Nintendo Confirms Upgrade Pack Price For More 'Switch 2 Edition' Titles

And still more appealing for the tangible new content versus frixel facelifts and a few companion app features.

@Pat_trick it doesn't take justifying a business practice to wipe one's feet against the vocal rants of the people who would wholeheartedly embrace the very same practice if given a sliver of chance.

"The price increase makes some sense"

It's DLC. Like what were you expecting?

@Pat_trick what? This is like paid DLC and a performance boost to boot. They need to recoup the associated costs. No mental gymnastics required.

More than double BOTW & TOTK

maybe that's because we're getting actual new content for these games?

I've been waiting for Forgotten Land DLC since it came out 3+ years ago and we're finally here! $20 sounds like a really good price for the DLC, definitely will get it when it comes out!

Wait what? I thought it would be free with the Expansion+ that would make it worth it even more. But i know they have to make money.

I feel like people already knew this...it's DLC and an upgrade for both games. The price makes at least some sense.

And like others, I've been hoping for Kirby and The Forgotten Land DLC for a while. I'm pumped!

Tbh, I was expecting it to be a bit more considering it has bonus content

@nhSnork @WheresWaveRace I misread the article and did not understand the DLC was included. That was my fault. Deleting the original comment.

Feels super rational to me.

it does seem bizarre to me that they tack these prices onto the original games rrp for the physical switch 2 editions.

Like logically wouldn't they make more money by discounting the switch 2 physical release. Therefore tempting some to actually pay for example £50 for this dlc. Like that seems like a better 'trick' as it were.

Then instead of Switch 2 edition I'd of called it 'Complete Edition' or something.

Like yeah you could pay just £17 for the upgrade if you already have the original but you could also pay £50 for the complete new edition.

I just don't get charging so much for older games when charging abit less would of probably meant people would actually spend more. Because people want the new complete version.

Can't decide what to be annoyed at here lol

Can we get Switch 2 version of ACNH with 60 fps, All updates and DLC inside the cartridge?

I assume once your expansion pass ends, you lose the access?

Edit:
Trying to figure out do I get expansion pack? Or individually buy TOTK BOTW and Kirby expansion.

Kirby GBP 16.99 + TOTK & BOTW GBP 7.99 = 25GBP vs 35GBP for switch online + expansion pack.

Guess I’ll get switch online + expansion pack as long as Aussie dollar prices are comparable.

I am way more likely to spend £16 on DLC & Performance Upgrade than spend £10 on just the performance upgrade

One thing I'm wondering with these Switch 2 edition upgrades is whether the additional download is tacked onto the Switch 1 game and it's still Switch 1 emulation, or whether the Switch 1 game is kind of acting as a key, and the download is actually the entire Switch 2 game that runs as a native Switch 2 game?

$20 is very reasonable to me. When I see them more as directly marked as a whole DLC Expansion and not just an upgrade with extra content, I feel more down with it in my head and wanting to upgrade over something like Sony's upgrades

I can see myself getting the Kirby one but as much as I love the look of the new Jamboree modes...it doesn't look like a great single player experience which the rest of the game does surprisingly well

@timp29

I assume once your expansion pass ends, you lose the access?

correct. that is how subscription benefits work.

but FYI it is called "Expansion Pack" membership.

not to be confused with "Expansion Pass" which is the name of the DLC for Zelda Breath of the Wild (also several other games including Pokémon Sword & Shield, Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity)

@Medic_alert I just saw a few copies of Kirby on FB market for £25 so still bargains to be had before everyone twigs on.

@Nintoz I just used my last game voucher to buy Kirby based on that same logic.

Well, of course, they are DLCs, and they're normally not for free... These cases I understand completely.

In my case, I'll get the upgrades for Zelda TotK (just because I love that game so much) and Kirby for the DLC. And Metroid Prime 4, of course, but that doesn't count.

The rest of the games I already own I hope they can be upgraded for free (apart from Mario Odyssey, Zelda EoW and the rest we already know).

@jfp ditto, have 5 titles getting free upgrades, both Zelda titles and I just have to pay to upgrade Kirby in August.

