While you can install a digital copy of Tears of the Kingdom right now, you can’t start playing, of course, until the game officially releases. That happens on Thursday, May 11, starting at 9 PM PT, or 12 AM ET on May 12.
Tears of the Kingdom’s preloading began earlier today in different parts of the world, according to social media reports. GameSpot can also confirm that preloading has begun ahead of launch. Nintendo’s own website said preloading should begin about 7 days prior to launch, so fans had been counting down to today, May 5, for when they could preload.
Tears of the Kingdom is Nintendo’s most-anticipated game of 2023 and will no doubt become one of the year’s best-selling games across platforms. Its predecessor, 2017’s Breath of the Wild, was a critical and commercial success, winning rave reviews and selling 29 million copies.
Preorders for Tears of the Kingdom are available, with standard editions costing $70. It’s the first Nintendo-published game on Switch to cost $10 more than what consumers previously understood to be the “standard” price for a Switch game. A $130 Collector’s Edition is also available.
Tears of the Kingdom is part of Nintendo’s Game Voucher program, and that could help you save a little money. For more, find out how the Game Voucher system works.
In GameSpot’s Tears of the Kingdom preview, Steve Watts said, “…while Nintendo is still maintaining the mystery around much of the game, our extensive hands-on with the new tools showed an incredible amount of creative problem-solving and thrilling traversal in this ambitious sequel.”
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.