The Nintendo Switch has been out for almost six years and has amassed a massive player base, emerging as the third-best-selling game console of all time. Theearly 2023 Nintendo Direct showcaseilluminated the future of the Nintendo Switch, focusing on new releases and a surprising return to Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games. While Nintendo has found great success with the Nintendo Switch and its fleet of games, the 70-dollar price tag forThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis raising some eyebrows.
Video games have become more expensive, as advanced technology and higher demand have increased the cost of developing new titles. While the indie game sphere has seen massive financial success with games likeStardew Valleyfor a lower price, this is due mainly to difference in game development methods, which result in lower costs. With the release of thePlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S, players have seen a significant price hike for games, which has been justified by more sophisticated gaming tech. Nintendo might have a harder sell convincing fans to shell out more money for games on an older console.
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Capitalizes on Nintendo Switch Exclusivity
While some Nintendo fans might be balking at the new 70-dollar price tag forThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,there’s sound reasoning for why an older console is seeing price increases. One possibility might be that since the upcomingLegend of Zeldagame is being developed by Nintendo EPD and will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo is betting onZeldasuper fans to buy the game regardless of price. In fact, the game has already received preorder sales.
Given thatThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis one of the best-selling video games of all time, Nintendo might be more than justified to increase prices. Nintendo-made games – especially in theLegend of Zeldafranchise – consistently deliver near-impeccable quality.Breath of the Wildreceived universal acclaim for its open-ended gameplay, open-world design, and incredible attention to detail, setting a high standard for future AAA games across all consoles. SinceTears of the Kingdomis rumored to have been conceived shortly after the release of theBreath of the Wildexpansion, Nintendo EPD could have been working on the new title for over five years.
Nintendo Can’t Rely on the Popularity of Exclusive Games to Compete with Sony and Microsoft
The release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S revolutionized the gaming industry through the advent of streamlined, powerful gaming technology, warranting the 70-dollar price tag for games. For instance,the PlayStation 5’s solid-state drivesignificantly improves data storage and in-game performance. In contrast, the Xbox Series X/S allows for substantial advances in ray tracing and rendering technology. The technological leaps in gaming technology are demonstrated in RPG games likeGhost of TsushimaandHalo: Infinite,potentially casting doubt on the Nintendo Switch’s ability to compete.
While Nintendo has confirmed that the 70-dollar price tag will be given on a “case-by-case basis” and thatnot all Nintendo games will be priced the same, it still reveals the need for new Nintendo hardware. Since the Nintendo Direct showcase has unveiled a massive expansion to the number of games that are playable on the Switch, it’s seemingly unlikely that a brand-new Nintendo console will be released soon. Perhaps Nintendo could release new technology to help players make the most of their Switch, including improved storage space, Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers with haptic capabilities, and maybe even the release of the long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases May 12 on Nintendo Switch.
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