This may come as no surprise to us Zelda fans but its seems that Tears of the Kingdom dominated the Switch in terms of sales for the first half of 2023 in Japan. According to the data, both Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild made the top ten amongst other games like Fire Emblem Engage,Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ( no surprise there, wahoo), Splatoon 3 and Monster Hunter Rise, just to name a few. Even this far into the Switch’s life cycle we can still see games like Breath of the Wild still selling well, almost seven years after its release.
Here’s a list courtesy of Siliconera:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom 2. Fire Emblem Engage 3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 4. Splatoon 3 5. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2 6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 7. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1 8. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland 9. Monster Hunter Rise 10. Pokemon Violet 11. Overcooked 2 12. Sekai no Asobi Taizen 51 13. Persona 4 Golden 14. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 15. Minecraft 16. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Special Edition 17. Human Fall Flat 18. Pokemon Scarlet 19. Persona 3 Portable 20. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy 21. Among Us 22. Nintendo Switch Sports 23. Kirby’s Dream Buffet 24. Final Fantasy V 25. Final Fantasy VI 26. PowerWash Simulator 27. Momotaro Dentetsu 28. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life 29. Mario Party Superstars 30. Pikmin 2
For a Zelda game to do this well even in Japan is no minor feat. While there are no exact sales numbers right now, Famitsu sales data estimates that the number of units moved are around 1.7 million since Tears of the Kingdom released in May this year. With no clear indication of it slowing down, it seems Tears of the Kingdom is on course to be one of the highest-grossing games for the Switch for 2023. And that’s ok! Nintendo really knocked it out of the park with this game. From the open world design, to the mechanics, and the overall excitement of just playing the game how you want, it’s clear to see why this game is doing so well.
Zelda games in general are fun-filled games to play and this one is no different. The sheer amount of hours you can sink into this game just exploring the world and its contents alone is worth every penny. Combine that with the ability to play this game on the train, outdoors on a camping trip, or even just hanging on the couch with a family member while they are watching TV is just phenomenal.
With Tears of the Kingdom doing so well, it makes you wonder where Nintendo will go from here. Many are speculating that we will see or hear an announcement about DLC for this game in the next few months, while others think the game won’t see any additional content but instead will receive a next-generation upgrade of the rumored “Switch 2.” Either way, whatever Nintendo has planned, I’m sure it will be just as good as this gift they have already given us. Besides, do we really need another reason to dive back into this beautiful world of Hyrule?
Jason Coleman
Jason is a longtime Zelda fan and gamer. He has played many different games across various platforms with his new favorite of The Legend of Zelda series being Tears of the Kingdom. When he is not slaying Lynels, he can be found playing or streaming other games, reading, writing, watching a good movie or going on hikes. He always loves a good adventure.
