Nintendo has officially announced additional pricing information for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs for a number of its hit games. The upgrades enable owners of the original Switch versions to add features unique to the new console, which releases on June 5, 2025.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrade packs will be available for US$9.99 each for existing players. Still, Nintendo indicated that they will make the upgrades available for free to subscribers of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
Upgrade packs for games like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, featuring new content and improvements to Switch 2, are priced at US$19.99. These upgrades seem to provide more significant additions beyond graphics and performance improvements.
These price confirmations have opened up debate among Nintendo enthusiasts. Some welcome the choice to upgrade at less than the purchase price of the full Switch 2 versions of the games, which range from US$69 to US$80.
Switch 2 has unique games, striking a balance between value proposition and stand-alone editions, compelling customers to factor in upgrades, the degree of upgrades, and subscriptions.
Nintendo's approach to Switch 2 is releasing upgrade trails for top-selling games and phasing in the new device over time without giving up on incentives for buying new, enhanced versions of the console.
NintendoLife is reporting that the U.K. eShop listing for Super Mario Party Jamboree on Switch 2 shows an upgrade pack for £16.99, just a bit more than US$22 in US currency.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will cost US$9.99 to upgrade, although no price information is available for the U.S. version.
Nintendo has suspended pre-orders for Switch 2 to determine tariff rates, making some accessories more expensive while the console stays the same price, potentially because of tariff uncertainty and a lack of official prices on the American eShop.
Nintendo's Switch 2 upgrade plan provides a choice for existing owners, including Zelda upgrades being free for Expansion Pack subscribers and others at a price with extra content.
Pricing in the U.S. is unclear pending tariff considerations, fueling discussion of upgrade value versus buying new games as the Switch 2 is released.