The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was one of the most successful Zelda games in recent memory. Some even tout the open-world action RPG as one of the best video games of all time. Given that overwhelmingly positive reception, many fans were excited when Nintendo announced The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 during E3 2019. However, fans still know little about the upcoming game, leading some to wonder if it will make its 2022 launch window.
Nintendo’s yet to make an official statement on that matter. However, one purported insider says the publisher is committed to releasing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 this year, though it’s still too soon to say for sure.
This statement comes from Samus Hunter on Twitter. According to her, the company is still hoping to release Breath of the Wild 2 this fall. However, Nintendo also remains open to the possibility of delaying the game until 2023 or later. According to the leaker, management isn’t likely to make a firm decision until April. If Nintendo ends up pushing the release back, fans are unlikely to see an official announcement until May at the earliest. Note that the above is based mainly on Samus Hunter’s perception of the company’s current mood and a general understanding of how Nintendo operates.
The lack of a definitive answer is sure to make some fans a little anxious. Nintendo’s been very tight-lipped about the upcoming sequel to Breath of the Wild. Breath of the Wild 2 isn’t even the game’s real name, as Nintendo’s yet to reveal the official title. The lack of information does not automatically signal problems with development. Nintendo could simply be keeping its cards close to its chest to build hype. Still, it’s understandable if some fans are concerned about the lack of details.
What little the fans do know about Breath of the Wild 2 leaves plenty of room for speculation. It’s one of the few Zelda games that is a direct sequel to its predecessors. The trailers also suggest a noticeably darker tone than the original Breath of the Wild. These factors led some fans to compare Breath of the Wild 2 to Majora’s Mask. However, Nintendo’s Bill Trinen pushed back against that somewhat by telling IGN, “So I understand people making that conclusion, but at the same time, and I don’t want to delve too much into it, but this is its own game.”
At least the E3 2021 trailer gave fans a glimpse of Breath of the Wild 2’s gameplay, showing off enemies, environments, and new mechanics. Most prominent are Link’s new set of powers, including a telekinetic push and the ability to shapeshift through solid objects. Hopefully, fans will have an opportunity to get hands-on before too much longer.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases for Nintendo Switch in 2022.