The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, has made its way into the hands of journalists and online influencers in the form of review copies. The game, which is set to be released on May 12, is a sequel to the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017). Developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo, the upcoming title retains many aspects of its predecessor, while introducing new features and an expanded open-world environment.
Nintendo provided early access to the game for select members of the press during a demonstration held on April 26. The company shared previews of the game, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect in the sequel. The full game, however, will not be available to the public until its official launch date in May.
The protagonist, Link, returns in Tears of the Kingdom and is joined by Zelda in their quest to defend Hyrule from a malevolent force. The game builds upon the open-world environment of Breath of the Wild, enabling players to explore Hyrule with greater vertical freedom.
The decision to create a sequel was made after the development team realized that the downloadable content (DLC) for Breath of the Wild could not accommodate all their ideas. Hidemaro Fujibayashi and Eiji Aonuma, who served as director and producer for the previous title, have reprised their roles in Tears of the Kingdom. The game was first teased during E3 2019, followed by a full reveal at E3 2021 and an official title announcement in a September 2022 Nintendo Direct.
Although there is no official word on when the review embargo will be lifted, it is typical for Nintendo games to have reviews published a day or two before their official release. Fans eagerly await the verdict on this highly anticipated sequel as the launch date draws near.