Zelda: 'Echoes of Wisdom' Surges in Popularity

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has already achieved remarkable success, topping the most-wishlisted games of the summer showcase season. This new Zelda title has surpassed major contenders like Doom: The Dark Ages, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and even fellow Nintendo powerhouse Metroid Prime 4.

The recent Nintendo Direct generated immense excitement among Zelda fans. While the Switch 2 was absent, the Direct included highly anticipated announcements, such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and the surprise reveal of Echoes of Wisdom. For years, Zelda fans have clamored for a main series game where Zelda is a playable character, a desire seemingly ignored by Nintendo until now. The new Switch title fulfills this long-held wish, sparking considerable enthusiasm.

GamesIndustry.Biz reports that Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom leads IGN Playlist's ranking of major summer 2024 reveals (May 30th - June 23rd). IGN Playlist tracks game backlog and playtime, focusing solely on titles unveiled during showcases. Echoes of Wisdom secured the #1 spot, followed by Doom: The Dark Ages and Astro Bot. Gears of War: E-Day and Perfect Dark round out the top five.

Top Wishlisted Games (May 30 – June 23, via IGN Playlist)

1. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo)
2. Doom: The Dark Ages (Bethesda)
3. Astro Bot (Sony)
4. Gears of War: E-Day (Xbox)
5. Perfect Dark (Xbox)
6. Mario & Luigi: Brothership (Nintendo)
7. Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ubisoft)
8. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Kepler Interactive)
9. Fable (Xbox)
10. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Nintendo)
11. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Activision Blizzard)
12. Dragon Age: The Veilguard (EA)
13. South of Midnight (Xbox)
14. Lego Horizon Adventures (Sony)
15. Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Square Enix)
16. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Bethesda)
17. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (Konami)
18. Star Wars Outlaws (Ubisoft)
19. Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo)
20. Mixtape (Annapurna Interactive)
21. Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
22. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake (Square Enix)
23. Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake (Square Enix)
24. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (Nintendo)
25. Avowed (Xbox)

While this wishlist ranking doesn't guarantee Echoes of Wisdom's commercial success, it strongly suggests significant fan interest. Beyond spin-offs like Hyrule Warriors and Super Smash Bros., Zelda has largely been relegated to a supporting role, rescued or playing a minor part. While Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom offered a more active role, they didn't fully satisfy fans wanting to play as Princess Zelda saving the world.

Whether Echoes of Wisdom lives up to the hype remains to be seen, but the game's early popularity is undeniable. It has outperformed remasters/remakes (Metal Gear Solid Delta, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake) and new entries in established franchises (Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Dragon Age: The Veilguard). The coming months will reveal how these games ultimately perform compared to their initial wishlist placement.