With a projected release date currently aiming for spring 2023 and arguably a decent amount of details and game footage already out there for Breath of the Wild 2, it seems like a race against time before Nintendo is left in one of two outcomes: either someone leaks the sequel’s title, or the title is revealed too late to build the anticipation for its upcoming launch. As Nintendo projects seem to have a track record for leaks being drip-fed to the fans via credible sources, the argument is strong for Nintendo to just bite the bullet already to preemptively ensure the sequel’s success.
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Why Hasn’t Nintendo Confirmed The Sequel’s Title?
As much as this might be a time for speculation on what Nintendo might decide, representatives for the studio have already confirmed that an official title for Breath of the Wild 2 has been chosen and have hinted that it links to its main story. Somewhere out there, members of the development team know the actual title for Breath of the Wild 2, and fans are dying to know. In the same breath, it’s likewise been confirmed that Zelda titles are important to the game itself, and so revealing it too soon could spoil the surprise awaiting players in the sequel.
Previous Zelda titles have typically been symbolic of the game’s overall story, whether that’s through signature characters or items, from Twilight Princess to The Minish Cap. Breath of the Wild was seemingly indicative enough, suggesting the tone of the game through its emphasis on vast, open-world exploration, but vague enough to not pin itself down like previous titles. If the sequel’s title is being so closely guarded, then previous game titles and naming conventions could suggest that Breath of the Wild 2’s official title will have more to do with particular characters or items, or something more symbolic to the game’s story.
What Could The Official Title Be?
Already some have tried to mislead players by leaking a would-be title of Breath of the Wild 2, so it’s clear fans are already trying to get ahead of Nintendo’s official announcement that could come at literally any time, or they are capitalizing on Nintendo’s frustrating albeit purposeful silence on the matter. Current theories leading into what Breath of the Wild 2 might bring in terms of stories and game mechanics are well underway, so titles could be born from these that focus on aspects such as Link’s arm appearing as if it’s corrupted all the way to the resurrected Ganondorf appearing in the first look trailer. The eerie, more ominous nature of the current trailers available for the game could also lend themselves to a more serious, or far darker title, which only adds to the overall mystique Nintendo has crafted around this sequel.
While Nintendo has done direct Zelda sequels before, any games within Zelda that have been direct sequels have often had very little to do with one another in terms of the main story. For example, the best examples come from Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, which parallels Breath of the Wild 2 since both came in succession and utilized the same game engine and assets between predecessor and successor. But even these games weren’t directly linked, just one version of Link carrying on with this life following the events of the first game.
Breath of the Wild 2, however, appears to break this trend and seemingly positions itself as a continuation of Breath of the Wild’s storyline. The sequel’s title may have a more direct connection to Breath of the Wild. Unfortunately, until Nintendo is prepared to finally make the confirmation for Breath of the Wild 2’s official title, fans will have to keep making peace with the sequel’s placeholder title and remain in the dark about the game’s true name for a little longer.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in spring 2023 exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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