GTA 6 vs Ocarina of Time Remake: Dates, Sales and the Rivalry
The Ocarina of Time remake is out on Switch 2 with a 96 Metacritic. GTA 6 lands November 19. Platforms, sales claims, reviews and what's real in the rivalry.
Short answer: these two games barely compete for the same console. GTA VI launches November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, and several outlets report it is not coming to Nintendo Switch 2. The Ocarina of Time remake came out on November 5 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. The rivalry you keep seeing is mostly a product of memes and social media posts.
So the Zelda remake is already in players' hands, critics love it, and GTA VI arrives 12 days from today. Here is what is real, what is hype, and what is pure internet noise.
Release dates and platforms at a glance
| GTA VI | Ocarina of Time remake | |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | November 19, 2026 | Out now: released November 5, 2026 |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series | Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive |
| Switch 2 version | Not coming, per several outlets | Yes |
| Reviews | Embargo reportedly lifts November 18 | 96 on Metacritic |
| Genre | Mature open-world crime game | Remake of the 1998 N64 action-adventure |
| Setting | Vice City | Hyrule |
Where the rivalry came from
The Nintendo Direct reveal was short: the Ocarina of Time remake closed the show with only a brief glimpse of the game. That was enough to light up social media. A wave of posts argued that players would lose interest in GTA 6 because a Zelda remake was landing around the same time, and memes turned it into a head-to-head fight.
The loudest claim came from Aakash Gupta, a former Fortnite producer at Epic Games, who publicly said the Ocarina of Time remake would outsell GTA 6. His reasoning was about loyalty: he argued Nintendo is the only company with a fanbase loyal enough to bet on a release like this.
Not everyone bought it. One commentator argued that a Zelda release will not dent interest in GTA 6 at all.
Can Zelda actually outsell GTA 6?
This is the core of the debate, so here are the numbers that exist and the opinions around them.
- GTA's track record: GTA V has sold roughly 250 million copies worldwide, according to one report, and has spent years as one of the most successful games ever made.
- The wait: fans have been waiting more than 13 years for the next mainline entry.
- Launch projections: some commentators project GTA 6 will sell tens of millions of copies in its first week. That is a forecast, not a figure.
- The install base argument: one commentator argues GTA 6 will vastly outsell the remake because PS5 and Xbox Series together have a far bigger install base than Switch 2.
- Hardware pull: another expects GTA VI to push PlayStation console sales even though it is not exclusive.
Our take: the outsell claim is an outlier from one person. The Zelda remake can only sell to Switch 2 owners, while GTA VI covers both of the other current-gen consoles. Unless something goes badly wrong in Rockstar's launch, the sales comparison is not close. Where Ocarina of Time does compete is reviews, and there it has already set a very high bar.
The industry got out of GTA's way, and Nintendo may not care
Several outlets report that numerous major publishers moved their release dates to avoid GTA 6's window. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, for example, is reported for October 23, 2026, almost a month earlier.
Nintendo plays by different rules. One report notes Nintendo has released roughly one major first-party exclusive per month during the Switch 2's first year, and that its 2026 schedule had open slots in August, November and December for a big first-party title. A November Zelda fits that pattern, and with no Switch 2 version of GTA VI reported, Nintendo is not fighting Rockstar for the same shelf.
What the Ocarina of Time remake changes
Nintendo describes the remake as having a whole new visual look, and its first teaser suggests a big graphical upgrade. Nintendo has shown updated environments and character models. One outlet that watched the teaser, which opens with Link in bed, says the art style leans toward Skyward Sword or Twilight Princess rather than a chibi look. Another report sums up the package as HD graphics, quality-of-life options and modernized mechanics.
This is not the first remake: Ocarina of Time was already remade for 3DS in 2011.
Hands-on details
One preview covered three areas: Kokiri Forest, Hyrule Field next to Hyrule Castle Town, and the Forest Temple. According to that preview:
| Area | Change reported in the preview |
|---|---|
| Camera | Fully free camera |
| Jumping | Dedicated jump button instead of auto-jumping at ledges |
| Voice | Full voice acting, a first for the series |
| Cutscenes | Rebuilt from scratch |
| Hyrule Field | Visually reimagined, no loading screens to areas like Lon Lon Ranch |
| Day/night | Longer, slightly slower cycle, with sunsets visible in town |
| Hyrule Castle Town | Biggest redesign: explorable houses, active shops, side missions |
| Combat | Classic structure, cinematic presentation with depth-of-field blur when targeting |
| Sword | Doesn't run out of energy, unlike the Master Sword in Breath of the Wild |
The story is unchanged at its core: Ganondorf threatens Hyrule and Link travels between past and present to stop him.
One game or several?
One rumor claims the remake could be split into multiple titles, the way Final Fantasy VII Remake was. Another commentator expects a single game. Nothing in the previews points to a split, so treat the multi-part idea as an unconfirmed rumor.
What GTA VI brings to the fight
GTA VI takes the series back to Vice City and centres on Jason and Lucia, whose relationship drives the story, according to reports. It has been delayed several times, and one report says Take-Two gave Rockstar room to delay it for polish.
On the buying side, pre-orders opened in June. The Standard Edition costs $79.99 and the Ultimate Edition $99.99. Boxed copies contain a download code rather than a disc. On consoles, Rockstar North's Rob Nelson has said the game currently runs at 30fps; our performance guide has the details.
