Nintendo Confirms $90 Price-Tag For Full ‘Breath Of The Wild’ Switch 2 Experience As DLC NOT Included In Upgraded Edition
In continuing to frustrate players with their upcoming console’s absurd pricing strategies, Nintendo has confirmed that despite its $70 price-tag, the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will NOT contain either of the game’s two post-release DLC packs, instead requiring players to shell out an additional $20 to get the full next-gen experience for the last-gen title.
As shown in the console’s world premiere Nintendo Direct on April 2nd, alongside brand-new titles like Mario Kart Tour and Donkey Kong Bananza, the Switch 2’s early software line-up will also include a number of newly-christened ‘Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’ releases.
Serving as upgraded versions of games originally developed (or at least partly so) for the first Nintendo Switch, these ‘Switch 2 Editions’ will be available as a stand-alone $10 upgrade for those who already have the original release of a given game and in an $80 bundle, which comes with base the game itself, for those who do not.
At current, the games confirmed to be receiving respective ‘Switch’ and ‘Switch 2’ editions will be the already-released Breath of the Wild, its sequel The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Mario Party Jamboree, as well as the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4.
Notably, of the four games that fall into the ‘already-released’ category, only one of them has also seen any form of DLC support, with Breath of the Wild receiving The Master Trials and The Champions’ Ballad content packs in the year following its release.
Sold together in the game’s Expansion Pass bundle for $20, these packs unlock new challenge modes, armor sets, shrines, quests, and even a full dungeon for players to take on after completing the main quest.
Yet, rather than opting to throw players a bone and include this DLC in the game’s Switch 2 Edition upgrade, Nintendo has instead decided that for those who wish to see all that Breath of the Wild truly has to offer, they’ll still have to fork over an additional $20.
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC,” said Nintendo in a statement provided to IGN clarifying the issue. “That DLC is available as a separate purchase.”
So, for those keeping tally at home, should someone who never played it before wish to enjoy the entirety of a game from 2017 on their 2025 console with “support for the ZELDA NOTES game-specific service via Nintendo Switch App, improved frame rates and resolution, faster load times, and HDR support”, they will have to pay a total of $90 for the privilege to do so.
Add this potential price-point to the console’s already-$100-over-Nintendo-standard $450 retail tag, the $10 being asked for a Nintendo Switch Online membership to play online (or $50 for the ‘+ Expansion Pak’ membership should they wish to play any of the Switch 2’s Nintendo GameCube classics), and the already stark $70 minimum for first-party games, and what should have been a family-on-a-budget-friendly console option quickly begins to turn into a gigantic money pit.
At the very least, Nintendo has confirmed that “Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code” – but good all that does anyone if they can’t afford the game in the first place.
Regardless, for those still willing and comfortably able to pay the piper, the Nintendo Switch 2 officially launches on June 5th – though North American and Canadian pre-orders are currently on-hold as the world attempts to navigate President Donald Trump’s newly-enacted tariff strategy.
NEXT: Nintendo Says Switch 2 Lacks Hardware Gimmick So More Devs Will Make Games For New Console
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