The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Gives Breath Of The Wild 2 Its Long-Awaited Release

Nintendo fans had one big question for the gaming company's big Nintendo Direct on September 13, and that was all about the hit Zelda series of games and the hotly-anticipated next title. After the success of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" it was only a matter of time, after all, for details on the sequel to be announced. Now, we have both a name for the game and a release date.

Unsurprisingly, though it may have been referred to in recent months as "Breath of the Wild 2," that's not the name that it'll launch as. Instead, Nintendo confirmed today that it'll be titled "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" when it arrives on Switch. Of course, that arrival has been a long time coming, and Nintendo's initial launch plans were derailed not once but twice. If all goes to plan, however, we finally have a concrete release date.

The game "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" has a release date of May 12, 2023, or roughly eight months away. Still a wait, certainly, but considering Nintendo first announced it was working on a "Breath of the Wild" sequel all the way back in 2019 — pre-pandemic, no less — we're definitely getting closer now.

Nintendo

As for what the game itself will include, details there are still relatively scant. Nintendo has promised that the gameplay this time around "will take you up into the skies" and, judging by the new trailer shown off today, that'll include some serious leaps and even riding a glider through the air.

Figure on exploring Hyrule in three dimensions, then, with climbing, soaring, and the usual swordplay familiar from every "Zelda" title. Anticipation is high and "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" is likely to be a candidate for most Switch gamers' Best Game of 2023 list, so Nintendo has plenty to prove with Link's newest outing.