As rumors about Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and the ‘Super Switch’ abound, the latter has seemingly big implications if the two are indeed connected.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 was first announced in 2019, and fans have been speculating about its release date ever since. A recent leak from an online retailer suggested that the Breath of the Wild sequel may be arriving as early as the second quarter of 2021, a welcome surprise for players who cannot wait to return to Hyrule. A recent job posting suggests that another Nintendo Direct may be in development, so the video game giant may be planning to announce a release date.
This possible date also coincides very well with the resurgence of rumors that Nintendo is working on an updated version of the Switch. Speculation about the console has been circulating for more than a year, but Nintendo’s recent denial of the so-called Super Switch has been formulated very carefully. The company said earlier this week that it has no plans to announce a new version of the console “anytime soon”, which may mean it plans to do so later this year. With an interest in the new console and Zelda sequence at a higher point, many fans are returning to the theory that Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 will be a Super Switch release title.
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A perfect launch title
The original Breath of the Wild was an incredibly successful launch title for the Nintendo Switch, so it’s easy to see why Nintendo might want to release Breath of the Wild 2 next to the Super Switch. Although the original BotW it was impressive to look at, but it was also notoriously hampered by the limitations of the Switch’s hardware. BotW 2 will use the same map as the original, so launching the sequence on a more powerful device would show the improved features of the new model. The change would be almost poetic; at a time in history when many want to go back in time, allowing players to rediscover Hyrule on a brand new console would do just that.
Unfortunately, the evidence that Breath of the Wild 2 it is only a few months away is quite thin. The current rumor is based on a date leaked by an Austrian retailer called Gameware, which promised a release date for the second quarter of 2021. However, fans were quick to point out that the box art on the website appears to be an art from fan with Photoshop. Although the site has a history of leaking correct release dates in the past, this seems more of a mistake than anything else. The list is still available, albeit with an amended release date of 2021. It is possible that Nintendo requested the removal of “Q2”, but it is more likely that this was done proactively to protect the site from legal problems.
Time to change
Although this particular Breath of the Wild 2 the rumor is questionable, now would be the perfect time for Nintendo to release an updated version of the Switch. Nintendo has a history of releasing more powerful versions of its consoles halfway through their life cycles, and told investors in May 2020 that the Switch was “barely in the middle” of its own life. With the recent trend of console revisions and Nintendo’s own iterations in handheld products, he adds that he can do the same.
Simply put, Nintendo did not have to sell a Super Switch because the original Switch is still selling incredibly well. The Switch was the best-selling console in 2020, with higher sales than any other year, but if the company plans to launch a new model of Switch, the window for that is closing. Fans are likely to start asking themselves about Nintendo’s next console in late 2021, and once they do, the perceived value of an updated current-generation console will decrease. Nintendo has a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on the immense popularity of the Switch, and this is the year to do so Breath of the Wild 2 in tow.
What if Breath of the Wild 2 is an exclusive Super Switch, Nintendo will probably be able to sell consoles only with the strength of that title. Q2 2021 seems a little early for any of the releases, especially since the next Nintendo Direct has not yet been announced, but that does not mean that the possibility ends here. Fortunately, the two products seem to be linked, and as Nintendo reveals more information about one, fans can learn more about the other.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is in development for Nintendo Switch.
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