There was reason to suspect Breath of the Wild 2 would not appear in the first Nintendo Direct of 2022. The 40-minute event was advertised as a showcase “mostly” focusing on games for the early half of the year, and this held true - with the notable exception of September 2022’s Xenoblade Chronicles 3 being revealed. With the first half of the year largely laid out for Switch owners, Nintendo can begin to focus future events on the tail end of 2022, with the next Zelda game a seemingly perfect candidate for the holiday season. If so, Nintendo will likely continue its pattern of making Breath of the Wild 2 a draw at its E3 presentations.
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Breath of the Wild 2’s History With E3
The original Breath of the Wild had a history in the spotlight well before it became the blockbuster Switch launch title in March 2017. It was discussed openly by producer Eiji Aonuma as early as January 2013, promising the first original HD Zelda game on Wii U that would reimagine its series’ conventions and return to the exploratory roots of The Legend of Zelda on NES. Over the following years it would be sparingly highlighted at various events, and it seems the decision to go from Wii U exclusive to a title also releasing on the then-codenamed NX influenced Breath of the Wild’s lengthy development.
Breath of the Wild released to critical and fan acclaim, helping define what it meant to be a modern open-world game and leading to a number of releases which drew clear inspiration; from miHoYo’s Genshin Impact to Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising. A sequel using this same base akin to Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask felt like a shoo-in for Nintendo, but it wasn’t until E3 2019 that the studio confirmed a follow-up was in development. Even then it was a brief teaser with flashes of evocative scenes that kept fans speculating.
Further details were kept under wraps for some time. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, a spin-off game that was advertised as a prequel to Breath of the Wild, released in late 2020. However, Aonuma told fans Breath of the Wild 2 news would have to wait during the September 2020 Direct a few weeks after Age of Calamity was announced.
That promised update came via a trailer that debuted at E3 2021, adding to a stacked presentation alongside the reveal of Metroid Dread. The E3 2021 trailer gave fans a look a new monsters and landmarks around Hyrule as chunks of earth were lifted into the sky, as well as abilities Link will have access to. Yet it was still vague about details like a release date and official title. Nintendo’s third-quarter investor presentation on February 3 confirms Breath of the Wild 2 is still aiming for a 2022 release, but if so the lack of a presence during its recent Direct is telling.
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Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild 2 Pattern Should Hold True
Nintendo took a break from major Directs in 2020, in-part thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving random Twitter reveals and Direct Mini: Partner Showcases to pick up the slack. It returned to the format in 2021 and set a pattern that 2022 appears to be following, with their first big Directs each taking place in February. With that in mind, it’s likely Nintendo won’t have any big Directs until E3 2022, as in 2021.
The company’s Twitter drops have included titles like Paper Mario: The Origami King and Pikmin 3 Deluxe, but it no doubt prefers to keep tentpole projects like Breath of the Wild 2 reserved for big events. Considering the first two trailers for this sequel dropped during E3 2019 and 2021, E3 2022 is probably the place to watch for its next appearance. The digital-only E3 format adopted over the last few years may not be as enticing for many industry followers, but it’s still one of the most high-profile venues to discuss a game and garner publicity.
If Breath of the Wild 2 is a main attraction for Nintendo’s E3 offerings again, it has a lot of heavy lifting to do this year. Aforementioned details like the game’s title and release date will need to be revealed, and in this case should set the game up to be a system seller for the holiday season. It’s unclear whether Pokemon will make another appearance this November or December after Legends: Arceus launched in January, and letting Zelda soak up the attention would be to Nintendo’s benefit.
Hopefully an E3 2021 trailer also teases more content that will entice fans without giving away the entire game. Link’s new arsenal of abilities and enemies after the defeat of Calamity Ganon should be a priority, as no matter what is revealed it may pale in comparison to the depth of this sequel if continual discoveries in Breath of the Wild are any indication. An exciting year for Nintendo fans would be capped off perfectly with a strong Legend of Zelda release.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
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