Fans of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild really hoped that 2022 would be the year that its long-awaited sequel released, and for a while, it looked like that would be the case. Leaks and rumors strongly suggested that Nintendo was committed to launching the sequel this year, but at long last, Nintendo has confirmed that its plans have changed. Thanks to a new statement from longtime Legend of Zelda director and producer Eiji Aonuma, fans now know that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 won't release until spring 2023. At the very least, the mention of spring provides fans with a decent release window.
Since spring 2023 is about a year away, Nintendo probably won't provide an official release date for the delayed Breath of the Wild sequel for several months, but there is one strong candidate. It could be that Nintendo now plans to release Breath of the Wild 2 on March 3rd, 2023. Not only would that be a generally good day for a video game release, but it also happens to be the date of a couple important Nintendo anniversaries. Since it's relevant to these anniversaries, and it's a hotly demanded game overall, Breath of the Wild 2 would be the perfect way to celebrate.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Upcoming Birthday
March 3rd of next year seems like the perfect day to launch Breath of the Wild 2 because it's the same day that the first Breath of the Wild released. As soon as Zelda fans got their hands on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it made a tremendously positive impression, and it has since gone on to become one of the most highly acclaimed titles in the franchise. Breath of the Wild 2 ought to revel in that success. It wouldn't exist without everything that BotW has achieved, after all, so it ought to acknowledge the Zelda franchise's growth however it can.
Nintendo couldn't ask for a more perfect day of the week to celebrate Breath of the Wild's birthday with a new game. March 3rd lands on a Friday next year. Game developers of all kinds love releasing games on Fridays, and for good reason, since it encourages fans to pick up the game on launch so that they can play it through the weekend. Zelda fans who have spent years hungry for Breath of the Wild 2 would certainly be eager to use the whole weekend to play this long-awaited game. Nintendo and the Zelda community could both benefit from a March 3rd release, so it's a clear choice.
The Anniversary of the Nintendo Switch Release
Breath of the Wild isn't the only thing that made its debut on March 3rd. Crucially, it was a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. On March 3rd, 2017, Nintendo's curious modular console finally made its debut and impressed fans everywhere. Breath of the Wild was pivotal in drumming up interest in the Switch; such a well-received launch title made a strong argument for investing in Nintendo's experimental new console.
Since Breath of the Wild and the Switch have such a strongly interconnected history, it only makes sense that Breath of the Wild 2 would borrow its predecessor's launch date, encouraging fans to consider how far both the Zelda franchise and Nintendo's thriving console have come. It would be a great occasion for Nintendo to celebrate both the Zelda franchise and the Switch itself. While Zelda fans get their hands on a new game, Nintendo could announce some major new Switch content, whether it makes plans for a large-scale update to Nintendo Switch Online or it finally reveals the elusive rumored Switch Pro.
A March 3 Nintendo Extravaganza
Nintendo would certainly be wise to announce the Switch Pro on the same day that Breath of the Wild 2 releases. While Breath of the Wild 2 will be available on the standard Switch, Nintendo could reveal that it'll also get a second release on a new Nintendo console with even better graphics and performance. Considering how the first Breath of the Wild game helped the Switch, Breath of the Wild 2 has lots of potential to be a similar poster child for a Switch Pro or any other upcoming Nintendo console.
It would be great to see Nintendo turn March 3rd into a major celebration of Nintendo games. Breath of the Wild 2's launch could be accompanied by announcements of major new games bound for both Nintendo Switch and a new Nintendo console. Pikmin 4 and Mario Kart 9 could finally rear their heads, while Nintendo could finally give fans a new look at the long-lost Metroid Prime 4 if it doesn't crop up in 2022. A sequel to Super Mario Odyssey would also be an excellent game to announce on the same day that Breath of the Wild 2 releases, since Odyssey 2 would also stem from a game that helped define the Switch in its first year of life. The bolder Nintendo gets with Breath of the Wild 2's release, the better.
The Road Ahead for Breath of the Wild 2
Fans shouldn't hold their breath for a BotW2 release date confirmation. The game could definitely make an appearance at Nintendo's E3 2022 presentation, but with the release window so far away, it wouldn't be surprising it Nintendo waited to confirm the date until late 2022, after some of its other upcoming titles have released. Once the air has cleared, Nintendo could start discussing Breath of the Wild 2 in more detail, potentially providing fans with a proper release date sometime in Q3 or Q4 of this year.
As sad as Breath of the Wild 2's delay is, it's still a good sign. Nintendo is taking this title very seriously and clearly wants to get it right, rather than disappointing fans with a sequel that's rushed to meet demand. In development terms, Breath of the Wild 2 will be just fine. The real question is how Nintendo plans on marketing the game next year. A March 3rd release seems like it would provide some excellent opportunities to push both Breath of the Wild 2 and other Nintendo products, so hopefully that's the date that Nintendo has in mind. Fans will just have to wait and see for now.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 releases in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
