A Historic Week in Gaming: Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Shatters Records, GTA 6 Breaks Pre-Order History, PS5 Hits 100M

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A Historic Week in Gaming: Zelda’s Ocarina of Time Remake Shatters Switch 2 Records, GTA 6 Breaks Pre-Order History, and PS5 Hits 100 Million

November 12, 2026 — by Vito Ruocco

This is not just another week in video games. This is the week that will be etched into gaming history books. In the span of just a few days, we’ve witnessed Nintendo’s most ambitious remake become the fastest-selling Switch 2 game of all time, Grand Theft Auto 6 demolish every pre-order record across both PlayStation and Xbox stores, and Sony’s PlayStation 5 cross the monumental 100 million units sold threshold. If you’re a gamer, you’re living through a golden age — and it’s only getting louder.

Let’s dive into the biggest stories shaping the gaming landscape as of November 12, 2026.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake — 5.2 Million Copies in Four Days

Nintendo announced this morning that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has sold a staggering 5.2 million copies in just four days, making it the fastest-selling Nintendo-published game on the Switch 2. The announcement came via a press release that sent shockwaves through the industry — though few were genuinely surprised given the fever-pitch anticipation surrounding the title.

Eurogamer’s Christian Donlan awarded the remake a perfect five stars in his review, calling it “an astonishing remake with a proper ace up its sleeve.” The review highlighted the thoughtful modernization of controls, the stunning visual overhaul, and the clever quality-of-life tweaks that make this 1998 masterpiece feel entirely fresh in 2026.

The sales figures are particularly remarkable given that Nintendo chose to launch the game in the same window as Grand Theft Auto 6, a decision many analysts questioned at the time. “So much for not launching in November near GTA 6,” wrote Eurogamer’s Robert Purchese — and indeed, the Zelda remake has proven that there is room for multiple blockbusters in the same launch window when the quality is this undeniable.

What Makes This Remake Special?

The Ocarina of Time remake isn’t just a simple up-res of a classic. Nintendo and Grezzo (the studio behind the 3DS remakes) have rebuilt the game from the ground up for the Switch 2 hardware. Key improvements include:

  • Full visual overhaul with modern PBR lighting, higher-resolution textures, and enhanced character models that respect the original art direction
  • DualSense-inspired HD Rumble on the Switch 2 Joy-Con, making every sword clash and shield block feel tangible
  • Gyro aiming for the bow, slingshot, and boomerang — a feature fans have wanted for years
  • Quality-of-life improvements including faster text, streamlined inventory management, and optional modern control schemes
  • 60 FPS performance mode that runs flawlessly, showcasing the Switch 2’s improved hardware

This level of success inevitably raises the question: which beloved Zelda game will Nintendo remake next? Majora’s Mask feels like the obvious candidate, given the existing 3DS foundation, but speculation is already running wild about a potential Wind Waker HD or even a ground-up remake of A Link to the Past.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Becomes the Most Pre-Ordered Game in PlayStation and Xbox Store History

If Zelda’s record wasn’t enough, Rockstar Games has been smashing records of its own. Sony announced that Grand Theft Auto 6 has become the most pre-ordered game in the history of PlayStation Store. Not content with one platform, Microsoft swiftly followed suit, confirming that GTA 6 is also the most pre-ordered game “of all time” on the Xbox Store.

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed during an earnings call that pre-orders are tracking “far above expectations” and that soon, “numbers will speak for themselves.” Industry analysts project that GTA 6 could become the best-selling installment in an already mega-selling franchise, with some estimates suggesting lifetime sales could exceed 200 million units.

Pre-Loads Are Live — Nine Days Early

Sony and Rockstar have jointly enabled pre-loading nine days ahead of the November 19th launch — an unprecedented move driven by what both companies describe as “unprecedented demand.” The PlayStation Blog post advising players to pre-load “as soon as possible” underscores the sheer scale of what’s coming.

“Given this unprecedented demand, we’ve joined with Rockstar Games to allow players to start pre-loading the game nine days early,” Sony wrote, “so they’re ready to play on launch day.”

For those eager to play earliest, the New Zealand time zone trick remains the go-to method — set your console region to New Zealand and you’ll be exploring Leonida while the rest of the world is still counting down.

GTA 6 PS5 Pro Enhancements — But Still 30 FPS

Rockstar has detailed the enhancements coming to the PS5 Pro version of GTA 6, confirming something that will disappoint performance purists: the game will still run at 30 FPS on all consoles, including the PS5 Pro.

