While fans and players are still left in the dark on many of the details concerning The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild 2 at the current time, some things are confirmed beyond the original teaser trailer. One of these things confirmed by Eiji Aonuma is that the map of Hyrule from the original Breath of the Wild will be reused and the game will not be built from scratch. However, this does not mean players will be having the same experience as in the original game in the sequel.
Hyrule in the original Breath of the Wild is incredibly vast with different landscapes and cultures to be found all around. However, something definitely needs to change for the release of Breath of the Wild 2 so that fans don't view the sequel as overpriced DLC.
When considering that the team behind Breath of the Wild 2 is reusing the original Breath of the Wild map, it doesn't mean that the map won't also be expanded on. With new gameplay confirmed to be included in the new title, there's the possibility of new travel options allowing Link and possibly Zelda to reach places Link couldn't have before.
Underground
As originally shown in the E3 teaser trailer, Link and Zelda are exploring some kind of underground cavern where they find the presumed corpse of Ganondorf. There is a possibility of there being many secrets hidden underneath Hyrule, not just the corpse of Ganondorf.
There are possibilities of the ruins of locations from previous Legend of Zelda titles lying in caverns underneath Hyrule or even thriving civilizations that have simply been hidden away from those who live on the surface. Entrances to these underground locations could have opened up during the fight with Calamity Ganon or events taking place in between the first and second Breath of the Wild.
Underground locations opening up can also greatly change old locations' purposes and presents plenty of opportunities for story and side quests. They can also hold many secrets for players looking to explore every inch of Hyrule once more.
Ocean
Many players love and miss the fully explorable sea in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The original Breath of the Wild, of course, does not have this feature due to an invisible wall stopping players who venture too far out onto the sea. However, its possible that players may be able to see more of the world outside of Hyrule in the sequel.
With the possibility of an even grander adventure of the horizon, players could be able to travel the seas away from Hyrule to find possible old Hyrulian territory or even other nations. This could lead to more races be introduced or reintroduced to the Zelda series or even the return of Prince Sidon. After all, he seems to be the type to help Link out traveling across large bodies of water.
Even if an entire ocean or sea isn't available to be explored, new locations of importance that must be found via water travel could make for interesting gameplay and story. There could even be Easter eggs referencing the Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
Over Mountains and Ravines
The boundaries surrounding Hyrule have left a deep mystery for many players. What could lie beyond the borders of Hyrule other than out of bounds glitches? There's a possibility that Breath of the Wild 2 could answer this question.
It is unknown what could be outside Hyrule. There could be other civilizations, kingdoms, and monsters. There also could be answers to the mysteries that Link and Zelda are trying to solve with the strange corpse lying underground. Most other important civilizations and countries in the Zelda universe are usually only created or accessed via magical means such as Termina, Lorule, and Koholint Island. It would be interesting to see how the neighbors of Hyrule fared against Ganon if there are any at all.
There is even a possibility that there is nobody else outside of Hyrule, creating a sort of desolate landscape where no life can grow or be nurtured. This could have horrifying implications on the rest of the world and Hyrule's position in it. This could also introduce some very frightening dungeons as well.
The Sky
While the land of Skyloft was brought down to the ground after the events of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the possibility of Hylia left some floating islands in the sky is still there. Loftwing statues can be found in the original Breath of the Wild, although they are most likely extinct. However, this doesn't mean Link wouldn't find some way to reach the skies and explore the land far above the clouds.
Exploring the sky could have players gain a whole new perspective on Hyrule, seeing it from an angle they've never seen it before. It could also lead to a return to some of the airborne battles seen in the original Breath of the Wild.
There's also the possibility of land rising up into the sky, making a sort of new Skyloft. Players could have Link climb up floating rocks high up into the sky before seeing a floating landscape that couldn't be seen from below.
However Nintendo decides to expand upon the original Breath of the Wild, there are a lot of opportunities for new content while still building off of the original map. Players are sure to see plenty of returning faces as well as brand news ones, creating an exciting and fresh experience. As anything beyond the initial trailer and interviews are currently kept secret by developers working on the project, fans can't really do much except spectate and theorize.
While many players have their own wishes and expectations for the upcoming game, there are sure to be plenty of elements that no one had seen coming and are sure to surprise those who play. Considering old concept art from the original Breath of the Wild that ranges from silly to downright horrifying, the development team is definitely working with a lot of different ideas on the board to choose from.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2Â is in development.
