Since being confirmed back in 2019,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2has so far remained unnamed. Though Nintendo has claimed that this is for good reason, it’s about time that confirmed the official name for its upcoming sequel, even if only to satisfy fans and create new hype for the game.
With a projected release date currently aiming for spring 2023 and arguably a decent amount of details and game footage already out there forBreath 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 anofficial title forBreath of the Wild 2has been chosen and have hinted that it links to its main story. Somewhere out there, members of the development team know the actual title forBreath of the Wild 2,and fans are dying to know. In the same breath, it’s likewise been confirmed thatZeldatitles are important to the game itself, and so revealing it too soon could spoil the surprise awaiting players in the sequel.
PreviousZeldatitles have typically been symbolic of the game’s overall story, whether that’s through signature characters or items, fromTwilight PrincesstoTheMinish Cap.Breath of the Wildwas 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 thatBreath of the Wild 2’sofficial titlewill 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 byleaking a would-be title ofBreath 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 whatBreath of the Wild 2might 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.
WhileNintendo has done directZeldasequels before, any games withinZeldathat 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 fromOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Mask,which parallelsBreath of the Wild 2since 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 asa continuation ofBreath of the Wild’sstoryline. The sequel’s title may have a more direct connection toBreath of the Wild.Unfortunately,until Nintendo is prepared to finally make the confirmation forBreath of the Wild 2’sofficial 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 2releases in spring 2023 exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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