According to Rockstar’s blog post, GTA 6 has been “fully developed from the ground up to provide the best possible experience for the current generation of consoles” and is pushing modern machines “to their absolute limits” to bring the vast and rich world of Leonida to life while maintaining density and visual fidelity.

PS5 Pro enhancements include:

  • PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) support for upscaled image quality
  • Ray-traced shadows that add realistic lighting nuance
  • Improved load times leveraging the PS5 Pro’s enhanced SSD architecture
  • High-fidelity haptic feedback through DualSense controllers
  • Tempest 3D Audio for immersive spatial sound

While the 30 FPS cap may disappoint some, Rockstar’s track record suggests that the visual fidelity and gameplay experience will more than compensate. After all, Red Dead Redemption 2 was locked at 30 FPS on PS4 and Xbox One and is widely considered one of the most beautiful and immersive games ever made.

PlayStation 5 Surpasses 100 Million Consoles Sold

In a milestone that seemed distant just a year ago, PlayStation 5 has officially surpassed 100 million consoles sold as of November 10th, 2026 — almost exactly six years after its November 2020 launch. Sony’s updated business data confirms the “sell-in” figure, representing units shipped to retailers worldwide.

This places the PS5 in elite company. It has now nearly matched the original PlayStation’s lifetime sales of 102.4 million units, and is closing in on the PS4’s 117 million. The PS5 reached this milestone faster than the PS4 did, despite facing one of the most challenging hardware launch windows in history — a global pandemic, semiconductor shortages, and supply chain disruptions that plagued the console’s first two years on the market.

A Mixed Picture: Sales Are Declining

However, Sony’s earnings reports paint a more nuanced picture. During Q2 of FY2026, Sony sold 2.6 million PS5 consoles, well below the 4 million sold during the same period the year prior. In fact, Q2 of FY2026 represents the lowest second quarter on record for PS5 hardware sales since launch.

The sales boost during Q2 can be partially attributed to anticipation for Grand Theft Auto 6, while the overall downturn is largely due to Sony’s aggressive pricing strategy. The company has raised the price of the PS5 and PS5 Pro on multiple occasions since 2020, a move that has cooled demand among price-sensitive consumers.

Despite declining hardware numbers, Sony’s bottom line has remained robust. The company’s strategy of increasing revenue per user through PlayStation Plus subscriptions, digital storefront sales, and first-party software continues to yield results. As one industry analyst noted, Sony is making 59% more revenue per PlayStation user than it did during the PS4 generation.

Europe’s Digital Fairness Act Leaked: Loot Boxes Under Siege

In a development that could reshape gaming monetization across the continent, a leaked draft of the European Union’s Digital Fairness Act has been published by French outlet Contexte. The proposals are sweeping and could fundamentally alter how games sell in-game items, currencies, and loot boxes within the EU.

What the Act Proposes

The leaked draft recommends that:

  • Loot boxes (uncertainty-based rewards) should be turned off by default for minors
  • All players should be able to turn off offers related to loot boxes and gambling mechanics
  • Pay-to-progress and pay-to-win mechanics “should not be made available to minors”
  • Greater transparency around the real value of in-app purchases using virtual currencies
  • Clear disclosure of probabilities for winning items from loot boxes

“It may be difficult for minors to resist such perceived pressure to pay,” the draft reads, specifically referencing progression-linked monetization systems. The Act acknowledges that virtual currencies create a layer of abstraction that obscures the real cost of goods — a practice it aims to address head-on.

Impact on Major Franchises

The implications for games like EA Sports FC 27 (formerly FIFA), Fortnite, Overwatch 2, and countless mobile games are enormous. Ultimate Team card packs, battle passes, and gacha mechanics could all be subject to strict new regulations. Earlier this year, PEGI already announced historic changes to its rating criteria, with games containing loot boxes (like EA Sports FC) now automatically receiving a PEGI 16 rating instead of PEGI 3.

Importantly, the Digital Fairness Act is not law yet. The timeline suggests adoption could come in late 2027, with broader application by 2030. But the writing is on the wall: the era of unregulated game monetization in Europe is coming to an end.

Steam Deck Now Shows Average Framerates on Store Pages

In a smaller but quality-of-life-focused update, Steam has begun displaying average Steam Deck framerates when browsing games on the platform. The feature provides customers with real-world performance data — for example, a store page might indicate that a game averages 45 FPS on Steam Deck at medium settings.

“By providing average data for each game, customers now have a more complete picture,” Valve stated. The company has indicated it is considering expanding the feature to other hardware configurations, potentially revolutionizing how PC gamers evaluate performance before making a purchase.

