Nintendo thinks Zelda Tears of the Kingdom will justify its $70 price tag

Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has said the company expects The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to justify its $70 price tag.

The company announced last month that the upcoming game costs $69.99, marking the first time it has charged more than $59.99 for a standard edition of a digital Switch title.

In a recent interview, Nintendo’s US boss was asked how the platform holder reached its decision to price Tears of the Kingdom at $70.

“We look at what the game has to offer,” Bowser told Associated Press. “I think fans will find this is an incredibly full, deeply immersive experience. The price point reflects the type of experience that fans can expect when it comes to playing this particular game.”

After the game’s price was announced, a Nintendo spokesperson suggested $70 won’t necessarily be the new norm for first-party Switch software, stating that the company determines the suggested retail price of its products “on a case-by-case basis”.

Bowser said on the matter: “This isn’t a price point that we’ll necessarily have on all our titles. It’s actually a fairly common pricing model either here or in Europe or other parts of the world, where the pricing may vary depending on the game itself.”

Sony began charging $70 for first-party games when PS5 launched in 2020, while Microsoft started charging $70 for first-party Xbox Series X/S games this year.

Further reading

Evidence mounts for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch hardware

The golden console supposedly featuring artwork from the game appeared late last year

After a number of delays, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will finally be released on May 12.

In addition to the standard version, the Tears of the Kingdom Collector’s Edition costs $129.99. It includes a physical version of the game, an art book, a Steelbook case, an Iconart steel poster and a set of four pin badges.