Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition Excludes DLC

Amid ongoing confusion and frustration among fans about the costs associated with the Nintendo Switch 2 and its games, particularly in the United States where prices seem to be constantly changing, a new detail has emerged that may not have been immediately clear to everyone. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Nintendo Switch 2 edition does not include the Expansion Pass, which means you'll need to pay an additional $20 to access the DLC on the new system if you don't already own it.

To clarify, since the announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2's games and their pricing last week, there has been a lot of confusion about how everything will work. If you already own The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the original Nintendo Switch, you can continue playing it on your Nintendo Switch 2, including the DLC if you've previously purchased it, without any issues.

However, there's also a Nintendo Switch 2 Enhanced Edition of Breath of the Wild, which features improved visuals and performance, achievements, and supports the new "Zelda Notes" service within the Nintendo Switch Online app. If you already own Breath of the Wild on the Switch, you won't automatically receive these enhancements, but you can purchase an "upgrade pack" for $10 to access them.

For those who do not yet own the game and are considering purchasing it on the Nintendo Switch 2, you can buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Enhanced Edition of Breath of the Wild for $70, which is $10 more than the original retail price. However, this edition does not include the DLC Expansion Pass, so if you want that as well, you'll need to spend an additional $20, bringing the total cost for the complete Breath of the Wild experience on the Nintendo Switch 2 to $90.

This information comes from a statement by Nintendo to IGN: "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC. That DLC is available as a separate purchase."

While some might argue that this pricing is fair, especially considering that existing owners have already paid for these components separately, it's worth noting that other gaming publishers often reduce prices on older games or offer "enhanced editions" for new systems that include bundled DLC to ease the financial burden on new players. Paying $90 for an updated version of a game that was released in 2017 on the Wii U feels steep, especially when compared to other games like Mario Kart World, which is priced at $80, and the Nintendo Switch 2 itself, which may cost $450 or more depending on tariff situations.

It's possible that this won't be a significant issue, given that many potential players likely already own at least the base version of Breath of the Wild due to its strong sales performance. However, if you were holding off on purchasing it (and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom) until the release of the new, enhanced system, you should factor in the cost of the highly-regarded Expansion Pass into your decision.