Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity looks like an instant hit. The UK sales chart has been revealed for the week leading up to November 22, 2020. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity debuts at 6th on the list, the highest Nintendo Switch exclusive.
Age of Calamity, which was envisioned by Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, released on November 20, so in just two days it managed to sneak into the top 10. In terms of how it compares to other Zelda games, and specifically, the original Hyrule Warriors, Age of Calamity outpaced the launch sales of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition on the Switch by an astounding 324%.
A lot of the intrigue in this version of Hyrule Warriors is thanks to its connection with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While the original was simply a non-canon Zelda spin-off, inspired by the franchise as a whole, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity takes place 100 years before Breath of the Wild and adds story and perspective to Breath of the Wild and the Zelda universe as a whole in very interesting ways.
A part of the success may have to do with the circumstances surrounding the game as well. In a year without a major mainline Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Super Smash Bros., or any of the massively popular and beloved Nintendo IP, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity stands out as perhaps the must-have Switch game of the holiday season. It's possible that it wouldn't be performing quite as well if, say, the much-anticipated Breath of the Wild 2 was also being released this fall season.
But that's not to discredit the game in any way. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is reviewing well, and many fans are enjoying the change of pace that the game provides. While Zelda games are typically about exploration and discovery, Age of Calamity adds some chaotic mass-scale fighting to the mix.
Thanks to its connection with Breath of the Wild, how it helps explain what the Calamity is in Zelda, the fact that it changes up the gameplay drastically from typical Zelda games, and even the idea that this is a tame holiday for Nintendo compared to other years, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is off to a great start. It will be interesting to see how the game charts in other regions, or if it will remain in the top 10 in the UK next week. It has a lot of great games to compete with, like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. But being the newest Switch title, it could continue to sell well.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is available for the Switch.
Source: Gamesindustry.biz