Zelda: Ocarina of Time Limited Edition Switch 2 Cover Prompts Alleged Retailer Order Doubling

Image: Nintendo

The 40th anniversary Zelda celebrations have already caused a few headaches for shoppers, with reports in recent weeks of the "limited edition" hardware and accessory bundle selling out at select retailers worldwide. Now it seems the standalone game is running into the same problem — and a fancy box is partly to blame.

Demand Has Outpaced Even Optimistic Forecasts

While shortages of hot new releases are hardly surprising these days, what has caught some sellers off guard is the limited-edition textured foil cover exclusive to the Switch 2 version of Ocarina of Time. According to retailers, physical copies of the game are selling faster than anticipated, and the special packaging is a major driver.

IGN Brazil recently spoke with Ricardo Vieira, commercial director at retailer Gamer Hut, who said physical sales have exceeded the team's "most optimistic expectations". The company believed it had ordered enough stock during its planning phase — until Nintendo revealed the foil cover.

"When we made our purchase forecast, months in advance, we didn't yet know about the foil cover," Vieira explained. "For a pre-order under the conditions we knew at that time, we felt we were well prepared. As soon as Nintendo Direct presented this special packaging in limited quantities, I contacted them and asked to double our order, which was already large. But production could no longer accommodate an additional order."

His comments were shared via My Nintendo News.

Nintendo Warns the First Print Won't Last Forever

It's not just brick-and-mortar stores feeling the squeeze. Several online retailers have reported temporary sellouts of the physical edition, and Nintendo's own storefronts in certain regions have added disclaimers about availability.

The Nintendo Australia Store currently carries this notice: "Pre-purchases placed now are still expected to receive stock from the first print run, with textured foil cover art. This page will be updated when the special packaging is no longer in stock."

In other words, early pre-orders are still guaranteed the foil variant for now — but once that initial print run is gone, it's gone.

What Happens Next

The foil-cover edition of Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 remains available to pre-order at participating retailers, though stock clearly can't be counted on indefinitely. Nintendo has not announced plans for a second printing of the special packaging, so players wanting the textured cover art may want to secure a copy before the first run dries up.

Source: Nintendo Life