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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vinyl Soundtrack — Release Date, Editions and Where to Get It

1 November 2025
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10 min.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vinyl Soundtrack — Release Date, Editions and Where to Get It

Summary:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is stepping onto vinyl in a big way. We’re getting two official editions: a bite-sized 2LP with 34 highlights and a lavish 8LP box set packing 130 tracks, both set for June 19, 2026. Nintendo is partnering with Laced Records, the label behind premium game soundtrack pressings, bringing Hyrule’s sweeping themes to collectors worldwide. The Limited Edition variants use eye-catching colored splatter designs curated for display, while standard black pressings keep it classic and accessible. Packaging leans into archival art and sturdy, shelf-worthy construction. The 2LP aims for a concise tour through the score’s moods—perfect for casual spins—whereas the 8LP lays out the journey across themes that echo the game’s exploration, Divine Beast arcs, and character beats. Prices are aligned with modern premium VGM releases, and availability spans Nintendo’s stores, Laced’s site, Nintendo NY/San Francisco, and selected retailers. With Nintendo signaling a broader music push, this release feels like a milestone for fans who’ve wanted BOTW’s soundscapes on wax without importing. Below, we unpack what’s included, how the albums are sequenced, what sets colored and black pressings apart, and how to secure the edition that fits your shelf—and your ears.

The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild vinyl

It’s been years since Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined open-world adventure, yet its soundtrack still lingers in players’ heads like wind over the Great Plateau. Finally, that score is arriving on vinyl in official, widely available editions. The timing makes sense: Nintendo has been warming up to broader, global music distribution, and vinyl collectors have been clamoring for a definitive BOTW release that doesn’t require hunting down Japan-only prints or gray imports. Partnering with Laced Records gives the albums an audiophile-friendly foundation with careful mastering and premium presentation. More than a nod to nostalgia, this marks a meaningful shift in how we get to experience Nintendo’s music at home. Dropping the needle on Hyrule’s themes turns background score into centerpiece listening, letting quiet piano motifs and expansive ambient textures bloom in a way streaming often compresses. For longtime fans, it’s the tangible keepsake the game’s world deserves; for newcomers, it’s a curated entry point that makes the sound of Hyrule feel new again.

Release date, formats, and what’s inside each edition

Two formats land on the same day: June 19, 2026. The 2LP package carries 34 tracks—a selection meant to capture the arc of the adventure without overwhelming new listeners. The 8LP box set expands that idea to its natural limit with 130 tracks, arranged to mirror how the journey unfolds. Both versions are officially licensed, with mastering tuned for vinyl and packaging that treats the art as seriously as the audio. If you want an elegant introduction, the 2LP delivers; if you crave the full cartographer’s map of Hyrule’s music, the 8LP is the all-in route. The key here is intentional sequencing: even the bigger set isn’t just a dump of tracks—it’s structured to echo exploration, discovery, and story beats. That approach helps each side play like a chapter, letting you choose a mood (quiet field music or Divine Beast intensity) rather than skipping randomly. It’s a thoughtful way to translate a dynamic in-game score to a medium that prizes flow.

The Limited Edition colored pressing vs. standard black

Here’s where collectors perk up. Nintendo and Laced are offering Limited Edition colored variants—alternating blue and gold splatter on heavyweight vinyl—alongside traditional black. Colored pressings stand out on display and add flair to a turntable session, especially when the palette nods to BOTW’s visual identity. Black vinyl remains the classic choice with wide cartridge compatibility and historically low surface-noise expectations, though modern colored pressings from reputable plants routinely meet high standards. If you’re choosing between the two, think about your shelf, your gear, and your habits: archivists often favor black for its timeless look, while fans who rotate records as room décor will love the colored set’s pop. Either way, both routes use premium packaging, so presentation won’t be an afterthought. The Limited Edition look simply adds a bit of celebration to the ritual of opening the box, sliding out the sleeves, and cueing that first side.

