Your Switch Online Subscription May Include Updates for Two ‘Legend of Zelda’ Games
It’s only been a week since the Switch 2 launched, and Nintendo has already sold more than 3.5 million units . If you’re one of the lucky ones who got one, be sure to update your old games for the new portable console. And if you’re a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber, you can get updates for games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for free.
If you already own any Zelda games for the original Switch, upgrade packs typically cost $10 a pop . You don’t have to buy these upgrade packs to play your old copy, but they do provide benefits like better performance, faster loading times, an extra save slot, and access to the Zelda Notes mobile app .
While $20 combined for updates seems a bit steep — especially for games you already own, and right after you shelled out $500 for a new console — the good news is that you may have already paid. Sort of. The Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription costs $50 per year , and subscribers to that plan can get the Zelda updates for free.
The process isn’t quite as simple, though. Head to the eShop and search for Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom . The upgrades you find will list a price of $10, but once you add it to your cart, the discount will be applied at checkout. Just make sure you’re using the account linked to your subscription.
It’s also important to note that this won’t work if you have a Switch Online subscription without the Expansion Pack tier. The regular subscription costs $20/year, and the Expansion Pack adds another $30/year, but it also gives you access to a ton of classic games from the GameCube, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and even the Sega Genesis.
Before you opt for a higher subscription just to get Zelda updates, remember that you’ll lose access to those update packs if you cancel your subscription. At this point, Nintendo’s website says that ” an active membership [is] required ” to get Zelda updates.
If you’re already paying for a full subscription, you can get the upgrade for free, but if you plan to cancel, you might be better off paying $20 for upgrades directly. At the very least, you can hold off on paying for the upgrade directly until your subscription expires.