The logical impact of E3's cancellation is already taking effect: lots of standalone video game presentations will populate summer 2022. Microsoft has already gotten started on the independent presentation trend thanks to the upcoming Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, which will doubtless present all the Xbox game information that an E3 2022 presentation would've otherwise included. Not everyone has announced similar showcases yet, but it stands to reason that big and small studios alike will arrange presentations in the near future. Nintendo is especially likely to arrange a major presentation replacing its E3 Nintendo Direct, since it has big-ticket items like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 to discuss.
However, there are good odds that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 won't actually appear at an early summer Nintendo Direct. As fans know by now, Breath of the Wild's mysterious sequel has been delayed into early 2023, meaning there's about a year to go before the game releases. Thanks to that, Breath of the Wild 2 is probably not a top priority for Nintendo in terms of advertising this summer. While it's possible that fans will hear about the sequel over summer, odds are that the next big Nintendo Direct won't have nearly as much Zelda content as fans might like.
The Evolution of Nintendo's 2022 Content
There was a time when Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 seemed like it would be Nintendo's biggest game of 2022. When a release window got confirmed in a new trailer from E3 2021, it was hard to imagine many other Nintendo games defining 2022. Unfortunately, Breath of the Wild 2 is no longer releasing this year, meaning the door is open for other Nintendo games to take its throne. Over the course of the last few months, Nintendo has revealed and locked in release windows for a lot of games that make competition for 2022 dominance a heated race.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the obvious competitors for the year's top Nintendo title; the dawn of a new Pokemon generation is always a big deal. That's far from Nintendo's only release this year, though. Splatoon 3 finally releases in September, while Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, and Mario Strikers: Battle League have plans for summer releases as well. Games without release dates like Bayonetta 3 have to be factored in too, as do successful early 2022 releases like Pokemon Legends: Arceus. 2022 has turned out to be an extremely busy year for Nintendo.
That means that the Nintendo Direct that replaces the E3 2022 Direct will have a lot of ground to cover, between potential expansions for previous releases and the laundry list of games that have yet to release. In other words, the unfortunate truth is that Nintendo simply has more pressing things to discuss than a game with a 2023 release date. Breath of the Wild 2 may be an exciting game, but it isn't likely to be a priority when so many other big games are right around the corner. Breath of the Wild 2 is therefore more likely to miss Nintendo's early summer Nintendo Direct than be in attendance.
When Zelda Might Return
While it's sad to think that Breath of the Wild 2 will probably remain out of the spotlight in the coming months, the delay did come with a more specific release window than before, suggesting that Breath of the Wild 2 is still nearing completion in spite of a delay. It seems inevitable that Nintendo will discuss Breath of the Wild 2 within 2022, with that information in mind. There is still a lot of BotW2 content left to reveal, and it wouldn't be practical to reveal all of it in the first few months of 2023.
At the moment, it seems most likely that Nintendo will start discussing the Breath of the Wild sequel sometime around the 2022 holiday season. By then, most of its other games for this year will have released, including Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which are likely the biggest obstacles in Breath of the Wild 2's way. Once those games are out of the way, Nintendo can start setting up for 2023. A Nintendo Direct in November or December featuring major Breath of the Wild 2 reveals would make sense, or maybe Nintendo will release a new trailer during The Game Awards 2022.
Of course, it's entirely possible that Nintendo will reference Breath of the Wild 2 during its next Direct. Zelda is one of Nintendo's top IPs, after all, and it has a major interest in keeping Breath of the Wild 2 hype alive. Another cryptic teaser trailer released during a summer Direct wouldn't be all too surprising. Nevertheless, fans shouldn't expect Breath of the Wild 2 to be the star of the next Direct. Nintendo has too many other projects on its mind to focus on Zelda right now.
A Change in Zelda's Fortune
Delays will make the Breath of the Wild sequel better in the long run, but it remains a bitter pill to swallow. Fans have been looking forward to Breath of the Wild 2 for about three years now, so word that it'll take another year for the game to release is extremely disappointing. Still, with every new reference to Breath of the Wild 2, Nintendo gives fans new reasons to be excited. The trailers all provide vague, mysterious clues about the game that encourage speculation and make the game feel special. Breath of the Wild 2 seems more and more like a game worth looking forward to, even if the release is far off.
Nintendo's apparent care for Breath of the Wild 2's quality and the slightly clearer release date are ultimately good news for Zelda fans in spite of the delay. It's also nice to know that the Switch will get so many promising titles in 2022, even after getting some great games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land. The Switch library will have plenty of games that can tide fans over until Breath of the Wild's far-off release. The next Nintendo Direct will likely serve as a strong reminder that the Switch has a lot to offer, regardless of whether it features Zelda or not.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.