For a franchise that has been around for decades, it can be hard to break new ground. Following the success of Breath of the Wild, Nintendo announced on Twitter that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has sold 10 million copies in its first three days (seen below). This feat makes it the fastest-selling game in Zelda history.
The overall sales of Zelda had hit 130 million as of March 2023. Now, with Tears of the Kingdom adding 10 million copies sold, the franchise is at 140 million lifetime sales. The over-35-year-old franchise’s latest release sold 4 million copies in the Americas alone. 2.2 million of those copies were in Japan.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Hits 10 Million Copies Sold in Three Days
The Legend of #Zelda: #TearsOfTheKingdom has sold over 10 million copies worldwide in its first three days, becoming the fastest-selling game in the history of the Legend of Zelda series.
Thanks to those already enjoying Link’s latest adventure! pic.twitter.com/XxRSLaiWrO
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 17, 2023
The milestone feels as though it was somewhat of a breeze after the popularity of Breath of the Wild. Still, this is Nintendo’s first $70 game, a price that has become a hot topic in the industry in recent months. Xbox and PlayStation have, of course, already been ahead of this with games priced at $70 since the beginning of this latest console generation.
The 10 million copies sold of Tears of the Kingdom surpassed major hitters from the last years. God of War has seen great success as a franchise over the last 20-plus years. Its latest entry, Ragnarok, took three months to sell 11 million copies. When it came to new IP that was a major hit, Elden Ring took about three weeks to sell 12 million copies.
Like its predecessor, the latest installment is getting excellent reviews. It holds a 96 on Metacritic, putting it within the top 45 best-reviewed games of all time. Breath of the Wild has its predecessor beat as it is placed at number 14 with its 97 score. Tears of the Kingdom holds a 96. You can read The Nerd Stash’s review here.
Tears of the Kingdom is available on the Switch.
