. Your remaining route is to sign in to the same Nintendo Account on Switch 2 and use Save Data Cloud if The Midnight Walk had a completed backup and the account has Nintendo Switch Online. Without a cloud backup, Nintendo’s local transfer procedure cannot retrieve a save from a console that is no longer available.

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A safe order of operations

  1. Update and charge both consoles.
  2. Identify the exact source user and Nintendo Account.
  3. Back up The Midnight Walk to Save Data Cloud if you have Nintendo Switch Online.
  4. Choose System Transfer during initial Switch 2 setup for a full migration, or nearby transfer for only the game’s save.
  5. Check free space and arrange a microSD Express card if the approximately 14.6–14.7 GB download will not fit.
  6. Complete the transfer without interrupting either console.
  7. Install or redownload the game, launch it with the receiving user and verify progress.
  8. Only after verification, decide whether to keep, reset or repurpose the old Switch.

This order preserves the most recovery options while making the distinction between moving a save and installing the game clear.

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