Nintendo lastly delivered followers the lengthy awaited title for the subsequent mainline Zelda recreation on Tuesday: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It will launch May 12, 2023 on Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo first teased the sport all the way in which again in 2019, the place a trailer confirmed what is perhaps a very dehydrated Ganondorf. In summer season of 2021, we acquired a deeper have a look at the sport which confirmed us Link’s new powers and his luscious locks. The most up-to-date trailer from Tuesday’s was largely cinematic and confirmed numerous historical carvings. Now, followers are placing collectively the items of each to develop theories in regards to the new recreation.

It’s simply enjoyable to take a position and choose the trailer aside for doable connections to earlier Legend of Zelda video games. So, we determined to spherical up a number of the greatest and most thought-provoking fan theories we’ve discovered up to now. Again, none of that is confirmed information, but it surely’s a good way to see what followers are getting enthusiastic about. As we get nearer to launch, we’ll proceed to replace this record with all of the cool stuff we see as extra data comes out and followers formulate new concepts.

There’s a connection to the Zonai from Breath of the Wild

In The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, we encounter scattered ruins from an extinct group of individuals that when occupied the lands of Hyrule. They are known as the Zonai, however we don’t know a lot about them aside from that they made a number of the Hylian landmarks seen within the recreation, just like the dragon carvings and a number of the historical structure.

Fans have identified that the emblem and dragons within the new field artwork appears to look a complete lot like a number of the Zonai carvings, insinuating that we are going to be taught extra about them and simply what occurred to group within the upcoming recreation.

Do we play as Ganon in Breath of the Wild 2?

Probably probably the most prevalent unconfirmed principle is that we received’t play Breath of the Wild 2 as Link. Instead, in a collection first, we’ll really play the sport as Ganondorf. The daring principle would characterize one of many largest departures within the historical past of the Zelda franchise, however the concept has picked up numerous traction amongst a great deal of followers.

The primary gist of the idea is that the “Link” we see within the trailer isn’t really Link, and that it’s really the shriveled Ganon we see at first of the trailer. The concept is supported primarily by the visible similarities between Ganon and the character within the trailer, who wears a one-shoulder tunic like Ganon. Also, we don’t ever see this character’s face.

Besides these visible similarities, there’s a additionally little bit of lore in Breath of the Wild which will assist this principle. In a tapestry, we see a hero saving the land from the calamity 10,000 years earlier than the occasions of BOTW. The hero saving the world appears just like the zombie Ganon at nighttime and the brand new “Link.” Once once more, this has led some folks to suppose there’s some type of connection.

Those are the broadest strokes of the idea, however if you wish to go in-depth, you possibly can try this video from Kinda Funny Games that breaks down the idea in full.

Can we play as Zelda in Breath of the Wild 2?

At the start of the trailer, we see Princess Zelda falling backwards right into a darkish pit. Although this would possibly look like an indication that we received’t get to play as her, some followers are speculating in any other case.

Once once more, this principle form of hinges on the truth that we don’t know with 100% certainty that we play as Link, since we don’t see his face. However, from the character’s design — they put on a tunic that covers half their chest — we will assume that the character we see isn’t Zelda. Why? Because she in all probability is just not flying by means of Hyrule’s skies with one tiddy free.

However, some persons are nonetheless holding out hope that we will play as her, and that we’ll get to decide on who falls into the deep darkish pit sooner or later within the recreation.

Do we return to Skyloft?

One of the obvious connections between the Breath of the Wild sequel and this trailer is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The opening cinematic of Link from the trailer is just about the identical actual scene of Link falling by means of the clouds in Skyward Sword. What’s extra, the trailer exhibits floating islands similar to in Skyward Sword. The description below the official Nintendo YouTube account actually says, “Return to Hyrule — and the skies above,” which is a reasonably clear connection to floating island of Skyloft.

The cinematic parallels and the truth that Nintendo has introduced that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is is getting an HD Remaster for the Nintendo Switch, whereas different Zelda video games haven’t, has led some folks to take a position that Link would possibly return to Skyloft within the newest recreation.

Tears of the Kingdom and Skyward Sword share an historical relic

Amber Relics are a useful resource discovered all through the Surface in Skyward Sword. In the sport, the outline of the merchandise tells us that we don’t know the place the unusual form comes from, however then within the newest trailer we see a equally formed merchandise encompass a deity-like determine in a carving, thus additional hinting at some form of connection between the 2 video games.

Is Breath of the Wild 2 linked to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess?

People have additionally identified visible connections between The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and the brand new trailer. For starters, there’s a shared coloration scheme between the portals in Twilight Princess and the pictures with Link’s arms within the trailer. Also, folks have identified that the design of Midna, who accompanies Link in Twilight Princess, appears much like that of the brand new stone monster we see within the trailer.

Does Link time journey within the Breath of the Wild sequel?

In the trailer, Link seems to make use of some form of time journey energy to push a spiked ball again up a hill. In addition to that, connections between Link’s new design, and the hero depicted within the tapestry in regards to the Calamity from 10,000 years earlier than BOTW, have led some folks to suppose that there could possibly be some form of time journey taking place.

Oh, and one doable Easter Egg within the Breath of the Wild 2 trailer…

Like all the things else on this record, this tidbit has not been confirmed as both intentional or significant. However, one fan believes the music within the newest trailer is a backwards model of the tune performed in the course of the authentic Breath of the Wild cutscene in regards to the tapestry depicting the prophecy.

Needless to say, there’s nonetheless a lot we don’t know in regards to the Breath of the Wild sequel. As we get extra data, we’ll proceed to gather all the most important theories we see.

Update: This article was up to date to comprise extra data and theories based mostly on the trailer revealed in the course of the latest Nintendo Direct on Sept. 13.