Tears of the Kingdom early copy reportedly sold on Mercari

Anna Koselke
Link holding a sword in Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda fans have spotted a copy of Tears of the Kingdom marked as sold on Mercari, despite the game not having been released.

With Tears of the Kingdom‘s May 12 quickly approaching, fans are speculating about the Breath of the Wild sequel’s features like never before. From possible timeline breaks to mysterious figures, the trailers have left players pondering what the future holds for Link and Zelda.

While many players wish that they knew more about Tears of the Kingdom prior to its release, there are many others who fear running into any spoilers online. These fans prefer to jump into the game as it comes out with no knowledge of what to expect.

Due to this, a lot of Zelda fans grow concerned as rumors of early access copies float around on social media. There were mysterious, supposed pre-release copies of the game and the now-infamous artbook leaks. Unfortunately, it now seems that some people actually do have their hands on the game already.

Tears of the Kingdom listing marked as sold on Mercari

A Zelda fan took to Twitter to post a listing from Mercari that they spotted. The listing was marked as sold, and it seemed to advertise an unreleased copy of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. On the online shop, the physical game was selling for a hefty $100.

While there is no real way to confirm the sold copy’s validity, the seller seems to be verified on Mercari with highly positive reviews from buyers. Some Zelda fans are commenting in shock, expressing their surprise at the seller’s price.

Others are skeptical about the game case shown being real at all as no cartridge is shown and no further proof has been provided. One person simply commented in response, asking, “Is there proof the cartridge is in there?” The Twitter poster responded, saying that there is nothing else yet.

One comment stood out as particularly humorous, with the Twitter user writing that the buyer was Nintendo buying the game copy back from the seller on Mercari. Knowing what we know about the company’s strict policy on their games, this joke hits home.

Regardless of the Mercari listing’s validity, there are sure to be some leaks and spoilers making their way onto social media as Tears of the Kingdom’s release date approaches. If you do not want to encounter these, be sure to stay vigilant while browsing online.

About The Author

Anna is a former Dexerto writer. She studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. As a writer, she specializes in narrative design and video game journalism. She spends most of her free time eating pasta, delving deep into Zelda lore, reading fantasy books, tending to in-game farms, world-building, and daydreaming about befriending every animal.