Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now Japan's 7th biggest game launch of all time
Tickled Link.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now Japan's seventh biggest game launch of all time.
According to Game Data Library – self-described as "the largest collection of Japanese games sales on the internet" – it has surpassed the launches of huge games across all platforms, including Final Fantasy 7, Pokémon Sun/Moon, and Monster Hunter: World.
Only Pokémon Scarlet/Violet – which holds the top spot – Splatoon 3, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon Black/White, Final Fantasy 8, and Dragon Quest 9 have shifted more copies in Japan at launch (thanks, mynintendonews).
The stat is unlikely to surprise many given the phenomenal reception the game has received outside of Japan, too. Within days, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom became the biggest boxed video game launch of the year so far in the UK and sold 10m copies in just three days. Nintendo has also revealed it is Europe's fastest-selling game for Nintendo Switch.
Launch sales The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are among the top 10 in Japan.
— Game Data Library (@GameDataLibrary) May 17, 2023
Zelda its now at the level of what Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest did at their peak. pic.twitter.com/lg89qILkfj
ICYMI, Metacritic opened The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom user reviews last weekend, and hundreds of players have left mixed or negative reviews. As you may well expect, this was countered by hundreds of glowing reviews and perfect 10/10 scores, who praise the game's plethora of activities and its impressive world and story.
In the Eurogamer The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review, we called the sequel "a terrific Breath of the Wild follow-up with some brilliant new systems, amazing views and more dungeon-type spaces, plus a slightly deadening emphasis on gathering resources", awarding it 4 stars out of 5.