Zelda Fans Think Tears Of The Kingdom Was Delayed Because Of The Queen
The tears of a kingdom are flowing right now, and it's not because of Nintendo's upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Tears of a Kingdom. The United Kingdom and the world at large are mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but did the death of Her Majesty really lead to the gaming giant delaying its announcement of the latest Zelda game?
Since 1986, Nintendo has had us slashing our way through Hyrule as the Hero of Time. Although the series is named after Princess Zelda, it's the courageous Link and his green tunic that have become synonymous with the Nintendo exclusive. From King Zora to the King of Red Lions, Queen Rutela to the Great Fairy, we've seen plenty of monarchs across the series' history. As far as we're aware, Queen Elizabeth II doesn't exist in this world.
Was Tears Of The Kingdom Delayed Because Of The Queen?
The queen passed away at the age of 96 on September 8, and since, we've seen the United Kingdom thrown into turmoil. While King Charles III quickly ascended the throne, the country has entered a period of mourning ahead of her funeral on September 19.
As well as TV schedules changing, shops closing, and reduced transport services, we've seen everyone treading more carefully with what they're putting out on social media. The September 13 Nintendo Direct was pulled in the UK, and although it was available to stream from other locations, some questioned why the gaming showcase was given the boot. Now, some think it's to do with Breath of the Wild 2's big reveal.
Nintendo closed its presentation with a brief trailer - finally confirming that Breath of the Wild 2 will be officially be called Tears of the Kingdom. Posting on Twitter, one fan noted a possible connection between the name and mourning in the UK, questioning whether this is why it wasn't shown here.
When Will Tears Of The Kingdom Release?
Whether the OP is a conspiracy theorist or not, fandom was split on the idea that Nintendo pulled the Direct over respect or because of the game's name. "They were right to make this decision we're heartbroken over here," said one. Another added, "Googling the title it’s all UK news so I think so lmfaooo," while a third said, "No, they're just not encouraged to livestream during a period of mourning. Probably would've been the same without the title reveal." Unless someone from Nintendo confirms or denies the theory, we're left in the dark.
At least we now have an official title for the long-awaited Breath of the Wild sequel. Although it was due to launch in 2022, the open-world epic has been shifted to May 12, 2023. Remembering that Breath of the Wild was heralded as one of the best games of all time and is one of the best-selling games of all time, there are similar hopes that Tears of the Kingdom can perform. Here's hoping we have another Ocarina of Time on our hands instead of Skyward Sword.
