Nintendo has said that in just three days, more than 10 million copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had been sold. In contrast, Ocarina of Time, one of the best-reviewed video games ever, sold 7.4 million copies throughout its existence. According to GameIndustry.biz, Link’s most recent journey has also become the biggest physical video game launch in the UK for 2023, selling twice as many copies as Hogwarts Legacy. Tears of the Kingdom, which was released on May 12, expands and enhances 2017’s Breath of the Wild in numerous ways thanks to its innovative and intricate crafting systems.
It also has an expansive landscape that transports Link from deep below the earth to high above in the clouds. Sure, it borrows heavily from Breath of the Wild’s map and plays similarly to that game. But given how beloved that Zelda installment is, that doesn’t seem to be a deal-breaker. In reality, according to Nintendo, 10 million individuals have already purchased a copy and entered the world of Hyrule to construct magnificent objects.
Even by itself, selling 10 million copies in three days is astounding. But bear a few things in mind. To begin with, Tears of the Kingdom is a Switch-exclusive title that is only accessible on that one system. It is also Nintendo’s first game to cost $70. However, considering that Kingdom has already sold a third of Breath of the Wild’s total sales, none of those has slowed it down.
Since 2017, that game has sold almost 30 million copies. It has probably already sold more copies than Splatoon 3 did overall. Kingdom is the fastest-selling Zelda game in the franchise’s history and the fastest-selling Nintendo Switch game. And the fastest-selling Nintendo game on any system in America, according to Nintendo’s press statement announcing the staggering number. Wowza!