August 08,2023
"Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" was released on May 12, 2023. ©Nintendo
If he is one of the contenders for the critical title of game of the year, the famous GOTY, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom has not forgotten to be above all a huge commercial box. Its debut, particularly in the UK, had already posted record run times, and Nintendo's release of its first-quarter results highlighted the extraordinary nature of its performance.
Far from having been driven only by the astonishing global success of Super Mario Bros, the movie in dark rooms, the Japanese manufacturer's turnover was well helped by sales of the latest Zelda, which boosted sales of a Switch that did not ask for so much.
Nintendo of Twitter/X page
Nintendo of America has released their financial report on their video game performance, confirming that Zelda Tears of the Kingdom has sold over 10 million copies worldwide in just three days and a total of 18 million copies by the end of June. This makes it the most successful launch within the prestigious license since the Nintendo Switch title, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which sold over 12 million units in just 24 days in 2018.
In its wake, it sparked renewed interest in its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, which saw its sales increase by 42% compared to last year, now exceeding 30 million copies sold. Whatever some fans think, the move to the open world has also pushed the doors to some crazy stats for Link.
These exceptional results can partly be explained by the recurring presence of the game in the trends on social networks. Many users have indeed shared their creations made possible thanks to Link's new powers with videos, which have often gone viral. A strategic effect is probably anticipated by Nintendo.
By combining the successes of the Mario movie and the latest Zelda, needless to say, the prospect of seeing Link soon land in dark rooms is no longer in doubt. If the license could already be proud of a glorious past and a cult status, it had never been so close to the peaks in terms of popularity.