Trails in the Sky Chapter 2 File Sizes Reveal Cartridge Cost

If you've been waiting on details about the upcoming Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter remake, you're in for a surprise, because the file sizes just leaked out and they're bigger than a lot of people expected. According to an insider who has a solid track record with this kind of info, Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter is landing at roughly 33.2 gigabytes on Switch 2 and about 19.5 gigabytes on the original Switch.

That's a significant jump compared to its predecessor. For context, when Trails in the Sky: First Chapter was remade, it came in at around 17.3 GB on Switch 2 and 9.7 GB on Switch 1. By comparison, Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter is considerably larger.

That near-doubling in size comes down to content, not graphics, and it's about to complicate the physical release.

It's nearly double the size on both platforms. That's a huge leap for a sequel that's presumably running on the same engine and reusing a lot of the same assets and textures from the first game. So where's all that extra data coming from? The most likely explanation is content.

Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter is known for having way more story, more areas, more systems, and more music than the first chapter, and all of that adds up fast. It doesn't seem like Falcom went in and did some kind of graphical overhaul between the two remakes, since they're sticking with the same visual style.

It's much more likely that the extra gigabytes are coming from added content, expanded audio, and everything else that makes the second game feel like a much bigger experience. Here's where things get interesting for anyone planning to buy a physical copy. Because Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter needs 19.5 gigabytes just for the Switch 1 version, that pushes it into 32-gigabyte cartridge territory.

On Switch 2, the 33.2-gigabyte file size means Falcom has to use a 64-gigabyte cartridge instead. Bigger cartridges cost more to produce, so Falcom is essentially absorbing higher manufacturing costs just to give players physical versions of this game on both systems.

Absorbing that cost instead of cutting corners says a lot about Falcom's commitment, and expectations for the game itself are just as high.

A lot of publishers would just skip a physical Switch 1 release entirely once file sizes start climbing like this, or they'd cut it down to a code-in-box situation. Falcom going all in on full physical releases for both Switch 1 and Switch 2, despite the added cost of bigger cartridges, says a lot about how committed they are to supporting collectors and people who still want game cases on a shelf.

As for the game itself, expectations are already sky high. Trails in the Sky the 1st Chapter remake was considered a strong game in its own right, landing in the high 80s critically, but plenty of longtime fans of the series have said the first game is really just a setup for the second one.

Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter is widely seen as the point where the story and gameplay really take off, so there's a real chance this remake could push into the low 90s when reviews start coming out. Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter is set to release on September 17th, and it doesn't seem like Falcom rushed or shifted this window at the last minute.

Trails in the Sky the 1st Chapter also released in September last year, so it looks like Falcom simply had their sights set on a September launch from the start for this remake as well. That kind of consistency suggests a deliberate release strategy rather than a reaction to anything else going on in the industry.

With file sizes this high and cartridge costs this high, Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious physical releases Falcom has put out on Switch. If you're a fan of the series, this is one to watch closely as September gets closer, since everything about the scale of this remake points toward Falcom going all out on Trails in the Sky the 2nd Chapter in a way that hasn't really been seen before in the franchise.