March 3, 2017, marks a pivotal moment in Nintendo's history, as it was the worldwide launch date for both the Nintendo Switch console and its flagship title, 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'. After the commercial struggles of the Wii U, Nintendo's future in the home console market hinged on the Switch's success. 'Breath of the Wild' was positioned as the system's 'killer app,' a monumental, generation-defining experience designed to showcase the new hardware's capabilities and convince players to invest in the new ecosystem. The game's simultaneous release on this date provided an undeniable reason to purchase a Switch on day one, inextricably linking the game's identity with the birth of a new, wildly successful era for Nintendo.
What it is
'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' is a groundbreaking action-adventure game that re-imagined the open-world genre. Players control the series' hero, Link, who awakens from a 100-year slumber with amnesia in the vast, post-apocalyptic kingdom of Hyrule. The core gameplay loop revolves around total freedom and exploration. Players can go anywhere and climb nearly any surface from the outset. The world is governed by a sophisticated physics and chemistry engine, allowing for emergent gameplay where elements like fire, wind, and electricity interact dynamically. Survival is key; players must gather materials, hunt wildlife, cook food for buffs, and manage a weapon durability system, all while solving puzzles in ancient Shrines and piecing together the past to defeat Calamity Ganon.
How it came to be
Development for 'Breath of the Wild' began in 2011, initially as a title for the Wii U. Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and producer Eiji Aonuma led the team with a clear goal: to break the long-standing conventions of the Zelda series, such as linear dungeons and progression. Inspired by the freedom of games like 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,' they prototyped a 2D Zelda-style game to test new mechanics before building a robust physics and chemistry engine for the 3D world. The project's immense ambition and scope led to multiple delays, pushing its release beyond the Wii U's lifespan. This ultimately led to the strategic decision to make it a dual release, serving as the system-defining launch title for the upcoming Nintendo Switch.
How many it sold
'Breath of the Wild' was an immediate and massive commercial success, fundamentally driving sales of the Nintendo Switch console in its launch window. In some regions, the game famously outsold the console itself initially, as fans purchased both standard and collector's editions. To date, the game has sold over 31.85 million copies on the Nintendo Switch and an additional 1.70 million on the Wii U, bringing its combined total to over 33.55 million units worldwide. This makes it, by a significant margin, the best-selling installment in the entire Legend of Zelda franchise and cements its status as one of the most successful and critically important titles in Nintendo's extensive library.
Why it resonated
The game resonated so deeply with players and critics because it offered an unparalleled sense of freedom, discovery, and player agency. Rather than guiding players with an endless series of map icons and objectives, its 'open-air' design encouraged organic exploration, letting curiosity be the guide. The emergent gameplay from its physics systems meant that players could solve problems in creative, unscripted ways, leading to countless shareable moments. Its minimalist storytelling, stunning cel-shaded art style, and melancholic, atmospheric world created a powerful, immersive experience that felt both epic and deeply personal. It was a bold reinvention that respected the player's intelligence, earning near-universal acclaim and numerous 'Game of the Year' awards.
Impact today
The legacy of 'Breath of the Wild' is profound and continues to shape the video game landscape. Its design philosophy, emphasizing systemic gameplay and intrinsic motivation for exploration, has influenced a wave of subsequent open-world titles. It single-handedly revitalized The Legend of Zelda franchise, attracting a massive new audience and ensuring its relevance for a new generation. The game's success was inextricably linked to the meteoric rise of the Nintendo Switch, proving the value of a high-quality, console-defining exclusive. Its world continues to be explored by a dedicated community, and its direct sequel, 'Tears of the Kingdom,' built upon its success to become one of the best-selling games of all time, cementing this new style of Zelda as a cornerstone of modern gaming.
Historical content researched and generated by Gemini 2.5 Pro.