The highly anticipated sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, was released for the Nintendo Switch last month. According to video game analyst group Circana, it comes as no surprise that it was the best-selling game of the month. What’s even more impressive is that Tears of the Kingdom is already the second best-selling game of 2023, surpassed only by Hogwarts Legacy.

Circana’s sales data for Tears of the Kingdom only includes physical sales, excluding digital downloads. Despite this, the game managed to secure the second spot on the best-selling games of the year based solely on physical sales, a testament to its exceptional performance. With the inclusion of digital sales in the future, there’s a high chance that Tears of the Kingdom will become the best-selling game of the year.

Top 10 Best-Selling Games of May 2023

1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
2. Hogwarts Legacy
3. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
4. Dead Island 2
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
6. MLB: The Show 23
7. Fifa 23
8. Mario Kart 8
9. Resident Evil 4 Remake
10. Far Cry 6

Top 10 Best-Selling Games of 2023 So Far

1. Hogwarts Legacy
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
4. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
5. Resident Evil 4 Remake
6. MLB: The Show 23
7. Dead Island 2
8. Fifa 23
9. Dead Space (2023)
10. Madden NFL 23

In Circana’s report, Mat Piscatella, the executive director, reveals that U.S. consumer spending on video game hardware, software, and accessories hit a total of $4.1 billion in May 2023, marking a 12% increase compared to the same month in the previous year. However, consumer spending for the year so far remains flat at $21.8 billion compared to 2022.

Piscatella further reports that video game software spending experienced a 9% growth in May 2023, reaching $3.6 billion, compared to May 2022. Additionally, spending on physical games in May surpassed the total for any May since 2014. Hardware spending in May amounted to $427 million, the highest for the month of May since 2008. Overall, hardware spending is up by 23% in 2023, totaling $2.2 billion compared to the previous year.

As expected, with the remarkable success of Tears of the Kingdom, the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling gaming platform both in terms of unit and dollar sales. May 2023 marked the Switch’s best-selling May to date and the second-best May for Nintendo in terms of hardware spending, coming in just behind May 2020. However, Sony’s PlayStation 5 remains the leading console in terms of unit and dollar sales for the overall 2023 hardware market.

Accessory spending in May 2023 increased by 14% compared to the previous year, reaching $159 million. The PS5 DualSense Edge Wireless Controller in Black continues to be the top-selling accessory in terms of dollar sales for both May and the year so far. In terms of unit sales, Tears of the Kingdom’s Series 1 Amiibo Character Pack featuring the Link figure was the best-selling accessory in May.

For more information, check out Game Informer’s review of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and stay tuned for the release of two new Tears of the Kingdom Amiibo figures later this year. And if you’re a completionist, don’t miss out on learning what you’ll receive for completing all 152 shrines in Tears of the Kingdom.

Are you still playing Tears of the Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below!