When buying Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games at retail, customers won't need any further downloads, at least if the games have been published by Nintendo. The same may not necessarily be true for third-party publishers, though. The lingering question was finally answered by a company spokesperson in a statement to Vooks.net:
The physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e., they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.
So far, the following games will allow customers to upgrade:
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ($69.99 or $9.99 if you already own the original)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ($79.99 or $9.99 if you already own the original)
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (currently unknown price)
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 + Star-Crossed World ($79.99 or $9.99 if you already own the original)
- Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV ($79.99 or $9.99 if you already own the original)
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (third-party; $69.99 or $9.99 if you already own the original)
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A (currently unknown price)
However, as many had assumed, Nintendo also confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will not include that game's Expansion Pass. Following the launch, Nintendo released two DLCs: The Master Trials and The Champions' Ballad. It is presently unclear, although likely, if players will be able to purchase them separately on the new console.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
