The highly-anticipated sequel to 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild officially has a title.
Fans can hardly contain their excitement at the impending arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Its predecessor remains one of the most beloved Nintendo games of all time, and is broadly considered one of the greatest games on the market. This heaps some pretty massive expectations onto the shoulders of Tears of the Kingdom, but Nintendo tends to deliver. Particularly considering the consistent delays experienced by the latest Legend of Zelda title, fans are convinced that it’s set to be a truly life-changing game.
As the game’s official release inches closer, gamers prepping themselves for its release by learning everything they can about the upcoming title. It’s set in the same world as Breath of the Wild, and its story directly follows that of the 2017 release, so will it also take place in a sprawling open world?
Is Tears of the Kingdom open world?
Breath of the Wild was the first Legend of Zelda game to boast an open world, and fans quickly became addicted to its broad and unencumbered gameplay. While every LoZ game well-earns its praise, even longtime fans were quickly seduced by the expansive approach to storytelling, and are ardently hoping for more of the same in Tears of the Kingdom.
Thankfully, they’re set to see those dreams realized. Tears of the Kingdom will take a number of cues from Breath of the Wild, and these will include the franchise’s second open world setting. The game likewise boasts nearly the same gameplay mechanics as its predecessor, but promises several additions and enhancements to keep things interesting. Trailers for the game indicate that, while the world will remain the same, much of the gameplay is set to shift upward, with the majority of the action taking place on floating structures in the skies above Hyrule.
This should allow players to enjoy a brand new world as well as the one they fell in love with while playing Breath of the Wild. New mechanics and abilities will make traversing this new area easier, and open up the world of the latest Legend of Zelda story even further.
Tears of the Kingdom is slated to release on May 12, 2023.