B.C. Zelda fans line up for blocks to get hands on new game

If you walked by a video game shop on Thursday night or Friday morning, chances are you saw long lineups of people waiting to get inside.

They were there to get their hands on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom, as the latest addition to the beloved franchise for Nintendo was released.

Nintendo launched its Switch console six years ago, at the same time as the previous Zelda game, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Michael McBride, who works at Gamestop in Vancouver, said they had 900 pre-orders and sold at least half that number Thursday night.

"It's gonna be huge. It's probably gonna be going on all weekend. We are expecting to sell out by the end of the weekend. Just a huge awesome game."

While there's warm and sunny weather in the forecast for the South Coast, some gamers, like Armando Campos, who said he's been waiting years for this game to be released, will be planted in front of their systems to play the game throughout the weekend.

"I booked off like five days from work just to play this game," Campos said after waiting for around 20 minutes in line to get his hands on the highly anticipated sequel.

in Surrey, Gamer's Choice manager Uzair Riaz calls the latest Zelda game a masterpiece and a master class in "open-world design."

"It presents basically a wonderful sandbox full of mystery. They give you an open kind of room to explore around, to go to the places to experience different eras and places in the game."

Reflecting on the franchise, Riaz said he remembers playing the original game on the older Nintendo systems, including Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 and believes this latest game will draw new fans.

In Prince George, gamer Emily Retza said she pre-ordered Zelda and waited in line for close to two hours Thursday to get her copy at Pine Centre Mall — where she said there were about 200 people of all ages waiting in line for theirs, wrapped around the block, attracting curious passersby.

"Zelda is a game that appeals to everybody," Retza said, adding it brings people together and gives the gaming community an opportunity to get to know each other better.

WATCH | Zelda fans in Vancouver explain why they are lining up for the new game:

"There was a big sense of community. There were lots of teenagers and kids, like hanging out. They were playing Nintendo together in line. There were kids playing. There was a lightsaber battle. There were lots of bigger groups of people talking and hanging out."

WATCH | More than 200 people wait for the new Zelda game in Prince George:

Retza said she was surprised to see so many people lining up to get Zelda because these days, the gaming community usually meets online to play and chat.

"It's really rare, and it feels special when the gaming community comes together for a big in-person event like that."

As for Tears of The Kingdom, Retza said she only played for a few hours Thursday night after getting it early, but she knows she's going to love it.

Files from The Early Edition