Everything We Know About The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Launched with the Switch in 2017, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild has become one of Nintendo’s crowning achievements. Fans have been eager to continue Link’s journey in Hyrule’s open-world since its release and were finally given the word in 2019 that a sequel was indeed in the works. Last year, Nintendo revealed the name of the sequel and finally told fans when they could expect to play the game. And so, here’s everything we know about The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

When Will Tears Of The Kingdom Be Released?

During a Nintendo Direct event in September 2022, more information was given about the sequel including its release date. It was revealed that The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom would be released on May 12, 2023. The game was originally slated for a 2022 release, but was pushed back for more development time “in order to make the game’s experience something special,” producer Eiji Aonuma said in an update.

What’s The Plot For Tears Of The Kingdom?

It seems as though this instalment will begin right where the first game left off, which is rare for the Zelda series. “One of the reasons we wanted to create a continuation was because I wanted to revisit that Hyrule again and use that world again, while incorporating new gameplay and new story,” Aonuma told Game Informer.

This means that players will face the evil Calamity Ganon once more, who'd been sealed away at the end of the first game. In 2019, a teaser for the sequel showed Ganon’s dead body being held down by a magical arm, one that suddenly breaks free and attaches itself to Link. Zelda then looks on in horror as Ganon comes back to life.

In the latest trailer, Link can be seen traversing the land and sky of Hyrule. It seems that The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom is heavily inspired by the lore of Skyward Sword, which was originally released on the Nintendo Wii in 2011 followed by a remaster for the Switch in 2021. In that game, Link navigates Skyloft, a floating island inhabited by Hylians that were sent there by the goddess Hylia to be protected from the demon Demise. There’s a possibility that Hylia will have a major role in Tears Of The Kingdom, as her direct descendent Zelda seemingly asks the goddess to lend Link her power, resulting in his magical arm.

How Does The Gameplay Differ From Breath Of The Wild?

This mysteriously magical arm upgrades skills Link could use in the original game through an object called the Sheikah Slate, which enables him to use abilities that can manipulate objects. This is expanded upon greatly in Tears Of The Kingdom, in which Link can now craft vehicles and weapons out of objects thanks to his newfound power.

The monsters of Hyrule have received an upgrade, too, with new horns, weapons, and sizes, in addition to some terrifying new creatures and the return of the zombified ReDeads first introduced in Ocarina of Time. Unfortunately, that’s all the developers have revealed for now, so fans will have to wait and see what exactly happened to Hyrule after all this time – including not only the fate of Link and Zelda, but the kingdom as a whole.