Budget talk is entirely rumor. Figures range from a reported $2 billion investment to estimates in the billions more generally, and one viral claim says it cost more than the Burj Khalifa. None of these numbers come from Rockstar or Take-Two.
Reviews: Zelda has set the bar
The remake's reviews are in, and they are excellent. Around launch it held 96 on Metacritic from 82 critic reviews, and 95 on OpenCritic. Japan's Famitsu gave it 37 out of 40. The original Ocarina of Time holds a 99 on Metacritic, the highest score on the site, according to one report.
Rockstar's recent games sit in the same range:
| Game | Reported score |
|---|---|
| Ocarina of Time remake (2026) | 96 Metacritic, 95 OpenCritic |
| Ocarina of Time (1998) | 99 Metacritic |
| GTA IV | 98 Metacritic, 95 OpenCritic |
| GTA V | 97 OpenCritic |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 95 or 97 OpenCritic, depending on the list cited |
The Red Dead Redemption 2 figure appears twice in the same source with different numbers, so treat it as roughly mid-to-high 90s.
Before launch, one commentator predicted the remake would land in the low 90s, dragged down by comparisons to the original. That turned out too pessimistic. GTA VI's reviews are reportedly embargoed until November 18, the day before launch: our reviews guide covers what to expect. To beat Zelda's 96, Rockstar needs something close to its best-ever reception.
Confirmed vs. rumored
Confirmed
- GTA VI launches November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series
- GTA VI is set in Vice City
- The Ocarina of Time remake launched November 5 on Switch 2
- The remake has a whole new visual look
- Boxed GTA VI copies contain a code, not a disc
Widely reported, not officially confirmed by the sources here
- No GTA VI on Switch 2
- The remake's 96 Metacritic and 95 OpenCritic scores
Rumor
- A $2 billion or Burj Khalifa-beating budget
- The Zelda remake being split into multiple games
Opinion
- Zelda outselling GTA 6
- GTA 6 selling tens of millions in week one
- The remake scoring in the low 90s, which reviews have already disproved
So should you pick one?
You don't have to. They live on different hardware, so the real question is whether you own a Switch 2 as well as a PS5 or Xbox Series. If you do, you have two weeks to get through Hyrule before Vice City takes over your evenings.
Sources
Based on 24 videos and articles. Here are the main ones, with credit to their creators.
- ArticleIs Nintendo Brave Enough To Take On GTA 6 With The Ocarina of Time Remake?gfinityesports.com
- Article¿Ocarina of Time o GTA VI? Tras jugar una hora el clásico de Zelda, tengo un claro ganadorexpansion.mx
- ArticleGTA 6 vs Ocarina of Time: Who's Winning The Metacritic War?gfinityesports.com
- ArticleOcarina of Time Remake Launches Two Weeks Before GTA 6 in November 2026digitalcitizen.life
- ArticleGTA 6 als Release des Jahres? So spuckt Nintendo mit Zelda Rockstar in die Suppe!pcgames.de
Show all 24 sources +Show fewer −
- VideoDid Nintendo Just Put The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake In GTA 6’s Blast Radius?GamingBolt
- VideoThe TRUTH About Zelda Ocarina Of Time Vs. GTA 6....RGT 85
- VideoZelda Ocarina of time Remake vs GTA 6. El GOTY de 2026 será legendarioCuevagamerchile
- ArticleThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Looks Set to Challenge GTA 6 This Yearopencritic.com
- Video🔥Zelda Ocarina of Time VS. GTA VI! Lucha de TITANES! EL MEJOR JUEGO contra EL MÁS ESPERADO!Puerta al Sótano
- VideoZelda Ocarina es BASURA al lado de GTA 6...Arte y Videojuegos por Odel
- VideoNintendo le planta cara a Rockstar: Zelda vs GTA 6 es real. Quién ganará?Cuevagamerchile
- VideoOcarina of Time is the BIGGEST rival of GTA 6Thrill Studios
- VideoWhy Nintendo Can Survive GTA 6 With The Ocarina Of Time RemakeNintendo Memories
- VideoOcarina Of Time Remake Vs GTA 6 | Who Wins?Nerd Takes
- VideoZelda Is Challenging GTA 6… And People Are Losing ItGinger Prime
- VideoOcarina of Time Remake vs GTA 6… I’m Picking ZeldaTimfamousTV
- ArticleNintendo's Ocarina of Time remake is one of 2026's best-reviewed gameskitguru.net
- ArticleZelda Ocarina of Time Switch 2 remake review published in Famitsuvideogameschronicle.com
- ArticleAll GTA 6 Editions, Prices, Content Included & Pre-Order Bonusesinsider-gaming.com
- ArticleGTA 6 Pre-load, Pre-order Bonuses, Mountain of New Screenshots Revealed, Standard Edition Costs $80mp1st.com
- ArticleGTA 6 physical edition doesn't come with discs, it's a code in the boxpushsquare.com
- ArticleGTA 6 console version currently runs at 30fps, 60fps mode unconfirmedinvenglobal.com
- ArticleGTA 6 currently runs at 30fps on consoles, 60fps still unconfirmedgodisageek.com
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