Cheaper to buy a Kirby Switch 1 physical off eBay for £30ish and get the £17 digital upgrade (£47 total) than buy the Switch 2 edition £66 download. Could save about £20

Is this dlc and performance patches on the cart for the switch 2 games?

DLC + upgrade for €20. Okay price tbh.

Makes sense, you're getting a bunch of new content with these
I'm definitely getting the Kirby upgrade, really looking forward to the new stuff it has, plus it'll be very nice to replay the main game at 60 FPS

Exactly the expected price

Welcome Tour priced too - £7.99

So if I get a “free” Zelda upgrade with my online expansion pack but then the subscription expires, what happens to my Zelda?

Does it revert to the Switch 1 version or are Nintendo generous enough to let me keep the S2 upgrade? (Probably not I guess?)

Expected and acceptable prices for the upgrades. You are paying for the developers extra time and content placed into their titles. Dev work ain’t free.

What I don’t like so much is that certain DLC aspects aren’t available to switch 1 adopters so they lose out. Kirby, for example - I see no valid reason Star Crossed world can’t be played on Switch.

It’s the FF VII Intergrade / Horizon II Burning Shores argument all over again.

I'm probably going to upgrade Kirby's game anyway, but I'm wondering if it runs even without this pack.

"Set you back £16.99 / €19.99 — more than double the £7.99 / €9.99"

For Euro and dollar seemingly price it's double plus one cent. Having the headline say "More than double BOTW & TOTK" seems a bit overblown.

@Roibeard64 Exactly my thoughts lol. What a headline.

@The-Chosen-one the two LoZ games are free with NSO+. Kirby and Mario Party have DLC too.
They could have included the S2 upgrade with NSO and had a DLC only option but that would get confusing.

I dont think their plans for S2 upgrades is too bad, some stuff is paid some on NSO and some free.

What do we know about the size of the new Kirby content?

If it's literally one more world 20€ is a bit much. If it's more like a second campaign the price is fine.

Jamboree, couldn't care less for the game either way so no opinion 😬

Imho the 4k and FPS increase should be free-5$ depending on how much programming goes into it. Games with switch 2 dlc added can be 10-20 though depending on how substantial the add ons are. Again, just my opinion with no programming knowledge.

I’m glad the Zelda updates are free for subscribers though. It would be awesome to see more of that offered or even 5-10$ off upgrade prices for ones they can’t do for free.

@elpardo1984
I agree, its only bit confusing.
I will buy them either way 🤣

If you go to Best Buy’s site, they DO have prices listed for these as you can buy them through their site. The Kirby and Mario Party upgrades are both $19.99 a piece and the Zeldas are $9.99 a piece. Yakuza 0 and Sonic are $49.99.

Weird that this was not part of the NSO service. I would have guessed that all Switch 2 upgrades would have been part of it. This will only add to the confusion.

Is Metroid Prime 4's upgrade path already known?

Yeah, I feel like this should be included with NSO+

I mean just get the Expansion Pak for NSO. You're getting N64, GameCube, GBA and Genesis games already and if you're already subbed for that the Switch 2 upgrades are free. Just get it... It's super cheap if you get some buddies on a family plan you're more or less paying $20 a year for all that stuff.

They're more of a DLC pack than a simple upgrade, so it makes sense to me. It's stupid that NSO subscribers still need to pay for it, though. I've always felt that members should get all first party DLC as part of the subscription.

I mean, this time we're not getting just the graphical upgrade, and your average Switch DLC doesn't cost anything less... I won't play the devil's advocate on other price tags recently announced, yet these don't feel unfair.

The old Nintendo would have included content like that for free in an update.

Taking the p133 Nintendo!!!

I loved forgotten land, 20 sounds like a lot to me to me though. I didn't watch footage, guess no word on how long this extra mode is yet?

Are we supposed to think of it like $10 for the upgrade, $10 for dlc? I'm not really interested in just a upgrade.

I don't think $20 is an exorbitant upgrade price. In my view, it seems if the game has just received performance and visual enhancements mostly, that warrants the $10 upgrade. With new content, you're looking at $20.
Sure, added to the base prices they look even more expensive. But we were all (mostly) satisfied with paying those base prices for the base games. This is just math. Value plus value.
It does give maybe another reason for an $80 price with Mario Kart. That aligns it with these other games that have received more substantial upgrades, so they don't appear to be overpriced next to $70 games across the board.
Unfortunately, this is an expensive medium of entertainment, depending on your opinion. I have a (long) shortlist of Nintendo games for S1 that I really wanted to buy and play, but they are pricey.

