The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most popular IPs in Nintendo's history and vast library of exclusive content. In a series that is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, there have been a number of notable entries over the years, one of which being 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. After raking in a ton of Game of the Year awards and being among the best-selling Nintendo Switch games, it comes as no surprise that Nintendo announced a proper sequel, unofficially dubbed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.
Expectations and hype are understandably through the roof, as is the case whenever a new game in the beloved series is expected in the future. Note the use of the phrase "in the future," as that quite literally defines the reality that fans of the RPG adventure series have been living within for decades. While the games are always top tier quality, the wait to receive these titles can sometimes be unbearable for players who count down the days leading to an eventual release. Nintendo could do well to remedy these periods of silence and waiting in between games, something expected to continue with the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.
Terrible Fate (To Wait Between Games, That Is).
Nintendo likes to take its time with its products, ensuring the highest level of quality possible for its franchises. The Legend of Zelda has built up a certain pedigree over the decades, and nothing short of excellence is expected because of this. From redefining the action adventure genre with Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask on the N64, to the aforementioned Breath of the Wild bringing open world games to new heights, each installment brings something new to the table. It is understandable, and furthermore appreciated for this reason, that Nintendo chooses to pour so much time and love into these games.
However, this approach to game design is something of a double-edged sword. For the amount of time that is spent tweaking and polishing every aspect of the game, is yet another day, week, and month fans are forced to wait. While this isn't an exclusive issue to The Legend of Zelda series alone, it doesn't help when these games are formally announced only to go completely silent for extended periods of time afterwards. The original Breath of the Wild was teased in 2014 and was due for release in 2015.
As many would know, it was eventually delayed and completely absent from E3 that year, making a return in 2016. That is a nearly two-year wait for new information and footage for players. If these games need time to be made, that is to be expected, but a new strategy for marketing and development should be considered to help ease these lull periods between mainline releases.
Possible Solutions
One of the shortest gaps of time between games in the series was the one dividing the aforementioned Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask on the N64. Released in 1998 and 2000 respectively, both graced the console rather close to each other, with much of the reason being the re-use of mechanics and game assets. This results in less stress on the game developers to have to create entirely new worlds from scratch, and frees teams up to be more creative in other aspects of the game's design. Nintendo is on the right track, following this example with Breath of the Wild 2, as its reveal trailer seems to use a lot of similar visual and gameplay styles seen in its predecessor.
This reveal trailer was however first shown off back at E3 2019, and with Nintendo confirmed for E3 2021, many fans are on the edge of their seats for new details. If the game is not ready and has to skip the show, then so be it, but that leaves a huge void in both the showcase and the hearts of dedicated players. First and foremost, a way to remedy the issue is to hold off on even announcing a game until it is roughly one year away from launch. This follows the "out of sight, out of mind" philosophy, as gamers can't be upset by what they don't know exists, nor will it place extra pressure on the backs of the game developers.
But this still leaves a large chunk of time and silence in between games, whether they are going to be revealed or not. The answer to this is a simple one: have smaller projects to release in between. While this may seem easier said than done, no more than a few short months ago, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was released to positive reviews, giving fans and Switch players alike a solid new action game. While a far cry from a traditional adventure in the franchise, the hack and slash brawler was good enough and scratched that itch for fans of the series.
More efforts like this, in the form of smaller spin-offs or the Skyward Sword Switch remaster, are a good alternative to help tide over anxious players. In order to maintain a healthy release cycle, perhaps dividing up the work, similar to how Call of Duty is handled by different teams, is a possible avenue for the series to take going forward.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development for Nintendo Switch.
