Can The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Surpass Wind Waker's UK Sales Record?

What is your take on the most successful Zelda game launch in the UK gaming industry? Initially, one might think of Breath of the Wild, but let's delve deeper. Ocarina of Time is another contender, but the answer is a bit more complex. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released on GameCube in 2003, holds the record for the biggest Zelda game launch on a single format in the UK, which is impressive considering the GameCube's modest sales of one million units in the UK. However, it's essential to note that this record is specific to a single format. Most Zelda games have only been released on one format, except for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which launched on both Wii U and Switch in 2017. When combining the launch sales of Breath of the Wild on both platforms, it becomes the biggest Zelda launch in the UK, albeit by a narrow margin of 2,000 units, according to data from GfK. Notably, both Breath of the Wild and Twilight Princess were launch titles for their respective consoles, and as GfK games boss Dorian Bloch points out, "You can't sell more of your flag-waving game than the console, right?" An interesting statistic is that the second week of Ocarina of Time saw the highest sales for a Zelda game in the UK, thanks to stock arriving just before Christmas 1998, propelling it to the top spot for that holiday season. Will The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom break the records set by Wind Waker, Breath of the Wild, and Ocarina of Time? Given the trends, it's likely. GfK has been tracking physical game sales in the UK since 1993, providing valuable insights into the market. Although some games are missing from the data, including the first game and a few others, the information available paints a clear picture. Breath of the Wild is the best-selling Zelda game in UK history, with sales more than double those of Twilight Princess, excluding the Wii U version. Globally, Breath of the Wild outsells Twilight Princess by a factor of three. The reason for this difference lies in the competitive UK market, where Nintendo faces strong competition from Xbox and PlayStation. Despite the Switch's success, it hasn't reached the same level of dominance in the UK as it has in other regions. In fact, the Switch still lags behind the Wii in terms of install base in the UK, although it has surpassed it globally. The Wii's popularity in the UK is evident from the success of Link's Crossbow Training, a Wii spin-off that ranks fourth in the UK Zelda games chart. Remakes and remasters have also played a significant role in the success of Zelda games. The question remains whether Tears of the Kingdom can surpass Breath of the Wild's sales. According to the all-time sales data for physical copies in the UK, the top Zelda games are ranked as follows: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Link's Crossbow Training, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.