So long as CD Keys has download codes for these with discounts, I’ll be happy.

"more than double the £7.99 / €9.99 required to upgrade Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom."

It's amazing how even when they mention prices in Euros, Nintendo Life seems to be blind to what they're saying. It's only over double if you're in the UK. Everywhere else it isn't.

I'm kinda sad that they've locked the new Kirby DLC behind the Switch 2 version. It reminds me of how they ported Wii U games to Switch with added content as a slap in the face to everyone who stuck with them and bought those games during the Wii U era. I guess they really do want us to pay for the same thing over and over lol

" such offer exists for Kirby nor Mario Party, so you'll have to cough up the upgrade price (or buy the Switch 2 Edition outright) if you want to play the new content."

Oh my.
They really want ppl to not buy a Switch2 so badly ?

The DLC that gives extra content costs more than the visual upgrades? No way!

Honestly the only surprise here is that there isn't a Jamboree + Expansion + Camera pack for a slight discount. Given it's the only one that uses the camera beyond "show friends your face above your avatar".

@Friendly we don’t even know the release date yet except 2025

@FreasurePlanten NL doesn’t have much of bias toward Nintendo anymore. They still perpetuate the rumor that the Steam Deck is a platform (which it isn’t) worth looking at for the non-PC crowd. They refused to cover big AAA games coming to iOS, even though the Switch audience would likely see their phones and tablets as gaming options over a handheld PC.

I think they want to become a site devoted to PC handhelds, but they don’t want to switch since they’d lose 90% of their readers.

I really want to hear about super Mario Odyssey, and Doom 2016, Doom eternal. And the other Bethesda titles.

@progx I 100% disagree about the phone and tablet... , I'm a hardcore gamer, and I just can't stand trying to game on a cell phone or a tablet, I mean other than something like bejeweled or angry birds, it's just not well suited for it. No I realize like my nephew he plays all these games that all you do is sit there and tap like a zombie, and I just cannot believe it, it's not even a game it's basically like he's putting money into one of those video slot machines that you see people and they just keep tapping the button That's what it reminds me of. 😵😵😵

@Danrenfroe2016 you can disagree, but the numbers don’t lie. Most Switch owners play in this space, doesn’t matter if I like it or not. Most people who I know own a Switch might be console gamers, but they haven’t owned a PC in over a decade and rather use phones and tablets over them. It’s likely they won’t pick a handheld PC of any kind due to the time investment in learning the device, whereas Android and iOS make it easier versus Windows, macOS and the many flavors of Linux. I don’t care how much they claim “console like interface,” you still have to play with the settings on the game and device. Whereas the Switch, plus mobile devices, are easier experiences for the non-tech and gamer variety. Which casual gamers outnumber hardcore ones.

@jfp Ok that sounds worthwhile! Thanks

I wonder why they didn't just do the same for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom by just adding the DLC to the base game as well. I'm also surprise they didn't do this for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as well, just release the base game with all DLC contents and characters included. Heck they could even add five exclusive characters (Takamaru, Isaac, Skull Kid, Krystal, and Elma) and stages to that port and it'll still feel like a new game.

@UltimateOtaku91 I don't think they would though, the old Nintendo wants you to buy the same game twice so you could catch em all.

What we all really want, though, is Mario Odyssey DLC and upgrade. Would happily pay £20 to play through that again with improved performance, visuals and new content.

@jfp thank you! I was keeping an eye on that list too, in the hope there won't be any bad surprises when they update it. Let's touch wood.

Because they actually add new content unlike the Zelda upgrades, I'm OK with this. I just don't really see the problem here.

Makes sense - the Kirby and Mario Party ‘upgrades’ are more like DLC.

I have Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Switch, so at the very least I'll upgrade it, but I'm seriously considering the idea of double dipping for the physical NS2 Edition.

This is one of two games, the other being Metroid Dread, that revitalized my interest in gaming at a time I was seriously considering giving up on it as I wasn't feeling hyped for new releases until I played both games.

