Nintendo responds to Tears of the Kingdom’s pricing controversy

Recently we reported that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was seemingly set to retail for $70 – a $10 increase over other AAA Nintendo Switch releases and the first title to do so. This price increase was later confirmed by Nintendo, however in the wake of this controversy the console manufacturer has now responded.

Following the official confirmation from Nintendo that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom would cost $70 instead of the standardised and expected $60, Game Informer reached out to the console manufacturer to get some clarity on the situation.

In response to a request for the reasoning behind Tears of the Kingdom’s $70 price, a Nintendo Spokesperson replied by stating that “We determine the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”

Game Informer then followed up by questioning whether Tears of the Kingdom marked a trend for future Nintendo titles, to which they claimed (in a nearly identical statement) “No. We determine the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”

With the release of the 9th generation of consoles, we have seen the upper base price of games shift from $60 to $70, with console manufacturers and publishers using the new hardware as justification. With the Switch releasing during the 8th generation (and set to soon enter its 7th year on the market) there seems to be little justification for the price hike – aside from the fact that Nintendo knows fans will still bite. It will be interesting to see what other future Switch titles end up costing.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Nintendo’s response? Are you bothered by the price? Is there any justification in your mind for the increase? Let us know down below.

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