The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sells 20 million copies in 1 year, right on the cusp of a quiet period for Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has sold a staggering 20.61 million units in approximately one year since launch.

Nintendo just announced the sales figure for Tears of the Kingdom earlier today, May 7, while reporting its latest financial results (as per GamesIndustry.biz). The latest Zelda game released right around a year ago on May 12, so in approximately 12 months, Tears of the Kingdom has managed to sell 20.61 million units.

Nintendo also announced that Super Mario Wonder had sold 13.44 million units, but the title released several months after Tears of the Kingdom, arriving in October 2023. Additionally, Mario Vs Donkey Kong and Princess Peach: Showtime! have both sold north of one million units in total.

Despite this though, we're entering a quite period for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo's next two first-party games are remakes/remasters - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door releases later this month, while Luigi's Mansion 2 HD arrives next month in June.

Thankfully, a new Nintendo Direct could be about to change all that. A new showcase from Nintendo is set to air next month in June, and Nintendo revealed it would be focusing on new games for the Nintendo Switch, which should go a long way to alleviating worries about its first-party line-up.

Elsewhere today, Nintendo also acknowledged the Switch successor for the first time, and revealed it would be announced officially for the first time within the current fiscal year. After at least three years of expectations from fans around the world, Nintendo finally looks poised to pull back the curtain on its next hardware.

Check out our upcoming Switch games guide for a look ahead at all the titles coming to Nintendo's console in the near future.

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.

Read more
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom screenshot of Link riding a horse across a vast field.
The best Zelda games of all time
Mario faces the camera with a thumbs up pose in Super Smash Bros. Ulimate.
Nintendo Switch clears 150 million sales, closing gap with PS2 once again after Sony bumped up its own figures last year
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is at the front line of the debate over the Nintendo Switch 2's computing power, because if the Switch 1 can load three worlds at once, imagine what its sequel can do
A screenshot from the reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch 2, showing the console playing a Mario Kart game.
Leading analysts predict the Nintendo Switch 2 could shift anywhere between 14 million and 20 million units in its first year - if Nintendo can keep up with demand
Photo taken by writer Rosalie Newcombe of a set of Legend of Zelda Switch games with the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch sitting on top.
These discounted Zelda Switch game prices are ridiculous and I'd be grabbing every single one at Woot if I didn't already have them
A screenshot from Super Mario Odyssey showing Mario throwing Cappy in New Donk City.
As Nintendo remains quiet on Switch 2 lineup, retailer lists "New 3D Mario" and "Legend of Zelda Remake/Remaster" under 2025 games
Latest in Action
Former Xbox boss says GTA: San Andreas and its infamously NSFW Hot Coffee minigame "signified a maturing of the industry" and put games "on par with movies and music"
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Death Stranding 2 pre-orders are estimated to go live this month, and will reportedly include a $230 collector's edition that I pray doesn't come with another creepy baby statue
Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji expansion Naoe and Yasuke in Awaji forest
Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap, DLC and future content
Grand Theft Auto 3
A GTA streamer is trying to beat every single 3D entry without dying, and in 33 hours he's made it as far as San Andreas but keeps getting caught in Vice City purgatory
The Last of Us 2
Naughty Dog has done it: it's remastered the PS5 controller with a Last of Us-themed DualSense announcement 24 hours after Neil Druckmann dashed our hopes for The Last of Us 3
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin's Creed Shadows reverses roles to show off Naoe's combat and Yasuke's stealth, and I'm suddenly sold on playing Yasuke like a clumsy Snake in Metal Gear Solid 3
Latest in News
Daredevil recap: The Defenders
Marvel fans are discussing which of the Netflix series characters would have survived the Blip
A misty, forested mountainside in Prologue: Go Wayback!
PUBG creator's wilderness survival game actually draws inspiration from an unexpected place - a whole raft of zombie games like DayZ, Project Zomboid, and Left 4 Dead
The Blood of Dawnwalker: A screenshot of the vampire Brencis holding up a crown during the trailer for the upcoming game.
The Witcher 3 devs created a Jekyll & Hyde-style character for their new vampire RPG "because nobody yet has done that"
Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil fans are wondering if Born Again season 2 will set up a darker comic book arc for Matt Murdock
Theo James as Hal in Osgood Perkins' The Monkey
It might only be March, but Stephen King adaptation The Monkey is now the highest grossing horror movie of 2025
Balatro screenshot showing an assortment of card packs
Balatro creator initially considered a Steam release in part to help "get a game developer job somewhere," and after 5 million sales I'd say he found one