Nintendo Confirms $10 Price Tag For Zelda Switch 2 Upgrade Packs

One of the more mysterious elements of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was the Upgrade Packs, the one-time-purchase codes that let owners of certain Nintendo Switch games to access each game's upgraded Switch 2 Edition versions. The biggest mystery surrounding the Upgrade Packs was the cost, and Nintendo of America VP of product and player experience Bill Trinen has confirmed in an interview that the codes will cost $10 each--at least for the two Zelda games.

Speaking with IGN, Trinen responded to a question regarding the Upgrade Packs by confirming that anyone who has purchased The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom can make a one-time purchase of an Upgrade Pack for $10. The $80 MSRP that emerged after the event, Trinen says, is only for those who have not previously purchased the game.

"For somebody who has bought Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, the upgrade packs for those are $9.99," Trinen said. "And if you happen to be a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, both of the Zelda upgrade packs are inclusive within that membership. So there's no additional charge for those."

The Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will feature improved frame rates, faster load times, and HDR support in order to take advantage of the upgraded Switch 2 hardware. The upgrade will also give players access to Zelda Notes, an app-within-an-app--accessed through the Nintendo Switch smartphone app--which gives players access to Voice Memories spoken by various characters throughout each game, as well as the ability to upload and share Ultrahand blueprints with other players via QR codes.

Pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition versions of other games mentioned in the Switch 2 Direct--including Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Super Mario Party Jamboree--has not been confirmed as of this writing. Reports suggest, however, that other games may receive some benefits on the Switch 2 free of charge.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently set to release on June 6. Preorders in the US were initially scheduled to begin on April 9, but Nintendo announced it would be postponing them indefinitely while the company "assess[ed] the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."