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You can move a Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition save from an original Nintendo Switch to a Nintendo Switch 2 with Nintendo’s nearby save-data transfer. Both consoles need internet access, current system software, and the same Nintendo Account linked to the relevant users. Nintendo Switch Online is not required for this direct transfer.
There is one critical risk: nearby transfer moves the save instead of making a backup. Nintendo says, “This does not create a copy of your save data.” Confirm the destination console, user, and game before sending. The original Switch Edition is supported on Switch 2, but a save’s compatibility with the separate Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition has not been confirmed.
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| Name | Best for | Scope | Source-console effect | Nintendo Switch Online | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nearby save-data transfer | Moving only your Cities: Skylines city | One selected user’s save | The sent save is deleted from the original console | Not required | Nov 2026 |
| Local system transfer | Moving to Switch 2 with both consoles available | All supported console users and data | Transfer process handles the source system as part of the migration | Not stated | Nov 2026 |
| Server-based system transfer | When the original console will be sold, traded, or given away first | System transfer retrieved during Switch 2 setup | The original console is initialized after upload | Not stated | Nov 2026 |
| Save Data Cloud | Restoring compatible software from a cloud backup | Compatible game saves, not a full console move | Not stated in the transfer guidance | Paid membership required | Nov 2026 |
Which transfer method should I choose?
Use nearby save-data transfer if your goal is one city and you have both consoles at the same time. It is the narrowest option: you select one user and one game save. It does not move the rest of the console’s users or data.
Use a local system transfer when Switch 2 is replacing the original console and you want a broader migration. Nintendo’s Switch-to-Switch 2 system-transfer process is intended for supported users and data across the system, not just Cities: Skylines.
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Use the server-based route only when the original console is leaving before you can complete the new console’s setup. It uploads the transfer, initializes the old system, and keeps the transfer on Nintendo’s server for up to one year or until the download deadline shown during the process. Retrieval is tied to Switch 2’s initial setup.
Save Data Cloud is a separate backup and restoration service for compatible software. It requires a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and should not be confused with the free nearby move.
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What do I need before transferring the city?
Prepare both consoles before opening the transfer menus. Nintendo lists internet access as a prerequisite, and the consoles should be close together for local communication.
- Original Nintendo Switch with the Cities: Skylines save still present.
- Nintendo Switch 2 powered on and connected to the internet.
- Latest available system update installed on both consoles.
- The same Nintendo Account linked to the user on both systems.
- Both consoles near each other during the transfer.
- Enough time to complete the move without shutting either console down.
The account requirement applies to the user profile that owns the save. If the two consoles use different Nintendo Accounts, the transfer will not be available for that save until the correct account is linked. Check the profile before starting rather than assuming that two users with the same name are the same Nintendo Account.
Also decide whether you are moving only Cities: Skylines or replacing the whole console. That decision determines whether the one-save menu or a system-transfer workflow is appropriate. Do not choose a full migration just to create a second copy of the city.
How do I transfer my Cities: Skylines save directly between the two consoles?
Use Nintendo’s nearby save-data transfer when you want to move the city itself and both consoles are in front of you. The original Switch sends the selected save, while Switch 2 receives it.
- Update and connect both consoles. On each system, open System Settings, check for a system update, and connect to the internet. Leave both systems powered on.
- Check the user accounts. On both consoles, select the user profile associated with the city and verify that the same Nintendo Account is linked.
- Place the consoles together. Keep the original Switch and Switch 2 close enough for Nintendo’s local transfer connection.
- Open the sending menu on the original Switch. Go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data > Send Save Data to Another Console.
- Select the user. Choose the profile that contains your Cities: Skylines save.
- Select Cities: Skylines. Pick the save shown for the original Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition.
- Open the receiving menu on Switch 2. On the destination console, go to System Settings > Data Management > Transfer Your Save Data > Receive Save Data.
- Confirm the transfer only after checking every detail. Match the Nintendo Account, user, game, and destination console. Nintendo’s confirmation warning says the source save is deleted after it is sent; the operation is not a backup.
- Wait for completion. Do not close the settings menus, power off either system, or move the consoles away from each other until Nintendo reports that the transfer has finished.
- Launch the game on Switch 2. Open the original Switch Edition, choose the receiving user, and check that the expected city, milestones, and recent changes are present.
If the city does not appear, close the game completely and reopen it under the user profile that received the save. A different profile can make a successful transfer look missing.
What exactly moves, and what does not?
The nearby procedure moves the selected Cities: Skylines save for the selected user. It does not copy every user’s saves, move the entire console, or leave an identical playable save on both systems. Nintendo explicitly warns that the source save is deleted once it is sent.
