Nintendo Is Still Going Hard With Breath of the Wild 6 Years Later, Despite Sequel

I know that we’ve all been calling it “BOTW 2” for years, but Zelda fans really do want Tears of the Kingdom. I promise. Yet despite that game’s imminent release date Nintendo has proudly tweeted a new video promoting Breath of the Wild. Please, Nintendo. That game came out six years ago. Fans have started wondering: Don’t you have a sequel to show us? Like, I don’t know, maybe, a highly anticipated game that’s coming out in a month and a half?

When you know how to Sneakstrike but not bowl a strike.

Were you a snowtorious bowler in The Legend of #Zelda: #BreathOfTheWild? pic.twitter.com/XqNpAv0sQ2

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 24, 2023

Thankfully, this morning brought the relief that Nintendo hasn’t completely forgotten about TotK, as the publisher promised us a 10-minute gameplay preview of the game tomorrow. So if you’re looking for details on the upcoming game, you’ll get your fill soon. But still, many found it strange that just a few days ago, Nintendo would share a video about a bowling range in Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule rather than take the opportunity to drum up excitement for its sequel, which has remained remarkably shrouded in secrecy even two months before its planned release. In response to the BotW tweet, some speculated that the sequel would be delayed, that the quality would be underwhelming, or that it could be a “rush job.” There’s no definitive proof that TotK is in trouble, but the Nintendo guarantee of quality isn’t as bulletproof as it once was, not since they released the jankiest Pokémon games ever. And while the sequel does look like a graphical improvement over BotW, it’s really not by much.

Some fans are okay with plunking down $70 for a game that they barely know anything about. To those people, I say: Love yourself. I know that Zelda fans are going to play this game regardless, but it’s about the principle of the matter. Nintendo shouldn’t feel as if they can get us excited just by showing clips of a six-year-old game, even if that is the case. Respect yourself. Demand more from one of the wealthiest publishers on earth.

Other fans are talking about how they never even noticed the bowling arena in BotW. Which is fair. The game was released in 2017, but fans are still finding stuff like the “impossible arrow,” inventing new tricks, and coming up with wild new speedrun categories. There’s definitely still BotW content to post about in 2023. I’m just not sure if “less than two months before TotK” is necessarily the right time for it.