Since its announcement in 2023, Grand Theft Auto VI has been shaking up the entire gaming industry. Publishers and studios are doing everything they can to avoid going head-to-head with this true behemoth, which is expected to shake up the world of entertainment and pop culture. Each delay has brought relief to some and concern to others. As a result, the release calendar has cleared out around November 19, 2026… but one game has chosen to take on Rockstar Games.

Is This Almost Unfair Competition?

We’re, of course, talking about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The remake for the Switch 2 is set to launch on November 5—just two weeks before the star-studded company’s blockbuster. Of course, the two titles aren’t in the same league. GTA VI will be released on PS5 and Xbox Series, while Zelda will be limited to Nintendo’s hybrid console. Each is therefore targeting a very specific audience, and sales shouldn’t necessarily suffer as a result.

However, Grand Theft Auto VI will undoubtedly dominate the media landscape for several days before and after its launch. As a result, other titles will inevitably fall by the wayside. GTA has become a cultural phenomenon with approximately 480 million games sold, including 230 million for the fifth installment alone. This commercial success has only heightened anticipation for GTA VI, which could very quickly become one of the best-selling video games of all time. Anyone who finds themselves up against such a behemoth would be taking a big risk!

Zelda Stronger Than Ever!

Still, it would be a mistake to write off The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Considered one of the best games in history, this title has sold over 14 million copies across all versions. The franchise as a whole has also reached new heights since Breath of the Wild in 2017. It alone accounts for more than 35 million sales out of the over 150 million sold across the entire series (Tears of the Kingdom stands at 23 million). This is all within a single ecosystem (Nintendo’s), whereas GTA has been thriving on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC for many years.

Meanwhile, the Direct dedicated to the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda racked up over 7 million views on the Nintendo of America YouTube channel, with a peak of 2.1 million live viewers. That’s far more than Gamescom’s Opening Night Live or even a traditional State of Play. These are just numbers, but they do a good job of capturing the real, palpable excitement that arises when we talk about an iconic title like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

No matter what happens, gamers will have the opportunity to get their hands on two highly anticipated games that we hope will be of exceptional quality. Ocarina of Time will remain more affordable than its counterpart (€60 versus €80), but GTA VI will fill a gap of more than 13 years since the release of its predecessor. November 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the most extraordinary months in gaming history.