Zelda’s new $70 base price could set a precedent for more expensive Switch games

In short: It only takes one good game to set a pricing precedent, and for Nintendo, that title is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. We already know that Nintendo’s next Zelda adventure is coming to Switch on May 12th, and thanks to a recent Nintendo Direct presentation, we now have pricing data.

The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is positioned as an epic adventure across the land and sky of Hyrule. In it, you will forge your own path through the vast landscapes of Hyrule and explore the mysterious floating islands high overhead. Can you tame Link’s new abilities to fend off the malevolent force threatening the kingdom?

The suggested retail price for the standard version of the game is $69.99. Also releasing on launch day, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector’s Edition will set you back $129.99. The latter includes a Steelbook case, a physical copy of the game, an artbook with concept art in development, an Iconart steel poster, and four pin badges.

Nintendo will also have a separate amiibo for Link, which will give access to in-game weapons and materials, including a special fabric for Link’s paraglider.

At $69.99 for a base game, Nintendo appears to be setting a new barrier to entry with its premium intellectual property. A quick check of Nintendo’s online store reveals that it’s not the most expensive game on offer, but it is the most expensive base game. Anything that costs the same or above the $69.99 mark is either a special/luxury edition or comes bundled with DLC.

Which begs the question: Isn’t $69.99 too expensive for a premium game from an established player based on fan-favorite intellectual property? I seem to remember new NES and SNES games costing between $50 and $60 and that was in the late 80s and 90s. Adjusted for inflation, $69.99 doesn’t sound like highway robbery to me. What do you think?

Interested parties may pre order digital edition starting today and find out more about physical copies and the Collector’s Edition on the Nintendo website.