Nintendo clarifies Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Switch 2 Edition doesn’t include its paid DLC

Here’s a small but notable detail that might have passed you by amid the chaos of information that’s spiralled out of last week’s Switch 2 reveal: the souped-up Switch 2 Edition of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won’t include any of its paid DLC.

That perhaps isn’t a huge surprise given Nintendo has never claimed otherwise, but it seems the company’s Switch 2 Edition sales pitch – which has had an air of ‘definitive edition’ about it – might have led to some confusion.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is, to recap, one of six special Switch 2 Editions – basically, enhanced versions of existing Switch games – revealed during last week’s Direct, with Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Pokémon Legends Z-A also getting similar spruce-ups.

Each Switch 2 Edition includes frame rate and resolutions bumps, alongside a variety of game-specific features, and is available to purchase as a standalone digital or physical release. And that’s in addition to the paid upgrade path Nintendo is offering to anyone who already owns the Switch 1 original. It’s just convoluted enough to be a little confusing, and the fact Nintendo is selling its Switch 2 Editions at a premium price compared to the originals has muddied the waters further – but the company has now moved to clarify Breath of the Wild’s Switch 2 Edition doesn’t come with its previously released paid DLC.

“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,” the company wrote in a statement to IGN. “That DLC is available as a separate purchase.” As such, anyone looking for the full Breath of the Wild experience on Switch 2 will be needing to set aside just shy of £85 based on Nintendo’s own pricing.

That sounds like a lot for an eight-year-old game and its DLC, but it’s far from the only price point that’s raised eyebrows following Switch 2’s reveal. The cost of the console itself has received plenty of pushback from fans – and that was before the potential impact of US tariffs – and then there’s the £75 price tag for Mario Kart World, or the news Nintendo is charging $10 USD for Switch 2’s Welcome Tour tutorial game. The console looks promising and its two flagship games have received plenty of praise after some early hands-on time – but it’s clear Nintendo has work to do to shake off the lingering controversy around Switch 2.