A potential release date for a limited-edition Switch OLED themed after The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has leaked online. This development arrives mere days after Tears of the Kingdom went up for pre-orders as the most expensive Switch exclusive to date, with Nintendo pricing the base game at $70.

A Tears of the Kingdom-themed Switch OLED has been rumored for a while now, with multiple insiders suggesting its announcement is only a matter of time. Nintendo is no stranger to putting out limited-edition versions of its hybrid console, having introduced more than a dozen such devices over the last six years. Its most recent piece of collector's gaming hardware was the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Switch OLED model, which debuted in November 2022.

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Following rumblings that a Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom edition Switch OLED is also in the pipeline, YouTube channel Nintendo Prime is now reporting that this device is not only happening, but will be available for pre-orders in less than a month. At least, that's according to a newly surfaced SKU number leaked from GameStop's backend system, which indicates that advance orders for a new Switch model will open on March 10, 2023.

Since Nintendo's fiscal year ends in March, a collector's edition of its six-year-old console would likely be a straightforward method of boosting its sales in the conclusion of the company's current reporting period. That notwithstanding, there are multiple reasons why this rumor should still be taken with a grain of salt.

For one, the leaked March 10 date mentioned in GameStop's backend could simply be a placeholder, as could the SKU itself. The fact that GameStop appears to be taking a hit on Tears of the Kingdom pre-orders, which it was offering at $60 for months prior to Nintendo's price hike announcement, also serves as a reminder that the U.S. retailer is not necessarily up to speed with the Japanese gaming giant's latest product plans. Another thing to keep in mind is that the announcements of limited-edition Nintendo Switch models have historically been timed around the releases of the games they were themed after, whereas this rumor directly implies a break from that tradition.

Overall, although the existence of a Tears of the Kingdom-themed Switch OLED seems extremely plausible at this point, its official confirmation still seems more likely to happen in late April than mid-March. In the meantime, Nintendo already announced one limited-edition Zelda product in the form of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition, which comes with a new Link amiibo and is already up for pre-orders.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases on May 12, 2023, on Nintendo Switch.

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