The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Release Date, Trailers, News, and More

News, trailers, release date, and everything else about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Release Date, Trailers, News, and More
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Few games live up to the term "legendary," so it's only fitting that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild not only met but also exceeded all expectations. Its sense of exploration and wonder, as well as the concept of "what's over that hill," have arguably never been better executed.

With such high praise and the highest number of sales in the series' history, it's no surprise Nintendo is working on a sequel. As one of the most anticipated games in development right now, the currently untitled sequel faces a significant challenge if it is to match the success of the first Breath of the Wild. But if anyone can do it, it has to be Nintendo.

Everyone has been waiting to see what the new sequel will bring since it was announced three years ago. Will it even follow the same blueprint as the original? Will it be more linear, with a darker story about Hyrule and the hero's demise 10,000 years ago? To help you make sense of it all, we've combed the web for everything you need to know about Breath of the Wild 2.

Also Read: Dying Light 2 Review: Dying Light 2 Stay Human Release...

BREATH OF THE WILD 2 – RELEASE DATE

The sequel to Breath of the Wild 2 is set to release exclusively on Nintendo Switch in spring 2023. This was confirmed by Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma in a March 2022 video announcement revealing the game's postponement from 2022.

"I have an update to share on the release date of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2," Aonuma said. "We previously stated that we planned to release this game in 2022." However, we have decided to extend our development time and push the release date back to Spring 2023. We apologise to those of you who were hoping for a release this year.

"As previously stated, the adventure in this sequel will take place not only on the ground but also in the skies above. However, the expanded world goes beyond that, and you will be able to enjoy an even wider range of features, such as new encounters and gameplay elements "He went on.

"The entire development team is continuing to work diligently on this game in order to make the game's experience something special, so please wait a little longer."

Nintendo had planned to release Breath of the Wild 2 in 2022, but decided to delay it to aid in development in order to make the game "something special."

Also Read: Horizon Forbidden West Reviews

As a result of the global pandemic, numerous games have been delayed around the world, and the industry is expected to be impacted for the foreseeable future. Zelda games have a history of being delayed, so when 2022 was announced as the current release date, we were still a little concerned.

In February 2022, Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct, and there was no mention of Breath of the Wild 2, possibly indicating that it would not be released in 2022. The best bet for it to appear next is at E3 2022 in June, though the studio may skip it entirely to focus on games this year. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

 

Since The Legend of Zelda first appeared on the NES in 1986, there have been over 26 games in the mainline series (including remakes). Looking back on its history, it does not paint a particularly clear picture.

If we only consider mainline Zelda games that were released on console, the most common release dates fall between November and December. The Legend of Zelda Game & Watch was most recently released on November 12, 2021.

  • The Legend of Zelda – February 21, 1986
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link – January 12, 1987
  • The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – November 21, 1991
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – November 21, 1998
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – April 27, 2000
  • The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker – December 13, 2002
  • The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – December 2, 2006
  • The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – November 18, 2011
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – March 3, 2017
  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 – March (2023) 

Although November is the most common release date, we can now see a late March 2023 date being announced to coincide with the release of the original Breath of the Wild. Spring 2023 runs from March 20 to June 21.

It's also worth noting that Nintendo has Mario Strikers: Battle League, Mario + Rabbids: Spark of Hope, Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Nintendo Switch Sports, and Pokémon Scarlet / Violet planned for 2022, so it never had to rely on Breath of the Wild 2 for this year.

BREATH OF THE WILD 2 – TRAILERS 

The first trailer for Breath of the Wild 2 debuted in June 2019 at Nintendo's E3 showcase. Surprisingly, it has now been over 1,000 days since its announcement. Even though it's only 86 seconds long, there's a lot to talk about.

It starts with a circle of green symbols (Twilight magic?) surrounding a corpse in the dark. After that, Link and Zelda are seen riding an elephant-like mount through a cave before discovering the figure. Following this, red smoke (known as Malice) appears, and all hell breaks loose, as it appears that a ritual is being performed to bring presumably Ganon (or Ganondorf) back to life.

A flash of light then shows the figure's shadow alongside a mysterious hand reaching out, a shot of Link with green magic surrounding his own hand, and a brief glimpse of the temple outside. The corpse then awakens with glowing red eyes, and the location is revealed to be beneath Hyrule Castle. The trailer concludes with the structure lifting into the sky. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

One theory (which I previously discussed for our sister site, TechRadar) is that the flash of the figure's shadow is Demise, not Ganon. For those who are unfamiliar, Demise the Demon King is the main antagonist in Skyward Sword and the embodiment of all evil that has ever threatened Hyrule.

