Ever since the announcement for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 at E3 last year, the upcoming game has been the center of attention for any news that comes out of Nintendo. However, official updates have been few and far between, with the most that can be confirmed about the game being the continued map from the original Breath of the Wild.
As a result, leaks and rumors have quickly taken hold, as players wait for anything concrete about the follow-up to 2017's original The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While a majority of rumors shouldn't be taken at face value, there's one that needs to be proven true:Â whether or not Zelda will be playable in the upcoming sequel.
Now, while it should be noted that this is an unconfirmed aspect of Breath of the Wild 2, the answers that Nintendo, as well as series producer Eiji Aonuma, gave on the subject after the E3 reveal did not specifically deny the possibility of co-op or a playable Zelda. So for the Zelda hopefuls out there, looking to take the reigns as the princess of Hyrule for once, there is hope. After many players' disappointment in never getting a chance for a playable Zelda in Breath of the Wild, or the later released DLC campaign, Breath of the Wild 2 may set a new standard for the series.
A playable Zelda is unprecedented
The Legend of Zelda series has had a long history of playable Links, the protagonist for every game in the accepted canon of the long running franchise. However, Zelda, the titular character, has often been relegated to playing the part of the damsel in distress in early titles, although taking on much more proactive roles in titles like Ocarina of Time and Windwaker. In fact, her only outings as a playable character come in the form of spin-off games, like Hyrule Warriors and Wand of Gamelon, neither of which is considered part of the official canon.
Thanks to Zelda's recurring role as a captured or trapped princess in need of Link to come save her, she hasn't been given as many moments to prove herself as Link has already received. However, the Zelda from Breath of the Wild is already a step above some of her earlier incarnations, being the key figure in holding Calamity Ganon back and keeping him trapped, as opposed to the usual case where the roles are reversed. So, if the playable Zelda rumors do pan out, it could make Breath of The Wild 2 as impactful on the series as its predecessor.
It could refresh Hyrule for the next game
The reuse of the existing map from Breath of the Wild in Breath of the Wild 2 is somewhat of a point of contention for fans, as some have pointed out that players have already explored that world. It seems as though Nintendo has workarounds for refreshing the world in a way that would make the same map feel new, mostly involving rumors about Ganon and his new effect on the world after the mummified Ganondorf is revived. However, there is only so much decoration that the developers can put on the world to make the feeling of exploring and discovery come across as strongly as it did in the original.
Another possible solution to this issue of staleness could easily be giving players a new character to play as, even making characters respond differently depending on who the player is currently controlling. Additionally, most of these playable Zelda rumors come along with the idea that she will be the second player in a multiplayer scenario. A two player experience like this could easily change the perspective of Breath of the Wild 2 from the original, turning the solitary game into a co-operative adventure.
The Switch is made for Multiplayer
An interesting note for Breath of the Wild's success on the Switch is that it was never originally meant to be on Nintendo's most recent and highly successful system. After years of development troubles, Breath of the Wild's original release was moved to be dual released on the Switch after having previously been slated to be a Wii-U exclusive. Mechanics like the Sheikah Slate are the result of the planned exclusivity, but as development time began to push the release close to the release of the Switch, the game was adopted for the new system.
In the case of Breath of the Wild 2, that is far from the case, as it is being developed with the sole intent to be a Switch exclusive, meaning it can take advantage of as many features the new console offers to player. One of those features, however, is multiplayer, with some of the best performing games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, having heavily integrated multiplayer systems in them. So, while Legend of Zelda has always been a single player experience, with the Switch's emphasis on connecting players with mobile and online gaming, now is the best time for the series to take another crack at letting players play together.
Zelda just deserves it already
The Legend of Zelda series is over 30 years old at this point, with games reaching all the way back to 1986, and so far the titilar character's only outings are in unofficial titles and cross-over toy box games. Zelda's character, while changing throughout the series, is still one of gaming's most beloved characters, and while her character in Breath of the Wild was a quality inclusion, it's time for her to join the action.
In 2017, Breath of the Wild reinvigorated the Legend of Zelda series that had gotten stale by following formulas and giving into motion control gimmicks. If Breath of the Wild 2 wants to keep that momentum moving forward into its new Zelda timeline, then it needs to keep up the pace and continue tearing down established conventions. The first thing that needs to change is Zelda's role, taking her from the damsel in the first installment of the series and bringing her all the way up to fighter on par with her Triforce wielding counterparts in the next installment.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available now for Switch.
