Tears of the Kingdom's midnight launch in New York is so popular it broke Nintendo's website for reservations in 30 minutes

The Nintendo store in New York City is hosting a midnight launch event for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and it's so popular that the website where you reserve a spot broke almost immediately after going live.

If you haven't been, Nintendo New York is a magical place; a two-story store, gallery, and museum dedicated to some of the most enduring and beloved franchises in gaming. There's a clothing store, life-size replicas of iconic characters like Donkey Kong, Bowser, Mario, and Luigi, a giant screen to play different Nintendo games on, and even an old Game Boy that miraculously survived a bombing in the Gulf War. And of course, it's smack dab in the middle of my favorite city on Earth. With the possible exception of Tokyo, I can't imagine a better place to celebrate the launch of a new Zelda game, and apparently lots of people agree.

Nintendo New York's official Twitter account announced reservations for the Tears of the Kingdom midnight launch early in the morning on Friday, and just a half-hour later issued a follow-up statement that the website had crashed due to "an overwhelming response."

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Due to an overwhelming response, we are investigating the Warp Pipe Pass reservation page errors for the midnight launch of The Legend of #Zelda: #TearsOfTheKingdom and will provide an update soon. Thank you for your patience. https://t.co/h4MazT90NzMay 5, 2023

At the time of writing, you can visit the webpage for the midnight launch, but right at the top it makes clear, "Sorry, there are no available times." Meaning, in New York speak, scram. Get outta hee-yah. Go getcha self a sloice from Joe's or Uncle Paulie's or Mama's Meatbwalls. Can't 'cha hear? We're sold out!

Unless you managed to snag a spot before reservations were closed, you probably won't be able to attend Nintendo New York's midnight launch for Tears of the Kingdom, but you will be able to join the rest of us in watching one last gameplay blowout thanks to a newly announced showcase happening the day before the big launch. Be there or be square.

At long last, the Zelda fan who's been drawing bad Tears of the Kingdom art for 900 days can get some much-deserved rest.

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.