Nintendo has responded to our inquiries with the following comments.
On the reasoning for the $69.99 price tag for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom:
“We determine the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”
On if this is the trend for Nintendo titles going forward:
“No. We determine the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”
Original Story (Published at 5:49 pm Central on February 8, 2023)
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom could very well be the most anticipated game of 2023 and is certainly one of the most exciting releases in the history of the Nintendo Switch. During today’s Nintendo Direct, we got a new look at gameplay, plus the announcement of the Collector’s Edition and a new Amiibo figure starring Link. However, we also got some unfortunate news surrounding the upcoming launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
In its press release for the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced that the upcoming Zelda entry will retail for $69.99. This makes Nintendo the latest major publish to test the waters of raising the price of its triple-A titles in recent years. This follows other major publishers like 2K Games and PlayStation, who started pricing their major releases at $70 with the start of the new console generation in 2020. Last year, both Xbox and Ubisoft announced that their triple-A games would cost $70 going forward.
We reached out to Nintendo for comment regarding the reasoning for the price increase and if this will be the trend for its triple-A releases going forward, but did not immediately receive a response. We will update this story if Nintendo provides a statement.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches on Switch on May 12.