Skyrim: Anniversary Edition made its surprise Nintendo Switch debut this week, almost a year after it launched on every other platform.
This new version of the beloved 2011 open-world RPG includes a ton of new content, including DLC, mods, and fishing. But, it also cost $70 on Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.
With The Elder Scrolls V, Bethesda has produced a lot of ports and updates for each new generation of gamers, launching the game on phones, streaming platforms, and of course, the Nintendo Switch.
Earlier this year, the publisher introduced the new $50 Anniversary Edition, which is not to be confused with the already-existing Special Edition. The new version had more mod content and fishing in it. To upgrade their existing Special Editions, players had to pay $20. Except on Switch.
The Special Edition version on Nintendo’s handheld wasn’t upgradable, until this week. As soon as Nintendo announced the surprise news, people balked at the price.
It is the first Switch game that isn’t an anthology, deluxe edition, or DLC bundle to break the $60 barrier. It is now common for games to do this on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, possibly because blockbuster production costs are nearly doubling with every console cycle.
But the Switch is five years old though, and Skyrim is even older.
Additionally, the Anniversary Edition is only $50 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, where new-gen upgrades are free. And since the $70 price is for a digital download, it has nothing to do with SD cards. (If you already own Skyrim on Switch, you can upgrade to the Anniversary Edition for $20.)