Tears Of The Kingdom File Size Is 18.2GB (~57% Of Original Switch Model's Storage)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom still has a scheduled release date of May 12, 2023, and Nintendo is showing more of the game as time marches closer to that date. Trailers and gameplay of the title have been coming out at a slow but steady pace, and other supporting details about the game are also public knowledge. For example, a while ago Nintendo shared the asking price of the game at launch would be $70 while also confirming that the game would not be present at PAX East.

One of the other details about the game to emerge recently was its storage requirements for Switch owners. That requirement is 18.2GB which makes it the largest storage requirement on the platform from a Switch exclusive. The previous record holder for most significant file requirement on the Switch was OG Breath of the Wild, which clocked in at 14.4GB. While Switch OLED owners have 64GB of storage, those that own the original model or the LITE SKU only have 32GB of storage. You can get around that by utilizing an SD Card, but the growing size of game files on the platform continue to point to the Switch's advancing age.

This only effects digital copies right? If so then I feel like getting a physical copy of the game is the way to go. The storage size of the switch has always been bad but I have never really noticed personally since I don't really buy digitally on Nintendo platforms. Mostly because I feel like their online stuff is always borked.

Largest storage requirement?

Doom Eternal is 33GB according to the eShop.

Anyways, microSD cards are cheap (128GB for about $16) and I don't know how anyone who owns a switch could make it this long without slapping one in there anyways

Oops! I forgot to include "the largest Switch-exclusive Nintendo title" in that sentence. Also, I do agree SD cards are cheap, but there is something to be said about Nintendo bucking that burden on to consumers and how many marketplaces like Amazon are flooded with scam SD Cards.

Ultimately, it’s only a couple of gigs larger than it’s predecessor that came out five years ago, and it still would fit in the Switch’s onboard memory regardless of SKU. This is hardly an issue IMO.

18.2+14.4=32.6

I would rather this than the Vita issue where it was proprietary. I got a pretty massive SD card for like $40 awhile ago. If I can add more storage than I think I'll ever use for that cheap, feel free to make the console price point lower by having less hard drive.

We can see the proprietary issue repeating itself already. While both Xbox Series & PS5 allow you to attach an external hard drive for storage and play of prior console generation games (or to store current gen games, but not play them) the price point to upgrade the PS5 internal storage is currently in free fall, because it's the same memory that can be used in PCs. The Xbox decided to use an external proprietary memory solution and it is expensive AF.

Physical version better come on a 32gig cart then. Can't stand when publishers spring for the cheap cart, then make you download a 10gig "patch".