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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (AKA Breath of the Wild 2) has a release date

Joseph Yaden
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During the September 2022 Direct, Nintendo announced the title and release date for the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, this game will launch for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Coming May 12th, 2023 – Nintendo Switch

The developer also included a trailer, showcasing a breathtaking shot of Link flying through the air on a new winged device. Nintendo previously revealed that this game will focus more on the sky, similar to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. There were also some quick shots of Link scaling the side of a cliff and using his abilities to launch up into the air.

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Since the game’s reveal in 2019, Nintendo referred to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as “The Sequel to Breath of the Wild.” The company wanted to hold the game’s title so as to not spoil its premise since the name ties directly to the new mechanics and setting.

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On its press site, Nintendo implies that the new title may move beyond Hyrule: “In addition to the vast lands of Hyrule, the latest entry in the storied Legend of Zelda series will take you up into the skies and an expanded world that goes beyond that!” Based on the new art, it’s clear Link will spend a lot of time in the clouds, and in the trailer, you can see rain as the protagonist freefalls through the sky.

Nintendo will no doubt reveal more leading up to the game’s launch, but for now, we at least know what to call the new installment when it launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

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Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom isn’t our Game of the Year, but it’s the strongest No. 2 ever
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When we asked our writers to give us a list of their favorite games of 2023, everyone had a different game in the top spot. We saw votes for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Alan Wake 2, Hi-Fi Rush, and even Sonic Superstars. Baldur's Gate 3 ultimately won out, but what stuck out to me the most following that process was how, on almost everyone's list, the same game was in that No. 2 slot: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Released by Nintendo in May after a long wait, Tears of the Kingdom would have been the industry's unequivocal game of the year in any other year. Although its competition was too stiff in this packed year for that to be the case, that doesn't make Tears of the Kingdom any less of an experience. In fact, I think that earning a spot near the top on almost everyone's personal list at Digital Trends demonstrates how widely appealing Nintendo's latest Zelda game is and that end-of-year gaming conversations should be about uplifting great games, not nitpicking their flaws to determine which one's the best.
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Tears of the Kingdom is a monumental achievement in open-world game design. It essentially has three worlds stacked on top of each other. From almost any point in Hyrule, it's possible to stop, look around, and find several points of interest around, above, and below yourself. That alone makes it a game that consistently delivers a sense of awe and discovery, even after dozens of hours of playtime.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now for Nintendo Switch.

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