There must be a reason why Nintendo chose to remaster Skyward Sword for the 35th anniversary of Zelda rather than any of the much more popular games available (aside from monetary value). Demise could be the reason.

The second teaser, which will be shown during Nintendo's E3 presentation in June 2021, begins with the same Malice engulfing the screen before showing brief shots of Link, the corpse, and Zelda falling. Triumphant music plays over the blank screen until what appears to be Link (more on that later) falls and paraglides through the clouds. He is then seen with longer hair sprinting across a sun-drenched land with floating islands in the sky.

Bokoblins riding on the back of a Stone Talus are among the new and returning enemies. The next shot shows Link's arm covered in green magic, potentially granting access to new powers, as the next shot introduces a new revamped Statis ability being used to reverse time by sending a giant spiked metallic ball back up a mountain to defeat a pack of Bokoblins. Then we see Link wielding a shield with a dragon's face attachment, which breathes fire on an unknown enemy.

Finally, a water droplet is seen to be reversed in motion (time travel? ), and Link is seen pushing through solid rock as part of one of the sky islands. Something really cool is that the music background is the same as the original game's main theme. The trailer concludes with Hyrule Castle rising into the air and Malice spreading from beneath the structure.

Also Read: The Last of Us Part 2 Review

The most recent video containing any kind of footage for Breath of the Wild 2 arrived in March 2022, alongside the game's delay to 2023. We see Link falling through the clouds again, as well as footage from previous trailers.

Most notably, we see Link standing in front of a mysterious glowing yellow orb and what appears to be a broken Master Sword. It's unclear how this all fits into the story. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

BREATH OF THE WILD 2 – LOCATION AND MAP 

Breath of the Wild 2 is expected to take place in Hyrule at the end of the Zelda timeline, following the conclusion of Ganon's death in the first game.

While there is little official information about the location, fans have been piecing together footage from the trailer. An educated guess would be that the original game's massive map (an open-world Hyrule) is returning, but with everything updated or changed in some way.

It has also been confirmed that "the adventure's setting has been expanded to include the skies above Hyrule." This is said to be inspired by Skyward Sword, so the floating isles of Skyloft may return. Another aspect that may play a role in the story is time travel, as evidenced by the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Also Read: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Release Date,...

BREATH OF THE WILD 2 – NEWS, RUMOURS AND LEAKS

Every week, dozens upon dozens of new rumours emerge on the internet, fueling even more speculation about Breath of the Wild 2. This section will be used to address any rumours that are actually worth considering, or potentially just including because they are so widespread that we felt compelled to share them with the world. In any case, we'll do our best to bring you only the most relevant information.

Is Link the protagonist? 

One persistent rumour that has persisted since the second teaser was released is that Link is not the game's protagonist. The character's face was purposefully hidden in the teaser trailer, leading some to believe that you will actually control series antagonist Ganondorf.

It's Kinda Funny's Barrett Courtney posted a compelling theory video outlining how this could be true, highlighting Breath of the Wild's 10,000-year-old hero, the reason the title is being kept so secret, and the decision to port Skyward Sword to Switch over more popular Zelda titles like Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. It's well worth a look. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

IGN boss leaks release date?

Peer Schneider, co-founder and chief content officer of IGN, mentioned a November release date on episode 591 of the NVC (Nintendo Voice Chat) podcast. Schneider revealed that he spoke with "some people in the industry" at The Game Awards 2021, and that the game is still set to be released in 2022. Later, when discussing open-world Switch games, he casually mentions a November release date.

Also Read: Best Horror Games for PC 2022: Horror Games PC Free The...

This has not happened as the game has been delayed until 2023. With Zelda games typically launching in Zelda, this could have been an internal date that made its way to Schneider.

Hidden title

According to IGN and Nintendo Treehouse's Bill Trinen, the real name for Breath of the Wild 2 will be kept secret for the time being because fans may be able to figure out what happens in the game.

"As for why we're keeping the name a secret, you'll just have to stay tuned because, obviously, Zelda names are kind of important," Trinen explained. "Those subtitles... they start to give little hints about what might happen." The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Patents point to new powers

Nintendo's patent filings reveal a little more about the powers in Breath of the Wild 2. According to Gamereactor, the three new features appear to allow Link to walk through a suspended platform from beneath its surface (as seen in the second teaser trailer), use a "Rewind" feature on objects, and shoot bow and arrows while free falling. All of this could lead to some very exciting encounters.