According to the Brazilian retailer, demand for the Ocarina of Time remake has exceeded the wildest expectations

The remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has not been released yet, but in Brazil it already sparked intense demand: physical copies flew off store shelves within hours and pre-orders sold out completely.

IGN contacted Ricardo Vieira, commercial director of the Gamer Hut chain — one of the country's largest physical-media retailers — to assess the scale of the rush. Vieira said Gamer Hut had been preparing for the launch for nearly four months, beginning at the game's announcement, and placed a sizeable order in expectation of strong sales.

Ocarina of Time was our main bet. Inside, we joked: if we had to choose between GTA and Ocarina, we'd choose Ocarina. We have a very strong connection with the Nintendo audience, and the team itself consists of fans. Even considering experience with major releases, the team did not expect the batch to sell out so quickly.

For us, this result deserves the attention of the entire market. It shows that we still need to better understand the size of demand for physical media.

Vieira added that most customers bought only a single copy. He attributed part of the frenzy to a broader 2026 trend of collectors prioritizing physical libraries amid fears some titles may become scarce.

They want to be sure that major releases are included in their collection, and Ocarina of Time is proof of that.

Asked whether the rapid sell-out reflected a limited print run, Vieira explained that Gamer Hut's initial forecasts were made before the limited foil edition was announced. After the foil edition became known, the retailer tried to double its already large order, but production was unable to meet the increased demand.

Vieira also highlighted a structural issue in Brazil's market: some retailers purchase stock only at launch and do not replenish afterward, causing titles to vanish from shelves for extended periods. Gamer Hut seeks to give customers options and pursues import opportunities, he said, but securing sufficient quantities in time is not always feasible.

He concluded that the Ocarina of Time episode should serve as a signal to the industry — an opportunity for manufacturers, distributors, stores and players to coordinate better on gauging demand and planning supply.