Zelda: Ocarina of Time launch beats Breath of the Wild, topping 2026 UK physical sales

The industry now has data pointing to a record-setting launch for the latest Zelda experience. Christopher Dring of The Gaming Business revealed initial UK sales days after the Ocarina of Time remake release date. The Switch 2 game is off to a stronger start than Breath of the Wild and is outselling any physical title in 2026.

Retail Zelda performance

Although the UK is only one major market, it’s an encouraging sign for Nintendo. In its first week, Zelda: Ocarina of Time sales are 35% higher than Breath of the Wild in 2017. On the other hand, the remake is tracking at about 50% of the pace of Tears of the Kingdom in 2023. Still, as Dring notes, substantially different console install bases are a major factor.

When Breath of the Wild appeared, an estimated 13.56 million players possessed a Wii U. The Zelda game also served as a launch title for the Switch, but the handheld’s adoption was 0 on its release date. Tears of the Kingdom benefited from over 125 million Switch consoles purchased by May 2023.

With Ocarina of Time physical sales, the Switch 2 game targets more than 26 million console owners. While the system may outperform its predecessor, it will take several years to reach 100 million units.

OOT being a remake rather than a new Zelda project hasn’t been an obstacle so far. The leading competition for 2026 disc and cartridge arrivals in the UK is Resident Evil Requiem and Call of Duty. Nintendo’s console exclusive is seeing a healthier launch than any multi-platform rival.

Grand Theft Auto 6 lurks

Activity prior to the Ocarina of Time release date suggested the limited textured foil cover was particularly popular. At one point on Amazon US, the physical Switch 2 game crossed 100,000 pre-orders in 30 days. Not even Rockstar’s GTA 6 matched that feat, relying more on the Xbox and PlayStation Store.

Of course, GTA 6 will likely post historic sales when it unlocks on November 19th. Despite lacking a disc, a rumor that retail cases will include a double-sided poster has led fans to reconsider digital purchases.

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