Hundreds of gamers streamed into a Helsinki game store for the midnight release of the new Legend of Zelda title, a turnout the shop’s owner says proves demand for physical game copies remains stubbornly strong even as online sales keep climbing, Yle.fi reported.
The queue outside the store stretched through the evening as fans lined up for the launch of a fully remade version of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Nintendo 64 classic from roughly 30 years ago, now rebuilt for the Nintendo Switch 2. Store owner Juho Korkeaoja estimated that between 250 and 300 customers would pass through during the midnight sale and the following day, a figure based on the number of pre-orders placed for games in the store.
A fivefold lead over GTA VI
Korkeaoja said pre-sales of the Zelda remake were five times higher than those for Grand Theft Auto VI, another major release approaching the same night. The difference, he explained, lies in the format: GTA VI will not be released on a physical disc at all, and buyers receive a game case containing only a download code. Many customers want the actual disc, and some hobbyists are angry about it, Korkeaoja said.
The first person in line arrived at the store just after 8 a.m. Among the early waiters was Niko Kaateri, who came straight from work, arriving before 4 p.m. to secure his copy of the remake.
Kaateri was not surprised by the long queue. This is one of the world’s most famous games getting a remake, so it does not surprise him at all that there are people queuing here.
Why the disc still matters
Timja Aunola, another customer, said she values having the game on a physical medium even as digital commerce grows. Kaateri raised the issue of ownership: with a physical cartridge, the game stays his permanently.
Korkeaoja described how game sales have gradually shifted toward digital downloads since major manufacturers began offering online services in the late 2000s. Still, he said, this Zelda midnight launch shows that a portion of players absolutely wants the physical copy. Many do not trust that a usage license lasts forever — it disappears, he noted, when the console breaks and the servers are shut down. He compared the phenomenon to books, vinyl records and DVD movies. Aunola agreed, saying games sit surprisingly close to literature, especially story-driven titles, and that she consumes games much the way she consumes books.
Older titles can also appreciate over time: vintage Zelda or Pokémon games can become valuable 20 to 30 years later, and many buyers purchase games partly as an investment, Korkeaoja said.
More than a transaction
Crowds of hundreds gathering for a launch are rare at the store, Korkeaoja said, but they happen whenever a particularly anticipated title drops. For the people in line, waiting is also a communal experience. Aunola, who planned to queue until midnight, said the storefront makes it easy to meet new people — there is a real crowd of like-minded people there who share the same interests, giving the spot its own distinct atmosphere.
