Nintendo has announced that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been delayed from its intended 2022 release window. Instead, the game has been given a Spring 2023 timeframe for release, series producer Eiji Aonuma announced in a video update today.
“For those of you who have been looking forward to a release this year, we apologize,” Aonuma said. “The adventure in the sequel will take place not just on the ground as in the previous game but also in the skies above. However, the expanded world goes beyond that, and there will be an even wider variety of features you can enjoy, including new encounters and new gameplay elements.”
Aonuma stated the delay is necessary to make sure the game’s experience is “something special” for the players. “The entire development team is continuing to work diligently on this game,” he said.
Nintendo’s Bill Trinen has explained that Nintendo is purposefully holding back on revealing the name of the Zelda sequel because “Zelda names are kind of important.” Sounds like the title could include some kind of story element.
As for why we’re holding back on the name, you’ll just have to stay tuned because, obviously, Zelda names are kind of important,” Trinen said. “Those subtitles… they start to give little bits of hints about maybe what’s going to happen.”
He continued: “[Breath of the Wild 2] is going to be shorthand and it’s natural for people to want to find a shorthand way to frame it. We’re still calling it the sequel to Breath of the Wild.”
Back at E3 2021, Nintendo showed a new trailer for the game that showed what players may come to expect from Breath of the Wild 2.
