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Celina Gamestop senior guest advisor JJ Thomas prepares for the highly anticipated midnight release of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
CELINA - Nearly two dozen fans of "The Legend of Zelda" video game series descended on Gamestop on Thursday night for the highly anticipated midnight release of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
The newest iteration in Nintendo's "The Legend of Zelda" series has elevated beyond traditional video game culture into a global phenomenon, inviting players of all ages to creatively problem solve, explore, experiment and experience compelling, non-linear storytelling.
The hype surrounding "Tears of the Kingdom" has been building since its predecessor, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," was released for the Nintendo Switch system in 2017, according to Celina Gamestop senior guest advisor JJ Thomas.
"As soon as they (Nintendo) released 'Breath of the Wild,' they actually were already in the works for 'Tears of the Kingdom.' It's been in production for nearly seven years," he said.
"Tears of the Kingdom" is expected to eclipse other legendary video game sequels over the years, such as the release of "Halo 3" in 2007 and "The Last of Us Part II" in 2020, he said.
Nintendo looked to capitalize on colossal anticipation for the game by hosting midnight release parties.
"Nintendo's like 'Hey, ('Tears of the Kingdom') is probably going to be the biggest release of the year across all consoles,' so they pay extra… to do the midnight release," he said.
Thomas said the Celina store had 80 pre-orders for the game and 114 additional copies on hand on Thursday night. At a cost of nearly $70, it's one of the most expensive Nintendo games on the market and is exclusive to Nintendo Switch.
"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" is the sequel to 2017's hugely popular "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."
Thomas said the staying power of its predecessor, "Breath of the Wild," could not be understated. The Celina store in 2022 sold more copies of "Breath of The Wild" than new releases such as "God of War Ragnarok" and "Call of Duty," he said. As of March 31, nearly 30 million copies of "Breath of the Wild" have been sold since its release, according to Nintendo sales figures.
Fans of the series have been anxiously awaiting the game's release for several reasons, Thomas said. For many, "The Legend of Zelda" has been a treasured part of pop culture since the first game was released in 1986, and each new iteration further builds upon the beloved series.
The series follows the hero Link, chosen to carry the Master Sword, and Princess Zelda, the mortal reincarnation of the goddess Hylia. The pair fight to save the land of Hyrule from Ganon, the ghoulish antagonist who seeks to use an ancient relic known as the Triforce.
"Zelda has been a part of some people's lives their entire lives," he said. "The fact that it's still going on, they're still releasing new games… it's a newer game, but it also brings back that older demographic."
For others, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" was a turning point for the franchise by introducing players to an open-world concept, Thomas said.
"('Breath of the Wild') took a completely different standpoint on 'The Legend of Zelda," going into the open world aspect, which Zelda never was," Thomas said.
"Open world games are becoming a lot more popular, and now that Zelda's becoming an open world game with 'Tears of the Kingdom,' it's a huge opportunity," added Gamestop guest advisor Emma Partin.
The game has also been lauded for its ingenuity, offering players nearly endless ways to solve puzzles, fight enemies and experience the story through non-linear storytelling.
"('Tears of the Kingdom') is for pretty much anybody," Thomas said.
The game is available now for purchase both physically and digitally.
