Even though it hasn't even been released yet, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has made its presence felt after not only earning nominations for multiple awards, but even winning a few already. As one of Nintendo's longest-running flagship series, the longevity of Zelda is a clear sign that it has landed on a winning formula, so a litany of awards following in the wake of its games isn't unusual. Typically though, such awards are doled out after a game's launch and not before, yet The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has already seemingly done the impossible.
However, there are important contexts to consider when looking at Tears of the Kingdom's already growing list of accolades, as they shouldn't be seen as an indicator that the game will be a success. For as much as Breath of the Wild won its share of awards following its release and was celebrated among Zelda fans, there's no guarantee that Tears of the Kingdom shall achieve the same, but this hasn't stopped players' anticipation from fueling this hope. As a result, the nominations and awards Tears of the Kingdom has so far are less about the game itself and more about the hype surrounding it.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Capturing Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Momentum
Though it's not impossible for there to be direct sequels in the Zelda series, they are uncommon enough that when one comes along, it attracts attention. When Nintendo announced that there would be a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild and even provided a teaser for the then-unnamed game, it was a significant moment for the gaming community. Breath of the Wild has since secured itself among other Zelda fan favorites like Ocarina of Time, which is an apt comparison since the pair were considered revolutionary for the series and, with Majora's Mask in mind, both received darker direct sequels.
While it's more than likely that Breath of the Wild was receiving a sequel because there was still creative potential left untapped, it's difficult not to acknowledge that another motivating factor behind this decision was the game's success and sustaining its momentum. Tears of the Kingdom could be seen as an effort to follow on from Breath of the Wild both plot-wise and hype-wise. But complications from its 2019 announcement with an ambitious 2022 release date, and the delays Tears of the Kingdom suffered between general development and COVID-19 have created the perfect storm of impatience among players waiting for the sequel.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is The Most Wanted and Anticipated Game
Therefore, between the impact and legacy that Breath of the Wild had not just for the Zelda series but for the gaming community at the time, there's an expectation that a direct sequel would live up to the same standards. Presumed to have the same star quality Breath of the Wild and compounded by its few and far-between announcements and delays, the resulting situation is expectant players hanging on every Tears of the Kingdom gameplay demo, trailer, or leaked rumor. The anticipation then behind Tears of the Kingdom is a natural inheritance from Breath of the Wild artificially inflated due to real-world circumstances.
So the awards Tears of the Kingdom has been nominated for and in some cases even won are self-explanatory when it's revealed that these awards are for The Most Wanted and The Most Anticipated games of their respective years. Between The Game Awards and the Golden Joystick Awards from 2020 onwards, Tears of the Kingdom has been nominated in each category up until 2022 when it won both. While these wins were possibly prompted by Tears of the Kingdom's definitive release date, these awards are more than likely just the first of many if its predecessor's success is anything to go by.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to release on May 12, 2023, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
