Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Sells 5.2 Million Copies in Four Days, Budget Estimates Spark Debate

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has sold an impressive 5.2 million copies within its first four days, making it the highest-selling global release for Nintendo Switch 2, according to Nintendo. While the game’s commercial performance has attracted attention, discussions about its development budget and production scale have also become a major talking point among fans.

Released on November 4/5, 2026, the remake brings back one of Nintendo’s most iconic adventures with modern visuals and improvements while retaining the identity of the original Nintendo 64 classic.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Sales Reach 5.2 Million

Nintendo confirmed that the remake sold 5.2 million copies during its first four days on sale. The achievement makes it the highest-selling game globally for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Its strong launch demonstrates the continued popularity of the Zelda franchise and the demand for updated versions of classic Nintendo games.

How Much Did the Zelda Remake Cost to Develop?

The game’s reported budget has become a subject of discussion, with online estimates suggesting development costs of around $40–50 million, approximately 200 core developers, and a three-year production period.

Producer Eiji Aonuma has reportedly confirmed the three-year development timeline. However, the claim that only 200 people worked on the project does not reflect the full development credits, which list more than 1,000 contributors.

The credits also acknowledge around 30 external companies, including Monolith Soft and Bandai Namco. Both companies have experience supporting major game productions, suggesting that the actual development effort extended beyond the core team.

Estimated Development Budget Could Reach $150 Million

Based on the development timeline, extensive credits, and involvement of external studios, the supplied analysis estimates that the remake’s total development budget could be between $100 million and $150 million, potentially closer to the higher figure.

This remains an informed estimate rather than an officially confirmed Nintendo budget.

Nevertheless, the reported 5.2 million sales in four days suggest that the remake has already generated substantial revenue. As a first-party Nintendo release, it also avoids the typical 30% third-party platform revenue share discussed in the source analysis.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake FAQ