Target lists a new release date for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, corroborating previous rumors that the game would skip the Nintendo Switch launch lineup.
Featured prominently in the Nintendo Switch preview trailer, many assumed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would be a shoe-in for the launch lineup of the Big N's new console. However, recent weeks have cast doubt on that possibility, with reports indicating that the game has been delayed due to localization issues. Now, even more evidence of a possible The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild delay has appeared, with Target listing the Wii U version of the game for release on June 13th, 2017.
This seems to corroborate previous rumors about Breath of the Wild's localization issues, and that the game will be replaced with a new Super Mario title at launch. Of course, Nintendo has yet to offer specifics as to when Breath of the Wild will hit store shelves, so fans should take the Target listing with a grain of salt. After all, it's possible it was posted in error, but there are a couple of things that lend legitimacy to it.
For one, the aforementioned rumors that already pointed to a Breath of the Wild delay seem to make the Target delay more believable. Secondly, the fact that the Target release date isn't a typical placeholder date also makes it less likely to be fake. Usually placeholder dates are listed for the end of the month or even the end of the year, which makes Breath of the Wild's June 13th Target listing an oddity.
To be fair, Nintendo never came out and said that Breath of the Wild would be a Switch launch title, but with how heavily the game has been promoted in conjunction with the new console, one has to imagine that was the original plan. Furthermore, the leaked Breath of the Wild amiibo release date of March 4th, 2017 added more fuel to the fire that Breath of the Wild was due for release in March as well to coincide with the Switch's launch.
As it stands, it's unlikely that Nintendo or Target will comment on the leaked release date, so fans will just have to wait and see what the game's actual release date ends up being. If the release date listed by Target is accurate, though, that would put Breath of the Wild as launching during E3 2017, so clarification should still be expected at Nintendo's upcoming January 12th Nintendo Switch event or a little bit later on.
Some fans may be disappointed to see the evidence mounting up in favor of Breath of the Wild's delay, but with expectations for the game so high, Nintendo should take its time to ensure that it is the best game it can possibly be. As Shigeru Miyamoto once said, "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad."
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is scheduled to release in 2017 for Wii U and Nintendo Switch.