There’s no doubt thatThe Legend of Zeldafranchise made history on the Nintendo Switch with the release ofBreath of the Wild. This massive open-world game even went on to inspire the gaming industry as a whole, as several games that were released following it attempted to capture some of the elements that madeBOTWso special.
Following that,Tears of the Kingdomexpanded upon this iconic world even further, and even Zelda got her very own release on the Switch withEchoes of Wisdom. Unfortunately,while it’s been a great time to be aZeldafan these last few years, this does ultimately leave the franchise in a bit of an awkward positionheading into the Nintendo Switch 2 era.
Zelda Is Set For A Big Transition On Switch 2
Following TOTK & Echoes Of Wisdom, It’s Clear That Players Are Ready For Something New
Although we have yet to hear any word onwhat’s next forZeldain terms of the Nintendo Switch 2, it seems pretty clear that Nintendo is going to be looking to try something new, rather than continue with the same ideas that they presented players on the Nintendo Switch.
Anyone who was around for the release ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildknows that, as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch, it undoubtedly played a significant role in initial console sales. Then, with the big release ofTears of the Kingdomhappening in 2023 toward the end of the Switch’s lifespan, it was obvious at this point thatZeldawas the series that defined the Switch.
BOTWwas also released on the Wii U to avoid alienating players who couldn’t purchase a new console right away, but with it beingone of Nintendo’s worst consoles, I doubt I need to explain why itsBOTWrelease was insignificant in comparison.
That being said,TOTKwasn’t without its criticisms, as many found the game to be a bit too similar toBOTW, which ultimately led to burnout for a lot of players, and made it clear thatthe franchise would need to do something entirely new on the Switch 2to re-capture their attention.
Zelda’s Switch Era Couldn’t Last Forever
Breath of the Wild Captured Lightning In A Bottle, But It’s Time To Say Goodbye
Although I wasn’t one of the many who bought a Nintendo Switch at launch, as I was a bit skeptical of Nintendo following the Wii U, even I was ultimately convinced to take the plunge just because ofBreath of the Wild.Unlike previousZeldagames,BOTWpresented Hyrule in a way we’d never seen before, with a massive open-world landscape andnew interpretations of theZeldaformulathat we were previously familiar with.
While it had every potential to be a major miss by Nintendo, as revamping major IPs can often trigger negative reactions from nostalgic fans, it seemed that almost everyone was on board with Nintendo taking a risk here. Then, following that success, Nintendo released the direct sequel,TOTK, to expand on that same world that players had become so invested in.
AlthoughTOTKwas heavily praised, and still is, for building onBOTW’s foundation and adding gameplay elements that allowed players to finish the game by whatever means they could come up with, it also highlighted a glaring problem.As great asTOTKwas, it lost the wonder element thatBOTWhadand made it clear thata direct sequel toTOTKwould be the worst move for Nintendo to make.
Of course, these weren’t the onlyZeldareleases on the Switch either, asZelda ended up with her own Switch game as well, right at the tail end of the Switch’s lifespan. Unfortunately, while Zelda’s game,Echoes of Wisdom, was meant totarget the audience of theLink’s Awakeningremake, since they had a similar art and gameplay style, not many players were thrilled with it.
Overall,Echoes of Wisdomwas seen as cute but simplistic and didn’t really stand out the way that Nintendo might’ve hoped it would. This reaction only further emphasized that players were ready to step away fromZeldagames that feel like a rehash of something they’ve already experienced before and instead wanted something more original.
So,that now leaves Nintendo with only one real option: start from the ground up. LikeBreath of the Wild, Nintendo needs to work onreinventing theZeldaformulaonce again and do something fresh that remains faithful to key elements of the overall franchise if they hope to see a similar response from fans in the future.
The Future Of Zelda Is A Mystery For Now
The Nintendo Switch 2 Will See Its Own Unique Zelda Era, But It’s Unclear What That Will Look Like
Unfortunately, there’s no way to know for sure what Nintendo is planning at this point, butit seems likely that whatever is next forZeldais probably in development already. However, given thatTears of the Kingdomwas only released a few years ago, andEchoes of Wisdomwas just last year, I doubt there’s any rush to get something out right away.
Not only that, but withMario Kart WorldandDonkey Kong Bananzabeing major games for the Switch 2 at the moment,Nintendo likely wants to give some of its other franchises a chance to breathebefore launching a game that will overshadow everything else. Especially withPokémon Legends: Z-A, and at some point, Gen 10, also launching on the Switch 2.
Of course,Zeldahasn’t gone completely ignored on the Switch 2either, as bothBOTWandTOTKgot Switch 2 upgradesthat enhanced the overall game and added new features. These upgrades, which are now technicallyMetacritic’s first and second best games of 2025, have caused tons of players to revisit the series, giving Nintendo even more time to work on the next entry.
Overall, Nintendo certainly has a challenge ahead, but if it hopes to achieve even remotely the same success that it did withBOTW,The Legend of Zeldagame on the Switch 2 will need to be something that completely re-imagines this beloved franchise in a way that will astonish both new and returning players. Of course, that’s easier said than done, since I’m one of those players, and even I’m unsure what exactly it is that I want from the franchise at this point.
Sources:Metacritic
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule. Each game features different incarnations of Link and Zelda, maintaining core elements while introducing new characters and settings.
