There's sixteen paths and this release strategy has annoyed people on all of them.
It was eight years ago that Octopath Traveler released on the original Switch, and Square Enix has decided to observe the anniversary with a pair of controversial release strategies.
A digital version of Switch 2 versions of Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II has appeared on the Japanese eShop today, with western releases scheduled for October 1. The Switch 2 versions promise a higher framerate and resolution, with the target appearing to match the PS4 version's 1080p / 60 frames per second settings.
As with the upcoming Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S and Final Fantasy X/X-2, the Octopath releases will not feature an upgrade or an option to transfer save from the Switch version. (The US version is priced at $59.99 and the Canadian at $79.99.) As well, although physical versions are planned, they will use the Game Key Card format.