It goes without saying thatThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis positioned to be one of the biggest video game releases of 2023. The sequel to 2017’s colossal smash hitThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, this new adventure starring Link and the gang has a sky-high level of hype surrounding it and should provide the Nintendo Switch with one of its last big heavy hitter titles before the console’s inevitable successor comes out.
WhileThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwill surely sell millions of copies and receive positive reviews, there is a downside to the game for Nintendo going forward. Previews and trailers for the latest entry inThe Legend of Zeldaseries boast an even more impressive world that pushes the boundaries of interaction and exploration to an almost unfathomable level. Having elevated the bar so high with this latest outing begs the question of where Nintendo can really go next with the next installment.
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Tears of the Kingdom: Open World Game Design Perfected
It remains to be seen exactly howTears of the Kingdomwill play out until it launches next month, but the concern still remains that Nintendo may have done too good of a job with its latest blockbuster game. In 2017,Breath of the Wildserved as a fresh spin onThe Legend of Zeldaformula, which many felt had grown a bit tired withSkyward Sword’ssomewhat repetitive structure. The switch to an open world design and complete freedom allowed fans to approach the missions in any order, bringing back the sense of discovery and adventure that had been absent from the series for many years.
From an already perfect blueprint for anopen world adventure game, Nintendo has decided to pack in as many creative ideas as possible to makeTears of the Kingdomthe ultimate playground. Any idea seems possible, any outlandish scenario to accomplish a goal feasible. The recent gameplay previews for the Ultrahand introduce a near limitless list of possibilities for players to mess around with and enjoy. While this is a thrilling concept and is sure to result in a fun game, it’s a double-edged sword since Nintendo may have packed the game with so many options that it leaves little wiggle room for future innovations in a later release.
Where To Take The Zelda Franchise Next
Just asMario Kart 8 DeluxeandSuper Smash Bros Ultimatereached the pinnacleof their respective genres,Tears of the Kingdomseems lined up to be the prime example of how to approach an open world experience. Similar to how players started to feel thatSkyward Swordwas the formula growing thin over a decade ago, there is a danger of repeating these sentiments if yet another open world entry is released that is unable to push the concept further than the peak it already seemed to have reached.
Thankfully, as is the case with numerous franchises in pop culture, when a concept reaches the best form it can be, it presents an opportunity for another fresh spin of ideas. The only question remains exactly what Nintendo would plan to do with its most popular IP, next to theSuper Mario Brosfranchise. There is a possibility that if Nintendo launches a Switch successor that is more technologically on par with PS5 and Xbox Series X, that just a huge graphical upgrade would be enough to inject more energy into the open world style ofThe Legend of Zelda.
Other options would be for a return to the action adventure style present inOcarina of Time, with a more specific narrative and return to classic conventions of the series. Another possibility would be to take a break from 3D entries altogether for a while and simply release2D games likeA Link to the Past. Whatever Nintendo chooses to do, fans will wait with eager anticipation for bothTears of the Kingdom, and what the future holds for the franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomreleases June 19, 2025, for Nintendo Switch.
