The Legend of Zeldaisn’t generally known for having a strong relationship with DLC, butThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildhad a strong line of DLC nonetheless. Through downloadable expansions, fans were treated to vast new combat challenges and got opportunities to empower the Master Sword and obtain a curious new vehicle, the Master Cycle Zero. AlthoughThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwas a huge hit, Nintendo made sure the game didn’t overstay its welcome, eventually wrapping up the game’s DLC support. Still, the circumstances of the IP make one wonder if there’s hope for one last expansion.
It’s no secret thatZeldafans are waiting with bated breath forBreath of the Wild 2.Fans have been dying to get their hands on the title since Nintendo confirmed a directBreath of the Wildsequel in 2019. This kind of sequel is uncommon in Nintendo’s flagship action-adventure franchise, but the first game was such a hit that it only stands to reason. Still, fans have had to wait for the game for so long that they deserve some kind of appetizer before it releases. A two-playerBreath of the WildDLCabout Link and Zelda would be the perfect treat in the months ahead of launch.
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The State of Breath of the Wild
The ending ofZelda: Breath of the Wildestablishes a sense of safety for Hyrule.Calamity Ganonhas been vanquished, and Link and Zelda are reunited. Like a surprising number ofZeldagames, Link and Zelda barely actually spend any time together inBreath of the Wild,but the game’s end thoroughly establishes them as a team again. Link’s flashbacks to before the fall of Hyrule establish a very close relationship between him and the princess, so it only stands to reason that they’re spending a lot of time together afterBreath of the Wild’s end, working on restoring Hyrule.
Crucially, it’s not clear how much time has passed betweenBreath of the Wildand its unnamed sequel. The new game may take place mere days after the first game, or perhaps months or years have passed, allowing order to slowly reestablish itself in Hyrule. The latter certainly seems plausible, since the formerly exhausted Zelda seems to be in top condition once again, even sporting a new haircut. That potential passage of time leaves Nintendo with a lot of space to fill within theBreath of the Wildcanon.
That’s why a new prequel DLC forBreath of the Wildwould be a good move. Players could take Link and Zelda on an adventure across Hyrule, clearing out Calamity Ganon’s remaining forces and rebuilding connections between the last bastions of the former kingdom. Even though Link is a famously silent protagonist,Breath of the Wild’s Memoriesprovide a strong basis for a cutscene-rich, slightly more linear jaunt through Hyrule where Zelda comes to terms with the state of Hyrule, Link helps her reconnect with her subjects, and the duo reestablishes their former ability to work as a team.
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Bringing Two-Player to Breath of the Wild
While aBotW2prologue inBreath of the Wildwould be great, it would be even better if Nintendo made such a DLC two-player. Throughout the prologue, players might switch off playing as Link and Zelda, with each character using unique skills to solve problems for Hylians and rebuild Hyrule’s towns and cities.Zeldafans rarely get to seeLink and Zeldawork together as a team, butBreath of the Wild’s ending firmly establishes that the pair will travel together to undo the ruin brought by Calamity Ganon. The best way to experience that unique circumstances would be by allowing two players to play through the adventure together.
A two-playerBotW2prologue with a playable Zelda would be perhaps the best compromise on a long-standing fan hope for the series. Fans want toplay as Princess Zelda, and while there’s still a chance thatBreath of the Wild 2fulfills that wish to some extent, Nintendo’s history of avoiding the possibility doesn’t inspire much confidence. If Nintendo doesn’t want Zelda sections inBreath of the Wild 2,then it should at least use DLC to give fans a chance to step into Zelda’s shoes alongside Link.
Two-player would admittedly be unorthodox inBreath of the Wild,even as a DLC, but the Switch is a great platform for it. Joy-Cons make multiplayer Switch games easy to pick up and play in any context, and a self-contained multiplayerZeldaDLC could make good use of that. What’s more, whileBreath of the Wilddoesn’t feature multiplayer,The Legend of Zeldahas a history of multiplayer outings likeTri Force Heroes.AZeldaDLC specifically designed for two players would merely tap into the franchise’s history of multiple playable Links and put Zelda in the spotlight instead.
The Odds of a Breath of the Wild Prologue
SinceBreath of the Wildis some five years old, it doesn’t seem all that likely that Nintendo will add a new DLC to it, but then again, Nintendo has surprised fans a few times in recent history by going back to old games. Last year, Nintendo added a massive update toSuper Mario Party’s online multiplayer, two and a half years after the game’s launch. Even more surprisingly, Nintendo recently kicked off theBooster Course Pass forMario Kart 8 Deluxe,adding a massive amount of DLC to a title that released five years ago.
These late updates certainly don’t confirm anything forBreath of the Wild,but they at least keep the door open for a surprise update. Nintendo certainly has good reason to make one last DLC forBreath of the Wildtoo. After all, it isn’t just one ofthe best-selling Switch titles, but it’s one of the best-selling video games of all time. Hype forBreath of the Wild 2is high, but a playable prologue could vastly increase excitement for the game while earning Nintendo a fair chunk of change.Breath of the Wild 2is still a good nine months away, barring any further delays, so there’s still plenty of time for Nintendo to come forward with a surprise. Hopefully it has something in mind.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2releases in spring 2023 for Nintendo Switch.
