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Nintendo has clarified that the price will not be their new standard.
During Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct presentation, the company showcased some new footage of the hotly-anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The presentation also revealed a collector’s edition of the game, which includes a steelbook, a poster, a pin set, and an art book. Pre-orders for the collector’s edition began yesterday, though when players checked storefronts, they noticed something about the game’s price.
For the first time, Nintendo has raised the price on one of their first-party releases. Rather than the usual $59.99, Tears of the Kingdom will cost $69.99. All major storefronts, which previously had the game listed for pre-order for $59.99, have been updated to reflect the new price, and it is not known whether those who ordered the game before the price change will still receive the discounted rate.
Price hikes on games have become a trend among major game publishers as the scope and cost of games have increased. That said, Nintendo has clarified in a statement to GameInformer that Tears of the Kingdom is not meant to be a flag-bearer for prices going forward.
Nintendo has commented on Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom being priced at $70, says that price isn't the trend going forward https://t.co/4lMSPg4Lj2 pic.twitter.com/B4WRStYsi4
— Nintendo Everything (@NinEverything) February 9, 2023
When asked by GameInformer why the price increased and if all major Nintendo releases would cost more going forward, the company replied “We determine the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”
This stance is in line with a recent statement by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa to investors obtained by Video Games Chronicle that they had “done our best to maintain both the value and price of hardware and software within our long term business strategy”, and that they do “not believe that any changes to this policy are necessary at this stage”.