This move is a direct response to the growing Steam Deck ecosystem and the increasing importance of handheld PC gaming. With competitors like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go gaining traction, Valve is doubling down on making the Steam Deck experience as transparent and user-friendly as possible.

PlayStation Cancels Fairgames: Live Service Shakeout Continues

PlayStation’s embattled multiplayer heist shooter Fairgames has finally been cancelled, according to a new report. The game, which was in development at Haven Studios (founded by former Assassin’s Creed producer Jade Raymond), has been the subject of multiple delays and development challenges.

The cancellation represents yet another casualty in the ongoing live service shakeout that has seen games like Concord, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and others fail to find their audience. Sony’s live service push, which once seemed destined to reshape the publisher’s output, is gradually withering as the company refocuses on the single-player narrative experiences that built its reputation.

Industry analysts estimate that the live service gold rush of the early-to-mid 2020s resulted in billions of dollars in losses across the industry, as publishers chased a trend that only a handful of games — Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends — have truly mastered.

Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance Expansion Beta May Be Coming

In news that will delight the millions of hunters still exploring Capcom’s latest hit, Monster Hunter Wilds appears to be preparing a beta test for its upcoming Ascendance expansion. Curious Steam backend updates suggest that Capcom is quietly testing infrastructure for what could be the game’s first major content drop.

The Ascendance expansion was officially announced earlier this year during a Capcom showcase, teasing new monsters, a new region, and a continuation of the game’s story. If the beta goes ahead, it would follow Capcom’s recent pattern of offering early access to expansions before their full launch — a strategy that has worked well for the franchise historically.

Former Tekken Director Harada Trashes Xbox Series S: “I Wish Hardware Like That Wouldn’t Be Released”

Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada made headlines this week with characteristically unfiltered comments about the Xbox Series S, reportedly telling senior Xbox staff that he wishes hardware like the Series S “wouldn’t be released.” The comments, made at a game industry event, reflect ongoing developer frustration with Microsoft’s lower-powered console.

The Xbox Series S has been a contentious topic throughout this generation. Its lower specifications (compared to the Series X and PS5) have forced developers to make compromises in resolution, framerate, and features. Some studios have chosen to skip the platform entirely for certain titles, while others have delayed releases to ensure parity across the Series S and Series X.

Microsoft has consistently defended the Series S, pointing to its role in making next-gen gaming more accessible at a lower price point. However, as the generation matures and game complexity increases, the strain of supporting the less powerful hardware is becoming increasingly apparent.

World of Warcraft: Forever — Secret Hunters Find Hidden Treasure

In a delightful piece of community-driven gaming news, secret hunters in World of Warcraft: Forever have discovered the MMO’s first hidden treasure — a sword called Dawn Walker’s Edge that has been buried in the game’s code since launch. The discovery required players to solve a complex series of puzzles spanning multiple continents, involving obscure NPC dialogue, environmental clues, and even specific in-game weather conditions.

The find is a testament to the enduring appeal of secret hunting in MMOs, and Blizzard has already hinted that more hidden treasures are waiting to be discovered. The company has also revealed that World of Warcraft: Forever is being played on handheld devices like the Steam Deck and iPad, proving that the 20-year-old MMO is finding new life on modern hardware.

Looking Ahead: What’s Coming Next

With GTA 6 launching on November 19th, the Zelda Ocarina of Time remake dominating charts, and the PS5 hitting 100 million, the gaming industry is closing out 2026 with a bang. But the momentum shows no signs of slowing:

  • Nintendo is widely expected to announce further Zelda remakes following Ocarina’s record-breaking performance
  • Rockstar has confirmed post-launch support for GTA 6, including a highly anticipated online mode expected within weeks of launch
  • Sony is reportedly preparing a major PlayStation Showcase for early 2027, featuring first-party titles that could drive a new wave of PS5 hardware sales
  • The EU Digital Fairness Act will continue its legislative journey, with the potential to reshape how games are monetized across Europe

This is more than just a week of big numbers. It’s a reminder of why we love this medium — the nostalgia of revisiting a beloved classic through a stunning remake, the anticipation of an open-world epic that promises to redefine the genre, and the communal joy of watching an industry push itself to new heights.

Whether you’re exploring Hyrule as a young Link, preparing to dive into the criminal underworld of Leonida, or simply marveling at how far gaming has come since the N64 days, one thing is clear: there has never been a better time to be a gamer.

All sales figures and quotes sourced from official press releases, Sony Interactive Entertainment business data, Eurogamer, Rockstar Games Newswire, and the leaked Digital Fairness Act draft published by Contexte. Article date: November 12, 2026.

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