Nintendo has a stacked release schedule for 2022. The Switch already gotPokemon Legends: Arceuson January 28, and there are set release dates for titles includingKirby and the Forgotten Land,Nintendo Switch Sports,Mario Strikers: Battle League, andFire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. There’s also a number of upcoming games with less specific windows, includingSplatoon 3, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, andThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.
Game Freak threw another treat on the pile byannouncingPokemon ScarletandViolet, the first titles in its franchise’s ninth generation, during the Pokemon Presents livestream for Pokemon Day 2022. The pair of mainlinePokemontitles have a late 2022 release window despite the aforementioned release ofLegends: Arceus(plusBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearllate last year), but this makes sense consideringPokemongames are often big holiday releases for Nintendo consoles. However, it putsBreath of the Wild 2in a potentially awkward situation given how much is under wraps.
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Breath of the Wild 2’s Uncertain Release
ThoughBreath of the Wild 2was revealed during Nintendo’s E3 2019 presentation - more than two years after the original - little has been said about what to expect from the anticipated sequel. A second trailer debuted at E3 2021 that showed off a number of Link’s new abilities and revealed the open-world map of Hyrule will change with chunks of land thrown into the sky. However, the game has yet to confirm its official title or release date.
Another update was provided in Nintendo’s third-quarter investor presentation, released about a week before Nintendo’s February 2022 Direct. However this amounted to confirmation thatBreath of the Wild 2intends to hit its 2022 release window, without much else in the way of new information. Link was absent from the Direct, which primarily focused on titles set to release in the first half of 2022 - with the notable exception ofXenoblade Chronicles 3announced for September.
It’s safe to assumeBreath of the Wild 2will have a heavy presence at E3 2022, and there’s a good chance its release date will be unveiled; something akin toMetroid Dreadbeing announced at E3 2021 with plans to launch that October. Yet it’s no longer certain that the upcomingLegend of Zeldagame is Nintendo’s blockbuster holiday release considering it now has to compete with a newPokemonexperience.
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Breath of the Wild 2 and Pokemon May Compete For Attention
It is possible that Nintendo hopes to launch bothBreath of the Wild 2andPokemon Scarlet and Violetthis holiday season. The originalBreath of the Wildhit store shelves alongside the Nintendo Switch in March 2017, but historically entries likeOcarina of Time,Twilight Princess,andSkyward Swordhave launched in November. MainlinePokemongames have also consistently released in November since 2014’sOmega RubyandAlpha Sapphire, but consideringhow recentLegends: Arceus' launch loomsthere’s a chance Game Freak might hold off for December.
Both titles are also different genres and could arguably hit different audiences; one being an action-adventure game with intermittent puzzle sections, the other being a creature-collecting RPG with a multiplayer bent. YetPokemon ScarletandVioletmark the series' first wholly open-world venture, putting them in a similar territory toBreath of the Wild. SinceThe Legend of ZeldaandPokemonare equally heavy hitters, it’s hard to imagine Nintendo advertising their open-world titles as concurrent system sellers when dropping one at a time would give both their time to shine.
There’s no evidence to back the claim, but one could arguePokemon’s late 2022 release window is a sign that Nintendo needed something to fillBreath of the Wild 2’s shoes. The originalBreath of the Wildsaw a number of delays, starting life as an early blockbuster release for Wii U, and its sequel could also get pushed back if Nintendo feels the team needs time to make it as innovative. Information is sparse, so fans will have to wait and see whether Nintendo keeps its stacked 2022 library or saves some love for 2023.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2releases in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
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