Today’s Nintendo Direct livestream confirmed that the next mainline Zelda game will be called The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That title might be why Nintendo’s branch in the United Kingdom avoided streaming the presentation live, as the UK is still in a designated mourning period for the death of Queen Elizabeth II — an unfortunate coincidence, if there ever was one.
Tears of the Kingdom is set above the skies of Hyrule, and in the trailer, Link can be seen surrounded by floating islands and holding onto rocks as they are pulled off the ground. Details about the story and gameplay are still scarce, but the few snapshots of gameplay look like Breath of the Wild. The first game places you in the shoes of Link as he wakes up from an extended slumber in a fractured Hyrule, with the goal of preventing Calamity Ganon from destroying what’s left of the world.
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Nintendo has set the release date for May 12, 2023, almost exactly six years after Breath of the Wild. Delays are not out of the question, especially considering the game initially had a 2022 release window. However, the more specific timeline means Nintendo is more confident the game will arrive on schedule.
