The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom remains one of the most anticipated upcoming Switch games of 2023, with Nintendo set to expand on the foundations first outlined in Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
As the sequel to one of the best Switch games, Tears of the Kingdom looks set to expand on what came before by taking us to the skies above Hyrule, as well as offering up new items to play around with. First teased back in 2019 and given a full title during the Nintendo Direct September 2022 showcase, there's a lot to get excited about when it comes to Link's new adventure – particularly with a new gameplay direct set to go live on March 28. Read on below as we take you through everything we know so far about Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom release date
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom release date is set for May 12, 2023. The news was confirmed on September 12, as part of the Nintendo Direct September 2022 showcase. Tears of the Kingdom will launch as a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom news
We're set to get a lot of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom news this week, with Nintendo hosting a new direct focused around the new Switch exclusive. Here are all the details on how to watch the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom direct on March 28, which we are anticipating will show 10 minutes of new gameplay – our first real look at the game in action ahead of its release in May.
Thanks to the February Nintendo Direct, we got to see more of the new adventure with another Tears of the Kingdom trailer, showing off various means of traversal including what looks like on pretty magical car. Following the trailer, eagle-eyed fans also noticed that the house Link purchases in Breath of the Wild appears to still stand in Tears of the Kingdom, and the draw-distanced has vastly improved in comparison to the first game.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailers
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has received three trailers. The first was shown in 2019, setting the tone of this Breath of the Wild sequel as we see Link and Zelda exploring some creepy-looking ruins, before the Hero of Time finds himself grappling with a glowing magical arm. You can watch the Breath of the Wild Sequel reveal trailer above.
The second The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer was shown at E3 2021, with this one showcasing gameplay for the very first time. It was through this trailer that we learned that Link will gain a suite of new powers thanks to his new magical arm, and that the playable space was expanding into the sky.
The new The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer was shown during the Nintendo Direct September 2022 showcase. It teased new story details, showed off some of the stunning sky vistas we'll be able to explore, and confirmed that the Breath of the Wild sequel will officially be called "Tears of the Kingdom" when it launches on May 5, 2023.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay is set to build expansively on the more open traversal and combat systems that helped define the original Breath of the Wild. For starters, the world has extended into the skies – with Link swan diving from dungeons suspended above the clouds, and using all-new abilities (which are now powered by the glowing sword arm, rather than the Sheikah Slate) to quickly ascend from ground to air. Additionally, it appears that the large pool of available weapons (and degradation) is likely returning, with Link spotted equipped with a wooden axe, multiple swords, different shields, bow and arrows, and more throughout the three trailers. Between the new and returning Sheikah abilities and the addition of more open exploration, it looks like Tears of the Kingdom is set to build smartly on what came before it.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom story
Nintendo resisted revealing the name of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for fear of the subtitle spoiling too much of the story. Naturally, this has gotten the gears in our brains turning. From everything we've seen of this Breath of the Wild sequel so far, it would appear that the desiccated corpse of Ganon has arisen from beneath Hyrule Castle, and the tendrils of Malice as starting to spread once again. Naturally, the new trailer opened with mysterious Hylian writings and drawings, so that has sent the Internet into detective mode, while the prominence of "tears" in the subtitle has us wondering whether echoes of Zelda: Twilight Princess will play a role here – given the prominence of 'Tears' throughout the game GameCube adventure.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom setting
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom setting is building on the world we first explored in Breath of the Wild. We'll once again be able to venture across the vast lands of Hyrule, although you'll now have a more vertical playspace to contend with. The skies have opened up, with Link able to move between floating islands and dungeons – if you haven't played The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, now may be the time as there's clearly some synergy here. Interestingly, Nintendo says that Tears of the Kingdom "will take you up into the skies and an expanded world that goes beyond that", so who knows where else the game will take us.
