The Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will allow you to import your save data from the original Switch, but there is an odd catch with these two games, specifically. The Switch 2 is set to allow s to transfer their save data from the original Switch to the new console, but it appears that saves may work differently for the two Zelda games than other Switch 2 games.

According to the official games pages on Nintendo, the Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will not cloud saves to backup save data (via Eurogamer). The disclaimer on the game's store pages reads: "Please note: this software does not the Nintendo Switch Online paid hip's Save Data Cloud backup feature." This disclaimer is not present for other Switch 2 Edition games, like Super Mario Party Jamboree, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, or Kirby and the Forgotten Land. This message is only on the US and EU store pages.

BotW And TotK On Switch 2 Don't Cloud Backups

But Other Games Do

For the US and EU, it doesn't appear that these Zelda games will offer cloud saves for data backup. Players will be able to import their Switch 1 data from these games, but they won't be able to back up their saves in the cloud. It also seems that players who are starting new games on the controversially priced Switch 2 versions of these games will also not have access to the cloud to back up their save files. There is currently no additional information on why the Zelda games are being treated differently from other Switch 2 Edition titles.

This isn't the first somewhat odd choice that has been made for the Zelda games. BotW and TotK will feature a strange achievement system, but other games won't, as of right now.

Beloved Zelda Games On Switch 2 Have So Many Restrictions

The Zelda Games Are Being Treated Differently

Not having traditional achievements and not having cloud saves to back up data are two things, but the Switch 2 Edition of BotW will also not include the game's DLC, despite being a remaster of an 8-year-old game. It seems Nintendo is very protective of the two Zelda games, and while that is fair in some respects, given their popularity and critical acclaim, it will be frustrating for a lot of future Switch 2 owners to not have consistent practices across all games on the new console.

It remains to be seen if the disclaimer is a mistake, since that message only appears on the US and EU versions of the Nintendo online store and not on the Japanese page. But it also seems possible that the games are going to be treated differently in each region. With the updated Switch 2 pre-order US and Canada dates being rumored, and with a lot of conflicting information from Nintendo, anxiety around The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and especially the Nintendo Switch 2 might be at an all-time high.

Source: Eurogamer, Nintendo (1), (2)