The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes place in the beautiful, fantastical kingdom of Hyrule, but it turns out that not even the magic of the land can prevent capitalism from sinking its talons in. Being the direct sequel to Breath of the Wild, the new Zelda game has brought forth an abundance of quality-of-life changes, such as Link's new ability to craft weapons and vehicles. However, one particular change in TOTK will actually make things more difficult for the protagonist financially, and it draws an interesting (and somewhat gloomy) parallel.
Before even continuing their adventure with Link, players themselves will notice a slight increase in price that sets the tone for this development. Whereas previously Nintendo had only charged up to $60 USD for Nintendo Switch titles, Tears of the Kingdom's $70 price tag marks the first time in history that this boundary has been crossed. The $10 difference isn't the most earth-shattering, but Nintendo's price-hike is worse than PlayStation's or Xbox's, considering the age of the Switch and how seldom its games actually go on sale. But not only will TOTK players feel a real-life impact on their pockets, but they'll also feel one in-game, too.
Gems Sell For Less Money In Tears Of The Kingdom
Making money in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is much harder than it was in Breath of the Wild, thanks to the massive drop in gemstone sale prices. The only gem that has retained its value between the two titles is the diamond, which still sells for a whopping 500 rupees - but tragically, every other gem will now only sell for a fraction of what it used to. The most noticeable difference is with Luminous Stones, which will grant Link less than a third of the original 70 rupees that they sold for in BOTW. For players, the sale prices for gems in Tears of the Kingdom may come as a surprise:
|
Gem |
BOTW Sale Price |
TOTK Sale Price |
|---|---|---|
|
Amber |
30 |
10 |
|
Diamond |
500 |
500 |
|
Luminous Stone |
70 |
20 |
|
Opal |
60 |
30 |
|
Ruby |
210 |
110 |
|
Sapphire |
260 |
150 |
|
Topaz |
180 |
80 |
Capitalism Is Causing Issues In Tears Of The Kingdom
Evidently, it looks like not even Link is free from the adverse effects of capitalism on the working class. TOTK's story directly follows BOTW's, which makes it difficult to believe that the actual value of these gemstones would have decreased so quickly; it seems more likely that the merchants have banded together to artificially low-ball the protagonist, and to obtain (and maintain) a wealth of rupees off the back of someone else's work. Poor Link is stuck in Hyrule, meaning he's also stuck with the abysmally low gem sale prices in TOTK, and there isn't anything he can do to stop the vendors from taking advantage of their monopoly.
This market manipulation is all too realistic, as it's something that players may have felt for themselves during their day-to-day lives thanks to recent financial hardships like inflation, heightened cost of living, housing and banking crises, etc. Combined with the increased price of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it seems that not even the fantasy world can provide a break from the unending issues that stem from capitalism. For now, Link might be better off keeping the gems for himself and upgrading his armor - but unfortunately, as in real life, it's a system that players will inevitably have to succumb to.
Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube