4.6m is not almost 4m. Aonuma has never cared about "Playstation/Xbox people." He cares about Zelda fans and to him, Zelda fans have had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to ALBW, WWHD, and most important to Zelda U. I've even heard people say that they wanted the tech demo, but like this one way better. WW GCN was the forth best selling game on the system. I can see this one doing just as well.

My bad, you're right about the 4.6 million. That's still closer to 4.5 million, not almost 5 million.

And I'm going by pure sales, not relative sales on a system. OoT did much better than WW and the amount of N64s and GCs sold were relatively similar.

Also, Aonuma also created SS, which had a pretty bad reception by Zelda fans

People have said that, but once again, a lot of those people already own a Wii U. You really think this convinces hardcore Playstation or Xbox fans to jump the gun and buy a Wi U? I doubt it. TP gave the illusion that the Wii could handle realistic graphics, thus appealing to the hardcore crowd. This does no such thing. 

OoT was the first 3D Zelda game. The N64 sold 10m more units. That isn't similar enough to not make a difference. MM did signifigantly worse than WW and was the sequel OoT with a darker tone.

SS has a 93 on metacritic. That's not a "bad reception." Zelda Wii U isn't supposed to convince PS or XB fans to get a Wii U. There is literally no franchise Nintendo owns that could get a them to buy a Wii U. TP sold on a gimmick, not an art style. A Wind Waker-looking game would have sold just as well as a launch title for the Wii. Wii Sports sold 80m. People can handle "cartoony, especially back then."

@VanceIX

My point was that basing the sales SOLELY on art style and assuming the variables are the same for the next Zelda is a dumb idea.

Since I apparetly have to go through this again:

Wind Waker came out when stylized Zeldas were unheard of.

Skyward Sword came out near the end of the Wii's life, and had motion controls, which tonnes of people hate.

Just saying "stylized zeldas=sell no good" is not looking at the big picture.s

We just don't see eye-to-eye. If you think WW would have sold just as well, I have no way to disprove that. I'd say it wouldn't, and you (I assume) have no way to disprove that. I think we should just end this- I won't comment on your opinions on this topic anymore. It was a mistake doing it here, and I apologise for it. I'm not trying to flame you. 

Actually, TP outsold OOT according to VGC.

I think that most people who ask for a "realistic" Zelda are really just asking for a dark Zelda, of which I'm not a fan. I found TP's atmosphere to be almost oppressively dim. I wouldn't mind never seeing anything like that in this series ever again -- at least not for the entire damn game. To each his own, I guess.

@OP Each of the "cartoony" Zeldas has launched under rather unique circumstances, as you've pointed out. I'm inclined to agree with you, but really we'll just have to wait and see. I'm thinking that art style probably does have some affect on sales, but it's not as big as many would have you believe. If this new Zelda doesn't outsell WW, that'll put a bit of a damp in your theory. 

If it doesn't outsell WW then my point will definitely seem harder to justify, I admit. Though any Gamepad features and general opinion of the Wii U a year from now could also affect the sales more than the art style

And herein lies the problem. The game could flop horribly, and people will blame it on things like gamepad feautures, and the cycle will repeat when the next Zelda comes out (which will probably darker, as I doubt Nintendo has 3 cartoon Zeldas in a row).

It's never the fact that the game looks so much brighter in a industry that is more and more gearing towards darker games. Nope, not that. Never that. Cartoon games aren't system sellers because they don't convince people that a system is powerful. Nintendo is trying to get hardcore gamers back from Sony and Microsoft, a cartoon Zelda isn't going to do it, especially since that audience is looking for more and more realistic looking games.

i agree.

i would add other fact. Both MM and SS needed an acessory. memory expansion and motion plus didnt come with the console and was obligatory to play the games.

No it won't. And if it does I doubt it will be substantial.