The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: 5 Things You Should Know

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is on the brink of forging a home away from home on just about every Switch users' device around the world, and we honestly couldn't be happier about that. Thanks to Nintendo, the beloved series can finally conclude its multi-award-winning 2017 tale with a freshly painted journey — starring the one and only Link, and the unforgettable, albeit notoriously sinister Ganon.

So, what do we know about the upcoming sequel, besides the fact that it will launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch? Well, here's the low-down on Tears of the Kingdom, fleshed out with just about every square detail you'll need to know before punching in that pre-order.

5. What Is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an open world third-person action-adventure game that serves as a sequel to 2017's universally acclaimed Breath of the Wild. Launching exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2023, players will once again be invited to explore the kingdom of Hyrule and embark on an epic quest as the one and only fairy boy, Link.

Tears of the Kingdom will, of course, accommodate a slew of familiar features as seen in Breath of the Wild, which includes some of the series' legacy characters, locations, and items. This is, at least in part, the sequel in a nutshell, and there's plenty more that Nintendo has kept relatively quiet during its time in development, too. But what else, you ask? Well, here's what we know about the story.

4. The Story

Tears of the Kingdom serves as a direct sequel to 2017's Breath of the Wild, and will once again pick up with the Hero of Time in an alternate version of Hyrule. Unfortunately, Nintendo has kept most of its plot under wraps, with only a couple of gameplay trailers revealed since its 2019 announcement. The first trailer, although relatively cryptic, showed both Link and Zelda exploring an old ruin, in which they stumble upon a corpse. As for who the corpse was in a previous lifetime is unclear, though fans believe it to be Ganon, the series' primary antagonist that has made an appearance in just about every instalment in the anthology to date.

Although without a fully comprehensive plotline to boot, Nintendo has made it abundantly clear that Tears of the Kingdom will base its story around the kingdom of Hyrule, along with its beloved tunic-wearing Hero and a few familiar friends. Think Breath of the Wild, but bigger, bolder, and, well, better. 

3. Gameplay

Nintendo has confirmed that the sequel to Breath of the Wild will feature a far more expansive open world playground, which will also make use of the skies, allowing for Link to freely roam between islands and dungeons at will. Then, of course, there's the fluid real-time combat that made Breath of the Wild the powerhouse that it was, along with the kingdom of Hyrule's rich and intriguing history to boot. Again, these things will be built on, fleshed out, and hopefully sculpted into prime features that will help solidify the game's reputation on the Switch.

Like before, players will have the opportunity to quest far and wide across an alternate version of Hyrule, a place in which both vigor and soul synthesize an ever-evolving culture. Dungeons, hidden landmarks, and collectibles will also play a big part in Tears of the Kingdom. Here's hoping that they're not anything to do with collecting copious amounts of Korok Seeds, though.

2. Development

Nintendo left Breath of the Wild fans a little short-changed and out of the loop following its 2017 release. That said, the team did dive straight into developing the sequel without hesitation. It wasn't until 2019, however, that the first glimpse of the so-called Breath of the Wild 2 popped its head up, which revealed only a slither of content. This was, at least for another two years, all that was conceived, with the next trailer coming to light at the E3 2021 expo.

The last we saw of Tears of the Kingdom was at the Nintendo Direct event which occured in September of this year. Now believed to be pushing towards its final stretch, the sequel will be launching on Nintendo Switch (hopefully with no unexpected delays) on May 12, 2023.

1. Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023. You can pre-order the game from any major digital retailer for $59.99.

At the time of writing, Nintendo has only announced a single edition for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is the bread and butter Standard Edition, coming in at a bog-standard price of $59.99. It isn't clear whether or not the team will shed light on any special or collector's editions just yet, though if there are any at all, they probably won't be revealed until 2023.

For more information on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, be sure to follow the official social handle here. You can pre-order a copy of the game today directly from Nintendo, or through any major retail outlet.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom next year? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.