How Laced Records is curating Zelda for turntables

Laced has earned trust with pressings that respect both the original mix and the vinyl format’s strengths. For Breath of the Wild, that means a mastering chain designed to preserve the score’s dynamics—those quiet pianos and sparse textures that give Hyrule its sense of space—while ensuring big moments hit without harshness. The team’s calling card is sequencing: sides that feel like short stories rather than jukeboxes, with transitions that make you want to sit for the whole 18–22 minutes. On a record like this, where minimalism matters, those decisions keep ambiance from fading into the background. You hear the breath in the room, the decay of notes. It’s the type of curation that rewards full-album listening—less shuffle, more journey—mirroring the way BOTW encourages wandering rather than sprinting from waypoint to waypoint. In short, it’s a vinyl-first approach that respects why people buy records in the first place.

Pricing, availability, and regional retailers to watch

Availability spans multiple storefronts, which helps with stock and regional access. You’ll find the standard black editions at the My Nintendo Store and other participating retailers, alongside signature locations like Nintendo NY and Nintendo San Francisco. Limited Edition colored variants are live via Laced and select Nintendo channels, with preorders already active. Pricing sits in modern VGM territory: the 2LP is positioned for easy pickup while the 8LP carries a premium that reflects eight heavyweight discs, elaborate art, and the sheer track count. If you’re in Europe, local Nintendo Store portals listing release details and pricing make it easier to avoid international shipping surprises; in North America, the official Nintendo Store and Laced’s site are the most direct routes. Watching both can be smart: special variants sometimes ebb and flow in stock, and official stores occasionally add retailer-exclusive options. Keep an eye on storefront newsletters and social posts; drops and restocks tend to go fast.

What the 34-track 2LP focuses on musically

The 2LP plays like a guided tour. Expect iconic themes, emotionally resonant cues, and a balance between exploration, puzzle-solving energy, and cinematic peaks. The goal isn’t to summarize every corner of the score but to capture the feel of Hyrule in two sittings—Side A/B, then C/D. It’s a great companion for casual evenings or quick nostalgia hits: you drop the needle and get the essence without commit-to-a-boxset energy. For many, that’s the sweet spot—especially if space is limited or if you’re building a multi-series shelf across Zelda, Mario, and beyond. If you do fall in love with the flow, you can always escalate to the 8LP, but nothing about the 2LP reads as “compromise.” It’s crafted to stand alone, letting BOTW’s highlights breathe, from reflective piano passages to surges that feel like cresting a hill and seeing a new region unfold.

How the 8LP organizes 130 tracks across themes

The 8LP is where curation becomes cartography. Each disc groups music by theme, creating mood-specific sides that reflect the rhythms of a full playthrough: roaming the wilds, unlocking Shrines, confronting Divine Beasts, and building toward the final confrontation. That organization turns a sprawling score into a set you can navigate by feel. Want a quiet morning? Spin the exploration sides. Need a burst of energy? Cue the combat or dungeon arcs. The vinyl format’s natural pauses—flipping, swapping discs—become intentional breaks that reset your ears and align with the narrative. It’s an album set you’ll grow into over months, discovering favorite pairings between time of day, room lighting, and what you’re doing while listening. That ritual is the magic of large-format vinyl: it turns passive playback into an active, tactile experience that fits the way Breath of the Wild itself invites you to slow down and take it all in.

The composers and the sound of Hyrule

At the heart of this release is a team whose choices defined how modern Zelda sounds: Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai, and Soshi Abe. Their approach balances minimalism with surprise—melodies often arrive like landmarks after stretches of near-silence, making each cue feel earned. On vinyl, those contrasts become even more satisfying. Low-level details—pedal noise, reverb tails, the hush before a swell—translate beautifully, rewarding good speakers and a quiet room. The team’s palette blends piano-forward intimacy with environmental texture, letting woodwinds, strings, and percussive accents sketch out terrain and mood. That’s why vinyl is such a natural home: you’re not just listening for the hook; you’re listening for the space around it. And when themes you know by heart crest into view—village motifs, battle surges—they land with warmth that digital often polishes a little too clean. It’s the difference between seeing Hyrule from a screenshot and standing at the cliff’s edge.

