Nobody expected Nintendo to have a quiet year after releasing Animal Crossing: New Horizons in its first quarter. That game was such a smash hit that everyone was ready to see Nintendo make big announcements and releases down the line, but unfortunately, it just hasn't shaken out that way. Even a big company like this one has been feeling the effects of COVID-19, knocking back development schedules and waylaying plans. However, Nintendo almost seems like it's been one of the most heavily affected companies. There hasn't even been a traditional Nintendo Direct in several months, and that's why it seems fans are so short on news about the studio's games, after all.More than a year has gone by since a broad direct. There's been plenty of Direct Minis and Nindies released, and a few spotlight pieces about Smash and Super Mario, but nothing substantial from Nintendo itself. However, fans might feel uplifted if they look at this in a particular positive light. All this time without a major Direct means Nintendo has been getting work done on things like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. At this point, it seems almost inevitable that Nintendo will have something to say about Breath of the Wild 2 in the next Direct after over a year of silence about the game.
Breath of the Wild 2 Reveal
Even with the limitations of the pandemic, Nintendo has surely gotten a lot of work done on Breath of the Wild 2 at this point. The game was likely well under way when Nintendo revealed it last year, and now it has another year of development under its belt. Even accounting for setbacks in the last several months, odds are that the next Zelda game will be presentable in the near future. There's still a lot that's a mystery about the game, even the core plot is mysterious at this point, so even a short new trailer filling in new details seems reasonable to expect.
Whether an actual Direct is more than hypothetical is a little more doubtful. Nintendo is still experiencing setbacks and restrictions, as Sakurai indicated by filming his videos on Minecraft's Steve and Alex from his home. There's a chance Nintendo has a couple surprises in store for the holiday season, which is rapidly approaching. Fans should also take into consideration that it does have a major game coming out next month: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. That game could help Nintendo get back on track as a part of an early November Direct talking about the company's status.
What's more, longtime Zelda fans are probably aware that the Zelda franchise turns 35 next year. Everyone is expecting it to be a big year for the franchise, with Age of Calamity heralding things to come. If there is a big year ahead, one might expect Nintendo to at least have a Zelda themed direct somewhere between November and January clueing fans in on its plans, and an event like that couldn't possibly come together without any mention of Breath of the Wild 2.
Waiting With Bated Breath
Nintendo just has to know that there's millions of fans chomping at the bit to hear anything at all about its biggest projects. At the same time, Nintendo Directs are the company's biggest and best way to get attention for reveals, updates, and other news. Considering its minor events still get tons of attention, a proper Direct would undoubtedly catch major attention. Breath of the Wild 2 isn't the only game that players want to hear about too. There's the likes of Metroid Prime 4, whatever's next for the Mario franchise, and Pikmin 4 too, but with BotW2 having a lot more riding on it, it seems like a safe bet that it could headline the next proper Nintendo Direct, whenever that is.
Breath of the Wild 2 is probably the most groundbreaking game that Nintendo could possibly mention at the next Direct. The studio has had a major emphasis on Zelda recently, supporting the acclaimed Breath of the Wild with DLCs, releasing a prequel in the form of Age of Calamity, and of course, promising fans the aforementioned sequel. Breath of the Wild 2 has gone without for mention for so long that it's urgently time for Nintendo to part the curtain and let fans see how the game is going. Even if the next Direct says that Zelda fans will have to wait a little longer, it'll just be good to know something.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development.