Greed. Yep, greedy greedy b******.
Sad.

@BlaizeV It's greed. As always, when in a dominant position they choose the worst for the users.

Particular practices aside no games I'd upgrade for and none I own listed (will get bigger titles later).

If the other Nintendo niche (not that they need them really) or even some Fire Emblem/Xenoblade got upgrades with more to offer sure. Then may consider, but them not being offered is unfortunate so far.

Xenoblade would really benefit from upgrade enhancements or just updates rather then these upgrades.

Besides why not some Rhythm Heaven Groove at 120hz after that releases. XD

@timp29 Also what I'm thinking, hoping they clarify

@progx I agree... I just don't like the iOS and Android games... People need to buy a switch. 😀

Not providing upgrades with NSO across the board feels a little messy.

It'd be a lot clearer if they called one upgrades and the other dlc.

@progx True, but readership of a dedicated fan site like this is hardly representative of the wider Nintendo audience. Judging by other discussions, I get the impression that there are proportionately far more Steam Deck (& other handheld PC) owners among the NL audience than the wider population.

It's annoying but I'm okay with $10 upgrade if it means I can play nintendo switch 1 1st party titles with 120 fps update, better if it's free though

I understand about Kirby since it is a DLC, but Jamboree launched not too long ago and this really feels like a major patch, that's all. Lots of companies do this and add new content in patches. No excuses. They're just really greedy. They're basically supporting new features added on Switch 2 (don't forget it launched a few months ago).

They're charging for a patch, that's what it is. No matter how many want to defend that practice here, what Nintendo is doing is wrong.

Us in Canada have to realise that those will most likely cost around 29.99 since Nintendo makes sure we pay a very high currency conversion for some weird reason, as if our price has to do with USD. 2 separate countries.

upgrades should be free, this feels like a punishment.

Have they confirmed whether Hogwarts Legacy is going to have an "upgrade pack"? I kind of got the impression from the direct that they're just gonna pretend it's a full separate game and expect you to buy at it full price again, in which case I'll pass.

Can I play Zelda on Switch2 without (ever) buying the upgrade pack, oder am I forced to buy the upgrade, to play Zelda on my Switch2 at all? The latter would be pretty unfair.

@jfp Thanks for the info, although that's annoying and their rationalization doesn't really make any sense.

I get that the Switch 1 version was hard to port, but we already paid $70 for that one, so saying I now have to also pay $70 for a more straightforward port for switch 2 where they didn't have to do a bunch of custom development to get the performance to an acceptable place doesn't really hold water IMHO.

I don't buy that the new port was more work than, e.g. all the stuff Nintendo is adding into Mario Party Jamboree and is still considering it an "upgrade," they just didn't want to offer that option because Warner Bros wanted to try to charge everyone full price again.

My brother actually bought it as a gift for my kids but I figured if there was a $10 or $20 upgrade offered I'd probably bite so they could play the "real" version, but I'm not that invested if they're gonna charge full price again.

@easykiel Whether the Switch 2 upgrade pack is "tacked onto the Switch 1 game and it's still Switch 1 emulation", I would say you are right. Strictly speaking, it's not quite emulation. Switch data is converted into Switch 2 data and it's processed like any Switch 2 game. I'm presuming the upgrade pack simply includes higher resolution textures, meaning Switch games without the upgrade should run at higher frame rates on Switch 2.

The Switch 2 Editions of games contain everything on the card. Of course, you could buy the Switch version and the upgrade pack separately. I'm thinking of doing that with Metroid Prime 4 if Switch 2 Editions don't work on Switch. They should because they are Switch games with the upgrade pack included. Yet to be confirmed. We only know dedicated Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World won't work on Switch.

Commenting on the article in general, interesting to read almost universal acceptance of the pricing model for these upgrade packs.

I love Kirby forgotten land, $20 dlc that also gives me better graphics and performance is great to me.

I think that Kirby dlc should be available on switch 1 as well.

Makes sense.since it's actual DLC on top of performance boost.

You can almost think of it as $10 dlc with $10 switch 2 editions upgrade.

I hate to be the downer here but I'm really not that pumped for these games.

How about a Metroid release date and price announcement for the upgrade pack?