November 29th 2024.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, released in 2017, marked a significant turning point for the franchise. While some fans were hesitant about the game's open world approach, it was widely praised by critics and led to a significant increase in sales. Its success was so great that its 2023 sequel, Tears Of The Kingdom, continued to build upon its groundbreaking formula, expanding the map and introducing realistic physics-based gameplay. This only raised the bar even higher for the next Zelda game on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating news about the next installment in the series, and in a 2023 interview, series producer Eiji Aonuma and Tears Of The Kingdom director Hidemaro Fujibayashi confirmed that the game will continue to have an open world setting. While this doesn't rule out the possibility of more 2D games, it's safe to say that any new 3D game will follow the formula established by Breath Of The Wild, rather than the older one used in Ocarina Of Time.
Aonuma has expressed confusion over why some fans would want to go back to the old 3D formula, but he has also made it clear that there will be no more sequels to Breath Of The Wild. So while future games will still be open world, they may not necessarily resemble the games on the Switch in any other way.
Even without official statements from staff, it's evident that Nintendo will continue with the current formula, or something similar, based on the game's sales figures. While the Zelda franchise has always been prestigious, it has never reached the same level of financial success as Super Mario or Pokémon. However, Breath Of The Wild shattered all previous records, selling over 32 million copies to date. This makes it not only one of the best-selling games on the Switch, but also puts it ahead of the Mario and Pokémon entries on the console.
It's clear that Nintendo recognizes the success of Breath Of The Wild and has no intention of going back to the old ways. Aonuma has stated that there will be no more DLC for Tears Of The Kingdom, saying, "I feel like I've done everything I can to create games in that world." However, he has also mentioned the possibility of returning to the Breath Of The Wild version of Hyrule if new ideas arise. But for now, he seems eager to explore new territories and create a completely new way to play.
Despite the success of Tears Of The Kingdom, Aonuma is already looking ahead to the next game. When asked if its success was a hurdle for planning the next game, he responded with encouragement for fans to keep their expectations high. It seems that he already has a clear vision for a Tears Of The Kingdom successor, although what that might be is anyone's guess.
But one thing is for sure, the development of a new Zelda game will take time. Even with the foundation of Breath Of The Wild, Tears Of The Kingdom still took six years to develop. This should be considered the absolute minimum for the next game, which means it won't be released until at least 2029, and possibly even longer.
So while we eagerly await news about the next Legend Of Zelda game, let's appreciate the groundbreaking formula established by Breath Of The Wild and look forward to the new adventures that await us in the future.
The release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017 was a game-changer for the series. While some die-hard fans were hesitant about the drastic changes to the open world format, Nintendo's decision proved to be a success with widespread critical acclaim and record-breaking sales. The game's unprecedented sense of freedom in exploration, storytelling, and puzzle-solving earned it the title of the best video game ever made, a title that has been bestowed upon previous Zelda games as well.
Nintendo continued to push the boundaries with the 2023 sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, which expanded the already vast map and introduced realistic physics-based gameplay, making Hyrule a true sandbox playground. However, with such high standards set by these two games, Nintendo faces the daunting task of living up to expectations for the next installment on the highly anticipated Switch 2.
So, where does the future of Zelda stand? What has Nintendo said about the next game? In a 2023 interview, series producer Eiji Aonuma and Tears of the Kingdom director Hidemaro Fujibayashi confirmed that the next game would still feature an open world setting. This doesn't rule out the possibility of more 2D games, like the recent Echoes of Wisdom, but it's safe to assume that any new 3D game would follow the formula established by Breath of the Wild rather than the older, Ocarina of Time style.
Aonuma has expressed confusion over fans' desire to revert to the old 3D formula, and he has also made it clear that there will be no more sequels to Breath of the Wild. So, while future games will maintain the open world format, they may not necessarily resemble the games on the Switch in any other way. Even without any official statements from the team, it's evident that Nintendo will stick with the current formula, or something similar, considering the immense success and sales figures.
Speaking of sales figures, what is the best-selling Zelda game? For the longest time, it was Twilight Princess in 2006, which sold 8.85 million copies by 2015. However, it pales in comparison to other successful titles like New Super Mario Bros. and Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, which sold 30.8 million and 17.67 million respectively in the same year. Breath of the Wild broke this record with a staggering 32.29 million copies sold, not only making it one of the best-selling games on the Switch but also outperforming the Switch titles for Mario and Pokémon.
Nintendo may seem unpredictable at times, but they know when they have a winning formula. As Aonuma has stated, there's no going back to the old ways, except for spin-offs and remasters. So, will there be a sequel to Tears of the Kingdom? Aonuma seems determined to move on to a new Hyrule, and it makes sense when you consider why he ruled out any DLC for Tears of the Kingdom, saying, "I feel like I've done everything I can to create games in that world."
Although the games themselves don't explicitly mention it, the various Zelda titles are set in a complex series of separate timelines, and players often take on the role of a different character from a separate, parallel universe. Aonuma has also mentioned that his team could return to the Breath of the Wild version of Hyrule if they had new ideas for it, but it seems like he's eager to explore new possibilities. "Whether it's a sequel or a new work, I think it will be a completely new way to play," he said.
Interestingly, when asked if the success of Tears of the Kingdom was a "hurdle" for planning the next game, Aonuma sounded unfazed and even encouraged fans to keep their expectations high. This suggests that he already has a clear vision for a successor to Tears of the Kingdom, but what that might be is anyone's guess.
Finally, when can we expect the next Legend of Zelda game? Unfortunately, Nintendo cannot speed up the development process for a modern triple-A game, and even with Breath of the Wild as a foundation, it still took six years to develop Tears of the Kingdom. So, we can expect the next game to take at least six years, possibly longer, putting the release date no earlier than 2029, and potentially even further out.
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