Nintendo Switch Online members can still preorder the new Zelda for $49.99 with a voucher

Are you hyped for the impending launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom but still a little miffed about it being the first $70 Nintendo Switch game? If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, there’s something you can do about that. By buying Nintendo’s digital game vouchers, you can effectively preorder your digital copy of the new Zelda for just $49.99.

If you really want to penny-pinch and happen to be a Costco member, you can buy two $50 Nintendo gift cards for a total of $89.98, which you can then use to pay for the vouchers, saving an extra $10.

You have 12 months from the date you purchase the vouchers to use them, and you don’t have to claim both your games at the same time, though you must maintain your Switch Online subscription to redeem them.

I went ahead and jumped at this deal, so I can confirm it works just fine. I’ve still got my second voucher pocketed for now and will probably go for either Advance Wars or Pikmin 4. There’s not much harm in waiting if you’re unsure what games to redeem yours on (although you’re trusting Nintendo not to remove any from the promotion). You can purchase and hold up to eight vouchers at one time, but be sure to use all of them before your Nintendo Switch Online membership expires (or before the vouchers themselves expire), especially if you don’t plan on renewing.

If you’re contemplating this deal but you’re not currently a Switch Online subscriber, the base service costs $19.99 annually for an individual or $34.99 for a family with up to eight accounts (or $49.99 / $79.99 for the pricier Expansion Pack tier). However, it may not be worth subscribing for this voucher deal alone, though Nintendo did recently add a selection of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games and the N64’s Pokémon Stadium to the subscription service.