Many games were revealed this year at The Game Awards 2021, but several notable developers and publishers were missing from the lineup, including Nintendo and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's currently untitled sequel. With the game's release date projected for some time during 2022, it may seem odd Nintendo didn't use The Game Awards as a platform to tease a trailer. However, there are several reasons why the developer may be waiting to give further details on BOTW2.
Breath of The Wild's sequel was first teased during E3 2019, just three years after the first game's successful release. Including cinematic views of Hyrule's open-world, BOTW2's trailer also showed Link and Princess Zelda locating what appeared to be Calamity Ganon. Since the official announcement, Nintendo has offered little on what fans may expect, or where the sequel falls on the timeline for the first game. With new elements like the teased air gliding in BOTW2, many are eager to know what other ways they will be able to explore the vast map of Hyrule.
While Nintendo's overall absence from The Game Awards 2021 was disappointing for those hoping for further news on Breath of the Wild 2, as well as the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it isn't actually surprising. In the past years, The Game Awards has served as a platform for Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate announcements like Sephiroth's addition last year, but not for major reveals or trailer drops. Instead, these announcements have been saved for Nintendo Direct streams, which occur several times a year. It is possible Nintendo has a Direct planned for the coming months, which could finally give players a projected release date for BOTW2, as well as news for any other upcoming titles planned for 2022 and 2023.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Could Be Delaying BOTW2 Reveals
Another reason news regarding Breath of the Wild's sequel may be sparse is due to the upcoming release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Currently planned for release on January 28 2022, Pokémon Legends: Arceus will pioneer a new future for the Pokémon franchise in a similar way to the major changes in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Because the release date is so close, Nintendo may be choosing to delay hype for BOTW2 until after the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, so that both games don't compete with each other and for each one to have the undivided attention of Nintendo players. While nothing has been confirmed, this could also hint at a release date later next year for BOTW2, as there are currently no Pokémon games slotted for the upcoming fall.
While waiting for news has been frustrating and lengthy for Breath of the Wild fans, hopefully, the future months will reveal more on what can be expected in the upcoming sequel. It is even possible the game could follow an entirely new Link and Zelda, or give an explanation for how Ganon becomes the monster faced in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With so many possibilities, the excitement for the upcoming game will likely continue to grow as the projected release year gets started.