Why the Delay in Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is a Good Thing

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been pushed back from 2022 to spring 2023, but this may not be a bad thing.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's sequel has been postponed until spring 2023. Many fans are disappointed by this news, as Breath of the Wild is widely regarded as one of the best games published in recent years, if not ever. Despite whatever bad feelings that may exist at the moment, the fact that the sequel to Breath of the Wild has been delayed may wind up working in its advantage.

Following up on the original Breath of the Wild is a tall order. It changed not only the Legend of Zelda formula, but the open-world genre in general. The sequel to Breath of the Wild intends to innovate even more by moving Link into the sky, therefore extra time in production is beneficial to ensure the highest possible quality. Furthermore, there have already been a slew of excellent open-world games launched this year, so the successor to Breath of the Wild would benefit from being released at a time when there is less competition.

The Major Impact of Breath of the Wild

One of the most influential games of the modern period is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game was first released in 2017 for the Wii U and as a Switch launch title, and it received widespread critical acclaim. The non-linear open-world structure of Breath of the Wild revolutionised the genre, as the ability to explore Hyrule in any order, solve puzzles using a variety of creative strategies, and engage in surprisingly deep combat gave players an unprecedented amount of freedom; it's why countless players are still playing Breath of the Wild five years later. All of the accolades for Breath of the Wild leads to one thing: an impossibly high bar for the sequel to clear.

If the limited trailers for the sequel give any indication, Nintendo wants to repeat the popularity of Breath of the Wild. The sequel to Breath of the Wild sends Link to the skies on top of existing places, whereas the first took place in a large grounded globe. The sheer amount of hidden abilities and gameplay mechanics gives fans plenty to look forward to. One trailer even shows Link using a new power to go through a solid object; the sheer amount of hidden skills and gameplay mechanics offers fans plenty to look forward to. The Breath of the Wild sequel's delay stings, but it's probably for the best that Nintendo takes its time fine-tuning it.

In 2022, there will be open-world games.

In 2022, there was no shortage of enormous open-world games. Horizon Forbidden West and Elden Ring were launched just a week apart last month, and while both titles are more than enough to satisfy anyone's open-world quota, there are still more planned for 2022. The next Saints Row remake will be released this summer, while Scarlet and Violet, the first truly open-world Pokemon games, will be released at the end of the year. The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should take a breather. It's smart to keep a safe distance from 2022 games, especially when some of them are heavily influenced by the original Breath of the Wild.

Elden Ring is the biggest open-world game of 2022 so far. While the gameplay is more difficult and the themes are darker than in Breath of the Wild, both environments certainly have some similarities. Elden Ring gives players the freedom to explore the game's main confrontations and numerous secondary dungeons in whatever order they like. The level of flexibility provided is very close to Breath of the Wild, to the point where many people believe Elden Ring to be the most approachable Souls-like game. Given that Elden Ring takes dozens of hours to complete and that many players will want to relive it, the sequel to Breath of the Wild is wise to put it front and centre.

Horizon Forbidden West is the other major open-world game on the market right now, which is strange given that the original Horizon Zero Dawn was overshadowed by Breath of the Wild in 2017. However, the two games are vastly different, with Forbidden West featuring a more basic open-world concept with a linear story, quest markers, and repeatable tasks. However, open-world games are big endeavours regardless of design, so the sequel to Breath of the Wild can stand alone in 2023.

Expectations for the Breath of the Wild sequel

Because Breath of the Wild 2 is cloaked in so much mystery, it's understandable that people will have to wait even longer to experience it. However, it would be unfortunate if the game was launched too soon. Nintendo would never recover from a Cyberpunk 2077-style situation, in which a highly anticipated game is released with numerous flaws - especially because Breath of the Wild 2 is perhaps even more highly anticipated. These delays should, hopefully, eliminate the problem entirely.

In any event, Nintendo appears to be deliberately keeping the game's plot a secret. Nearly three years after the game's announcement, the title of Breath of the Wild 2 remains unclear. The trailers certainly reveal some gameplay, but they also create additional questions. Link's new tattoos and broken Master Sword are particularly confusing in the most recent footage. All of the unknowns will almost certainly be revealed in a large way around the game's release date, creating a lot of anticipation.