In case you missed it, the 2017 masterpiece,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo promoted the re-release of a nearly decade-old game on its new hardware via the first official Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, something that delighted many fans who are just keen on replaying it, while frustrating those who wanted to see more new first-party titles. Wherever you sit on the fence, it would be very hard to argue that getting to do a playthrough of a better-looking version ofBOTWis a bad thing.
Breath of the Wildisn’t just getting ported to the Switch 2. Instead, it is getting theSwitch 2 upgrade treatment, something that it and only a handful of first-party games get to enjoy. Fans can expect HDR support, improved visuals, better framerates, quicker load times, and more, although no new gameplay innovations. That’s a decent upgrade, at least for those who couldn’t stomachBOTW’sarguably timeless visuals. Unfortunately,despite the high cost, this upgrade is missing a key feature, showcasing yet again that Nintendo has seemingly lost touch with its fans.
The Switch 2 Version Of BOTW Won’t Include The DLC
It Is Just The Base Game
One would expect that the Nintendo Switch 2 version ofBreath of the Wild, which people who already own the game have to pay to upgrade to, would include everything from the base game and its slew of updates to the somewhat unspectacular yet nevertheless enjoyable DLC. Unfortunately, the Switch 2 version ofBOTWlacks both DLC packs, meaning thatnot only are people paying for the exact same experience twice, albeit with better visuals, but the Switch 2 version can’t even be called the definitive experience. It is a monumental mistake, and one that has only further angered fans.
It isn’t clear whether players who already own both DLC packs will need to buy them again on Switch 2to be compatible with the new version or if they’ll be able to use their current DLC. Nintendo has only expressly said that the DLC won’t be included in the enhanced edition, and that players who want to buy the DLC can do so for $20. One would assume that you’d be able to use the original Switch version of the DLC alongside the enhanced edition; however, considering Nintendo’s current approach, it wouldn’t be surprising if the inverse were true.
Even disregarding that,the fact that Nintendo ischarging $70 forBOTWon Switch 2, a game that came out in 2016 and looks only marginally better on the new console, and $20 for the DLC, is egregious.Horizon Zero Dawn’sremaster - a game which also came out in 2017 - offered moreimpressive improvements over the original, cost less than the Switch 2 port of BOTW, and included its DLC, which is substantially larger thanBreath of the Wild’s. Those who paid the $10 upgrade cost also got the DLC, even if they didn’t own the original version.
Nintendo Is Becoming The Worst Part Of Itself
It Is Nickel-And-Diming Its Players
It is hard to argue that the Switch 2 versions of bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomare worth it, especially when compared to the likes ofHorizon Zero Dawnremastered. As frustrating as Sony’s era of remasters is, at least it more appropriately prices them, and fans can expect discounts in the future. How are we still paying full price for an eight-year-old game that has never once dipped below 33% off? The Switch 2 versions ofBOTWandTOTKhaven’tjustified the exorbitant price, and that is a huge failure on Nintendo’s behalf.
However, this isn’t exactly new for Nintendo. Back in 2021, Nintendo released a remaster ofSkyward Sword, changing very little about the base experience, and charged $60 for it. In 2020, Nintendo released theSuper Mario 3D All-Stars Collection, a triple-pack of great Mario titles that wasreleased for a limited timebefore being pulled from shelves. Of course, fans had to pay $60 for those three games that came out well over a decade ago.Nintendo has slowly garnered a reputation for nickel-and-diming its consumers, and the Switch 2 era is doing little to dissuade people from that notion.
Nintendo Has Lost Touch With What Its Fans Want
It Could Hurt The Switch 2 Era
All of this makes it feel likeNintendo has completely lost touch with its fans. Of course, at the end of the day, Nintendo is a private business that wants and needs to make a lot of money, and it’ll do anything it can to achieve that. However, it had always felt that there was some level of integrity to Nintendo, which is what ultimately led to many supporting it in the first place. That has slowly been lost over the past few years, andNintendo’s somewhat tone-deaf commentsregarding the Switch 2 have only served to worsen its reputation.
A large reason for these price hikes is due to the increasing financial difficulties the world over is suffering from. From drastic inflation to changing tariffs, companies are forced to increase their prices to ensure they don’t suffer. However,these problems are affecting consumers too, as little has been done to ensure that the scales remain balanced. People are paying more and earning less, and eventually, that’s going to prevent them from accessing hobbies as expensive as gaming.
Nintendo could have justified the price of the Switch 2 and increasing the base cost of its first-party exclusives if it had made some concessions. Agreeing to discount older games, sell the upgraded version of original Switch titles for less, include the DLC for games likeBOTW, and makeWelcome Toura tie-in title would all go a long way in making fans feel respected. Nickel-and-diming players who are already struggling financially on a game as old asBreath of the Wildis a bad move and one that will only serve to hurt Nintendo in the long run.
