Withmore perfect scoresthan any other game ever made,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis a video gaming phenomenon. Some may be hungering for moreZelda-style action once they complete Nintendo’s open world masterpiece, and the upcomingWind Waker-inspiredRimemay help fill that void. However, those hoping to pick it up on Nintendo Switch should know that it costs $39.99 on that platform, which is $10 more than it will cost on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Rime’s higher price point on Nintendo Switch was announced by publisher Grey Box earlier today, along with a release date. PC, PS4, and Xbox One owners can pick upRimebeginning May 26th, but in another turn of bad luck for Nintendo Switch owners, the game doesn’t currently have a release date for Nintendo’shome console/handheld hybridbeyond a vague “summer” release window.
So, what areNintendo Switchowners getting in exchange for waiting longer forRimeand having to pay $10 more to get their hands on the game? Well, besides the ability to play the game on a TV or in handheld form, there may not be any additional bells and whistles for Switch owners that plan on picking upRimethis summer.
To its credit, Grey Box has offered an explanation of sorts as to whyRimewill cost more on the Nintendo Switch than other platforms. “We set prices for our products based on the costs of development and publishing for each specific platform,” it said in a statement to Eurogamer. While we can’t say for certain, this statement seems to suggest that it simply costs more to create the Switch version ofRime, which is why it’s being sold at a higher price point.
If the Switch version ofRimedoes indeed cost more to develop, it’s unclear at this point what’s driving up the cost. One theory is that it costs more to produceNintendo Switch cartridgesthan it does to release a game on a disc (Rimewill have both a digital and physical release), which could explain why Grey Box is charging $10 more forRime.
Unless Grey Box orTequila Worksdecides to elaborate on its reasoning behind the price hike, all fans can do is speculate as to what is making the Switch version of the game cost more. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if other multiplatform Nintendo Switch titles follow a similar path asRimeor if they will have price parity with PC, PS4, and Xbox One games.
Rimewill be available on May 26th for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The Nintendo Switch version will release later this summer.