That source-console effect changes the safest order of operations. Verify the destination console and user first, then transfer, then launch the game and inspect the city before making new changes. If you need a whole-console migration, choose the system-transfer process instead of repeating the single-save menu for every game.
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A transferred save also does not prove that every add-on, purchase, or edition-specific feature is available on Switch 2. Treat the save and the installed software as separate checks.
Should I use a full system transfer instead?
Choose a system transfer when you are moving more than this one game. Nintendo’s Switch-to-Switch 2 system-transfer process is designed for a broader migration of console users and supported data, whereas the nearby save procedure targets a selected game save.
Local system transfer with both consoles
When both systems are available, Nintendo identifies local communication as the preferred route. Start the system-transfer process from the consoles’ data-management or initial-setup instructions and follow the on-screen prompts for the source and destination systems. This is the practical choice if you also need other users, settings, or game data moved rather than only your city.
Do not run a full system transfer merely to create a second copy of Cities: Skylines. The transfer process is a migration, not an archival workflow. If your only goal is one city and you want the rest of the original console untouched, use the game-save procedure above.
Server-based transfer when the old console is leaving
Nintendo also provides a server-transfer route for people who will sell, trade in, or give away the original Switch before receiving or setting up Switch 2. The source console is initialized after it uploads the transfer. Nintendo stores that transfer on its server for up to one year, or until the download deadline shown during the process.
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The server transfer is retrieved during Nintendo Switch 2’s initial setup. If Switch 2 setup is already complete, Nintendo directs users toward manual save-data transfer or cloud backup for compatible software instead of treating the server route as a normal post-setup option. Plan the timing carefully if the original console will be wiped or handed to someone else.
In practical terms, the server route is not a way to keep playing locally on the old Switch while waiting indefinitely. Upload only when you are ready for the original console to be initialized, and record the displayed download deadline.
Do I need Nintendo Switch Online to move the save?
No. Nintendo says a nearby save-data transfer between the two consoles does not require Nintendo Switch Online. An internet connection and the matching Nintendo Account are still required.
Save Data Cloud is a separate service. Nintendo says, “A paid membership to Nintendo Switch Online is required to use the Save Data Cloud.” Cloud backup should therefore be considered a different recovery route, not a prerequisite for the direct console-to-console move.
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If you already have a compatible cloud backup, it may help when the original console is unavailable, but Nintendo’s guidance does not turn cloud restore into a guaranteed Cities: Skylines cross-edition conversion. The direct nearby method remains the clearest route when both consoles and the original save are available.
Will my old city load in Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition?
The documented compatibility is narrower than the marketing name can suggest. Nintendo lists the original Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition as supported on Nintendo Switch 2, with game behavior consistent with Nintendo Switch. That supports running the original edition on the new hardware.
Paradox separately released Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 on October 28, 2026. It is a distinct edition with expanded content, including 25 buildable tiles instead of the original nine-tile limit and 10 included DLC expansions and content packs. The official material does not confirm that an original Switch Edition save can be opened by Expanded Edition.
Treat the editions as separate until an explicit compatibility statement appears. Transfer the save, install or launch the original Switch Edition on Switch 2, and verify the city there before considering any upgrade. Paradox announced a 70% loyalty discount for existing Nintendo Switch owners from October 28, 2026 through April 28, 2027, but that commercial offer does not establish save migration between editions.
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What happens to DLC and purchases?
A transferred save does not guarantee that every add-on or purchase will follow it to another platform or edition. Paradox’s support policy says purchases cannot be transferred between different platforms.
Before opening a city that uses downloadable content, confirm that the relevant content is installed for the edition and platform you are launching. If a district, asset, or feature is missing, do not overwrite the transferred save while investigating; first identify whether the content belongs to an uninstalled expansion or a purchase that is not eligible to move.
The Expanded Edition’s inclusion of 10 DLC expansions and content packs is an edition feature, not proof that a save from the original edition will be converted. Keep those two questions separate: whether content is included in the product, and whether an older save can be read by that product.
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How can I verify the transfer safely?
Verification is easiest when you check the city before making any changes on the destination console.
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- Open the game with the same user profile selected during transfer.
- Check the city name and the latest in-game date or milestone you remember.
- Inspect several distinctive districts, transit lines, or road layouts that would be difficult to recreate.
- Confirm that the expected save slot is present rather than starting a new city.
- Look for warnings about unavailable downloadable content.
- Let the game finish saving once on Switch 2, then close it normally.
Keep the original console untouched until you have completed these checks if you used a method that did not already initialize or delete its source data. For nearby transfer, however, Nintendo’s process removes the sent save as part of the move, so the pre-transfer save cannot be recovered from that console through the same menu.
Take your time on the first launch. A city can look unfamiliar if you accidentally choose a different user or open a new save slot. Confirm the account, edition, city name, and distinctive infrastructure before editing roads or zoning.
