2025 will see the release of heavy-hitting Nintendo titles like Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4, but for a lot of players, the significance of such games pales in comparison to the next The Legend of Zelda entry. Naturally, Zelda has always been popular, but it has enjoyed newfound levels of success in the wake of the massively popular Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom duology, which not only helped to reinvigorate the franchise, but also influence open-world gaming as a whole.
With these two Zelda games now in the rearview, Nintendo is setting its sights on the future of the series. After the release of Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo followed with Echoes of Wisdom, the series' first major Zelda-helmed adventure and a significant departure from the previous two flagship entries. Interestingly enough, Link will be taking a backseat once again in the next official Zelda game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which is set long before the events of TOTK. With Link being benched for two entries in a row, it will certainly be interesting to see what becomes of him in the next mainline release.
Mainline Zelda Games that Deserve Hyrule Warriors Spin-Offs
With Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment expanding Zelda's story, other Zelda games could receive a similar lore boost through further spin-offs.
The Next Big Legend of Zelda Game Will Be Tasked With Introducing a New Link
Nintendo Will Replace the Link of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom
First introduced in 2017, Breath of the Wild's rendition of Link has been the series' de facto version for the better part of a decade. After all, this Link has the rare honor of being featured in more than one Zelda game, and even represents the character in disconnected crossovers like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In short, BOTW's Link has become the face of the long-running hero, becoming synonymous with the Zelda brand in the post-Wii U era.
But with Nintendo making it clear that Tears of the Kingdom won't be getting a direct sequel, it can be safely assumed that yet another version of Link will be introduced whenever Zelda continues in earnest. Not only that, but the next mainline Zelda will likely be the one that defines the legacy of the Switch 2, much like how Breath of the Wild is a crucial part of the first Switch's story.
And not only will this new take on Link be following what is arguably his most iconic incarnation yet, but he will also be breaking the character's hiatus. Since there will be a buffer of at least two Zelda games sans Link between TOTK and the next big release, audiences will be ready for a fresh take on the character. When that time comes, Nintendo will have to deliver a worthy successor.
The Case for Nintendo To Go Left-Field With the Next Link
The Link of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is certainly commendable, and a strong candidate for the strongest, most capable version of the character yet. But he is also rather bog-standard, as far as Links go: he doesn't have much in the way of personality or distinguishing traits, and while this makes sense, it's also been proven to not be necessary. Games like Twilight Princess show that it's possible to give Link a detailed backstory and specific characteristics, even if they're as minor as having an affinity for animals.
After taking the blank-slate approach for this most recent version of Link, perhaps the next Zelda game could get a bit more experimental. Nintendo might have a pass to make this next Link a bit more firmly defined, perhaps with his own unambiguous personality or goals. Conversely, he might be more freeform than ever before, bordering on being a custom character. Who knows, maybe he could even speak.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Cross-Platform Play
- N/A
- Cross Save
- N/A
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
- Franchise
- The Legend of Zelda
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- n/a
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 59 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- n/a
