The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 was first announced in 2019, and fans have been speculating about its release date ever since. A recent leak from an online retailer suggested that the Breath of the Wild sequel might be coming as early as the second quarter of 2021, a welcome surprise for players who can’t wait to return to Hyrule. A recent job posting suggests that another Nintendo Direct might be in the works, so the video game giant may be planning to announce a release date then.
This possible date also coincides suspiciously well with the resurgence of rumors that Nintendo is working on an upgraded version of the Switch. Speculation about the console has been circulating for over a year, but Nintendo’s recent denial of the so-called Super Switch was very carefully worded. The company claimed earlier this week that it has no plans to announce a new version of the console “anytime soon,” which might mean it plans to later this year. With interest in the new console and the Zelda sequel at an all-time high, many fans are returning to the theory that Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 will be a Super Switch launch title.
The original Breath of the Wild was an incredibly successful launch title for the Nintendo Switch, so it’s easy to see why Nintendo might want to release Breath of the Wild 2 alongside the Super Switch. Though the original BotW was stunning to look at, it was also famously hampered by the limitations of the Switch’s hardware. BotW 2 is going to use the same map as the original, so releasing the sequel on a more powerful device would showcase the new model’s increased capabilities. The move would almost be poetic; at a moment in history when many are wishing they go back in time, allowing players to re-discover Hyrule on a brand-new console would do exactly that.
Unfortunately, the evidence that Breath of the Wild 2 is only a few months away is fairly thin. The current rumor is based on a date leaked by an Austrian retailer called Gameware, which promised a Q2 2021 release date. However, fans were quick to point out that box art on the site appears to be Photoshopped fan art. Though the site has a track record of leaking correct release dates in the past, this seems more like a mistake than anything else. The listing is still available, albeit with an amended release date of 2021. It’s possible that Nintendo requested “Q2” be removed, but more likely that this was done proactively to protect the site from legal trouble.
Though this particular Breath of the Wild 2 rumor is questionable, now would be the perfect time for Nintendo to release an updated version of the Switch. Nintendo has a track record of releasing more powerful versions of its consoles about halfway through their life cycles, and told investors in May 2020 that the Switch was “barely in the middle” of its own lifespan. With the recent trend of console revisions and Nintendo’s own iterations on handhold products, it adds up that it might to do the same.
Simply put, Nintendo hasn’t needed to sell a Super Switch because the original Switch is still selling incredibly well. The Switch was the best-selling console of 2020, with higher sales than any other year, but if the company ever plans to release a new Switch model, the window to do so is closing. Fans are likely to start asking about Nintendo’s next console by the end of 2021, and once they do, the perceived value of an upgraded current-gen console will drop. Nintendo has a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on the Switch’s immense popularity, and this is the year to do it with Breath of the Wild 2 in tow.
If Breath of the Wild 2 is a Super Switch exclusive, Nintendo will likely be able to sell consoles on the strength of that title alone. Q2 2021 seems a bit early for either release, especially since the next Nintendo Direct hasn’t even been announced yet, but that’s not to say the possibility dies here. Fortunately, the two products appear to be linked, and as Nintendo reveals more information about one, fans may be able to learn more about the other.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development for Nintendo Switch.
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