The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is worth the price tag, says Nintendo

Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America president, has claimed the higher price tag for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is well worth it for the experience players will get.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bowser said, ‘fans will find [Tears of the Kingdom] is an incredibly full, deeply immersive experience,’ and that the price point reflects this. He also confirmed that the higher cost isn’t something fans should necessarily expect on all Nintendo first-party titles going forward, but will rather be based on ‘what the game has to offer.’

Read: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom preview – Boundless potential

Bowser also suggested that changes in standard pricing for first-party games, dependent on the game itself, is a ‘fairly common pricing model’ in Europe and other parts of the world. 

It was confirmed in February 2023, after retailers seemingly leaked a price increase, that Tears of the Kingdom would retail for US $69.99 (roughly AU $105). A collector’s edition, including an art book, poster, steel case, and badges, was priced higher at US $129.99 (AU $195.49).

This price point is a US $10 increase on the typical United States pricing of US $59.99 for Nintendo Switch titles, although up until this point, no reason had been specified for the change.

Read: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom art book leaks

Interestingly, Australian retailers have listed Tears of the Kingdom for preorder between AU $74 and AU $89.95, with the collector’s edition coming in at AU $189, so it appears the increase hasn’t fully translated on local shores. Compared to the (somewhat standard) cost of preordering Pikmin 4 at AU $69-$79.95, it appears only some of the extra costs have been passed along.

It’s not yet clear if Nintendo is planning to pursue an individualised pricing model for more of its games going forward, but given the popularity of The Legend of Zelda franchise, loyal fans are still likely to purchase the upcoming title, regardless of the slight increase in cost.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on Nintendo Switch on 12 May 2023.