Prior to its launch a few weeks ago, two individuals reportedly stole copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom from an Amazon warehouse, resulting in their termination. While the hype surrounding the game is understandable, given its numerous improvements that allow players to create all sorts of crazy vehicles, these individuals went to extreme measures to gain early access to it.
The game has lived up to its anticipation, becoming one of the most highly anticipated games of 2023. In just three days, it sold over 10 million units, surpassing Elden Ring in sales. It may even have the potential to surpass its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, which was previously the best-selling game in the franchise.
Two individuals were able to steal copies of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom prior to its release from an Amazon warehouse in Japan. The thefts were isolated incidents, with each man acting alone. Reports from Shūkan Bunshun and Kotaku indicate that a warehouse supervisor became suspicious after a newly hired delivery worker, who happened to be a 21-year-old man, stopped showing up for work just before the game's debut. The supervisor contacted the man's mother, who revealed that her son was playing a new Zelda game. The thief was eventually caught, confessed to the crime, paid for the stolen goods, returned the game, and was subsequently fired. It's unlikely that he was able to complete the game, as even the fastest known speedrunner took 140 hours to complete Zelda with a 100% score.
The second incident occurred shortly after the first. Once again, the warehouse supervisor noticed a young man missing from work and suspected theft. This time, the suspect had stolen multiple items, including a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller special edition and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, with the intention of selling them later. Despite the theft, the goods were returned and neither man was reported. According to an unnamed source cited by a Japanese media outlet, this type of theft is common in local Amazon warehouses due to the constant turnover of workers, making it difficult to track down perpetrators. However, all deliveries were made on time and no customers were affected by the actions of these individuals. It is unfortunate that the release of such highly-anticipated games can lead to these types of incidents, but Nintendo has expressed enthusiasm for future sequels and promises to continue delivering fresh and innovative content. Let's hope that such actions are not repeated in future.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Switch.
Source: Shūkan Bunshun (via Kotaku)