Collectibility: artwork, packaging, and pressing notes

Physicality is half the fun. The jackets draw from archival artwork that highlights BOTW’s landscapes, characters, and key moments, unified by a blue-and-gold presentation that complements the Limited Edition splatter vinyl. For the 8LP, a rigid slipcase and spined inners make the set feel substantial on a shelf, while the 2LP uses a wide-spined sleeve to keep things tidy without cramming. Inner sleeves feature printed art and liner details, and the box layout makes it easy to pull a disc without scuffing. On the pressing side, heavyweight vinyl supports stability, and modern plants’ QC standards minimize the warps and off-center woes that haunted budget records a decade ago. As always, the right brush and an anti-static sleeve go a long way—more on that below—but the point is clear: this isn’t a token tie-in. It’s a display piece that also happens to sound lovely when the lights are low.

How this fits Nintendo’s growing music strategy

Nintendo has been steadily broadening how we access its music, and bringing BOTW to vinyl globally feels like a statement. For years, official physical releases tended to be Japan-first. Rolling out a marquee soundtrack with coordinated Western availability—and putting it in flagship stores—signals confidence in demand beyond imports. It also complements the company’s software and theme-park momentum by giving fans a way to live with these worlds between play sessions. Vinyl isn’t just retro chic; it’s a format that asks you to pay attention. In a media landscape of endless playlists, that focus is a perfect match for Zelda’s reflective pacing. It’s easy to imagine similar treatments arriving for other tentpole series if this performs well. Think Ocarina of Time anniversaries, Tears of the Kingdom suites, or even curated “villages and vistas” compilations. BOTW on vinyl could be the pilot that opens a much larger door.

Tips for preordering and caring for your records

Preorders tend to spike, so acting early is smart—especially for Limited Edition colors. If you’re in a region with multiple storefronts, check shipping costs and return policies; sometimes local shops will save you a week and a few euros. When your package arrives, let it acclimate to room temperature before opening during colder months to reduce static. Replace stock paper inners with anti-static sleeves to cut down on pops and scuffs. Give each LP a quick brush before spins; use a carbon fiber brush to lift dust rather than grind it in. If you don’t have a record weight, no problem—but a flat platter and level shelf help tracking. Store vertically, out of direct sunlight, and resist the urge to over-tighten outer sleeves. Small rituals like these keep that first-play sparkle alive for years. And if you’re new to vinyl, start with a clean stylus and steady volume; BOTW’s quiet passages reward a little patience.

Will more Nintendo soundtracks follow?

Momentum suggests yes. When a company as careful as Nintendo greenlights global vinyl for one of its most beloved scores, it’s rarely a one-off. Even if timelines stretch—music curation and manufacturing take time—fans have reason to be optimistic. This launch also gives Nintendo a clear read on appetite by format: how many go for the concise 2LP versus the archival 8LP, black vs. colored variants, and which regions show the strongest pickup. Those data points inform future choices, whether that means more Zelda, a Mario odyssey on wax, or deep cuts that fans have begged for. For now, BOTW sets the bar: a premium presentation with broad access, strong partners, and a date that gives collectors time to plan. If you’ve been waiting to add Hyrule’s soundscape to your shelf, this is the moment that makes it easy, official, and beautifully done.

Conclusion

Breath of the Wild on vinyl feels like the kind of release that turns listening into a small adventure. The 2LP gives you the landmarks; the 8LP lets you roam. Colored splatter or classic black, the mastering and packaging show care, and the availability across Nintendo’s storefronts and Laced means fewer hoops to jump through. With a firm June 19, 2026 date, collectors can plan, save space, and look forward to a weekend spent flipping through Hyrule’s moods. If this is Nintendo’s new baseline for music releases, the future of game soundtracks on the shelf just got a lot brighter.

FAQs
  • When does the Zelda: Breath of the Wild vinyl release?
    • June 19, 2026 for both the 2LP (34 tracks) and the 8LP (130 tracks).
  • What’s the difference between Limited Edition and standard black?
    • Limited Edition variants use colored, themed pressings and premium presentation; standard black offers the classic look with the same curated mastering and packaging quality.
  • Where can we buy it?
    • My Nintendo Store, Laced Records, Nintendo NY/San Francisco, and select retailers, with regional Nintendo Store listings in Europe and the U.S.
  • Is the 2LP a “best of” while the 8LP is complete?
    • The 2LP highlights 34 key tracks for approachable listening; the 8LP expands to 130 tracks sequenced around exploration, Shrines, Divine Beasts, and story arcs.
  • Who composed the score?
    • Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai, and Soshi Abe, whose minimalist, dynamic approach shines in a vinyl mastering chain.
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