What are the most common transfer problems?
The transfer option is unavailable
Check that both consoles are online, updated, and close together. Then verify that the user on each system is linked to the same Nintendo Account. A mismatch in profiles or accounts is a more likely blocker than the game itself.
Switch 2 receives the save, but the city is not visible
Launch the game under the exact user who received the save. Also confirm that you opened the original Switch Edition, not a different edition. A city created under another profile will not appear in the selected user’s save list.
The game reports missing content
Identify which expansion or content pack supplied the missing items, then check whether that content is installed and licensed for the edition you launched. Do not assume that a save transfer moves purchases between platforms.
The original console has already been initialized
If you used Nintendo’s server-based system transfer, retrieve it during Switch 2’s initial setup and before completing the setup process. If setup is finished, use Nintendo’s manual save-data transfer or a compatible cloud-backup route instead. A console that was initialized without a completed transfer may no longer contain the local save.
I expected two playable copies
That expectation conflicts with nearby transfer’s design. The sent save is deleted from the original console, so the menu does not create a synchronized copy on both systems. Decide in advance which console should receive the save and verify that destination before confirming.
The wrong edition is installed
Return to the documented baseline: the original Switch Edition is supported on Switch 2. Expanded Edition is separate, and its ability to open the older save has not been confirmed. Install or launch the original edition first when testing the transfer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do I need a microSD Express card?
No storage card is required for the save-data transfer itself. Nintendo identifies microSD Express as the storage format for Nintendo Switch 2, so it can be useful later if you need additional game storage, but it is not a prerequisite for moving a Cities: Skylines save.
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What should I do after the city opens?
Make one normal in-game save on Switch 2 after checking the city. Review any warnings about unavailable content, then exit the software through the Home menu so the system can finish writing the save. If you plan to move other games or users, decide separately whether a full system transfer is appropriate; the Cities: Skylines procedure does not migrate the rest of the console.
The safest sequence is therefore: move the original save, open it in the original Switch Edition on Switch 2, verify the city, and only then evaluate Expanded Edition or additional content. That order preserves a clear fallback path and avoids treating an unconfirmed cross-edition conversion as guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer a Cities: Skylines save if I only have Switch 2 right now?
Not with Nintendo’s nearby transfer, because that process requires the original console to send the save. A server-based system transfer can work only if it was uploaded from the original console and is being retrieved during Switch 2’s initial setup; otherwise, Nintendo points users to compatible cloud backup or a later manual transfer.
Does transferring the save move my Nintendo Account to Switch 2?
No. The account must already be linked to the destination user for the save transfer to work. The procedure moves game data between matching users; it does not replace Nintendo Account credentials or change account ownership.
Can I keep playing the same city on both consoles after a nearby transfer?
Nearby transfer is a move, not a copy, so the sent save is removed from the original console. To play on both systems, you would need a separate supported synchronization or backup arrangement; the direct transfer menu does not create two independent copies.
Will my Cities: Skylines achievements or progress reset on Switch 2?
The transfer concerns the game’s save data, so the city and its recorded progress are the items to verify after launch. Nintendo’s transfer instructions do not promise that every edition-specific feature, add-on, or platform service will match the original system.
What if I use a different user name on Switch 2?
The important requirement is not the display name but the Nintendo Account linked to the user. Link the same Nintendo Account on both consoles and select the profile that contains the city before sending or receiving the save.
Is a full system transfer safer than moving one save?
It is broader, not automatically safer. Use it when you need supported users and data moved to Switch 2. For one city, nearby save-data transfer is more focused, but remember that it deletes the sent source save instead of creating a backup.
How long can a server-based transfer wait before I download it?
Nintendo says the server stores the transfer for up to one year or until the download deadline displayed during the process. Retrieval is part of Nintendo Switch 2’s initial setup, so do not treat it as an ordinary post-setup download.
Will my DLC purchases move with the save?
Do not assume so. Paradox’s support policy says purchases cannot be transferred between different platforms. Check the installed content and the edition you are launching before saving over the transferred city.
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That is not confirmed. The original Switch Edition is documented as supported on Switch 2, while Expanded Edition is a separate Nintendo Switch 2 release. Test the original edition first and wait for an explicit compatibility statement before treating cross-edition loading as guaranteed.
The Bottom Line
For one city, use Nintendo’s nearby save-data transfer: update and connect both consoles, match the Nintendo Account, select the Cities: Skylines save, and verify the destination before confirming. Nintendo Switch Online is not required, but the sent save is deleted from the original Switch. Open the original Switch Edition on Switch 2 first; compatibility with Expanded Edition and automatic movement of purchases are not confirmed.
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