Nintendo is facing a wave of backlash after confirming that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition will not include the game’s post-launch DLC, despite carrying a $70 price tag for an eight-year-old game. Players who want the full experience of the 2017 classic on the upcoming Switch 2 console will need to fork over another $20 for the Expansion Pass, bringing the total cost to $90.
Link in The Legend of Zelda Breath of The Wild – YouTube, Nintendo of America
The confirmation came via a statement to IGN, in which Nintendo clarified, “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. That DLC is available as a separate purchase.”
The Switch 2, which launches on June 5th, will introduce a line-up of re-released first-party titles under the “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” banner. These versions include visual and performance upgrades such as improved frame rates, HDR support, and faster loading times. Players who already own the original Switch versions can upgrade for $10, while newcomers must buy full-priced bundles at $70 or $80—depending on the title.
However, only Breath of the Wild among the confirmed re-releases has any substantial DLC. And unlike many remasters or reissues from other gaming companies, Nintendo is not bundling that content in. The two expansions, The Master Trials and The Champions’ Ballad, originally added extra challenge modes, gear, quests, and a post-game dungeon to the base game.
The fully revealed Nintendo Switch 2 console – YouTube, Nintendo of America
Adding insult to injury, the Switch 2 itself will retail at $450, a full $100 more than the standard Switch. Combined with a $10 monthly fee for Nintendo Switch Online—or $50 for access to the ‘Expansion Pak’ tier that includes GameCube classics—many longtime fans are calling the console a budget-buster.
In what feels like a throwback to the 1980s and 1990s, Nintendo announced that it’s embracing a variable pricing strategy once again—where game costs fluctuate depending on perceived value, production quality, or franchise popularity. Unlike the industry standard of uniform pricing for first-party titles, the Switch 2’s launch lineup features games ranging from $70 to $80, echoing the era when cartridges like Chrono Trigger and Super Street Fighter II carried premium price tags due to added chips or development costs. This shift backward in strategy was recently confirmed by Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser.
In a bit of positive news, Nintendo confirmed that physical versions of Switch 2 games will contain both the base game and upgrade data on a single cartridge. There will be no download codes or internet requirements for the upgraded content. But that minor benefit hasn’t softened the blow for gamers already frustrated by rising costs.
A screenshot from the trailer to Mario Kart World – YouTube, Nintendo of America
The launch lineup for the Switch 2 includes upgraded versions of Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Mario Party Jamboree, alongside new titles like Mario Kart Tour, Donkey Kong Bananza, Metroid Prime 4, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
As of now, pre-orders for North American and Canadian buyers are on hold, reportedly due to President Trump’s newly enacted tariff strategy on foreign electronics, adding yet another wrinkle to Nintendo’s turbulent next-gen rollout.
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