Zelda patents hint at Tears of the Kingdom sequel

Zelda patents hint at Tears of the Kingdom sequel
Courtesy of Nintendo

Written by 

Alex Garton

Published 

9th Aug 2023 10:20

It's been nearly three months since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but a lot of Nintendo fans are still engrossed in the title.

The game of the year contender sold a record-breaking 10 million units just three days after its launch, eclipsing the initial popularity of Breath of the Wild.

Now, a move from Nintendo has piqued the attention of Zelda fans, with the company filing over 30 Tears of the Kingdom patents.

A lot of the community is convinced this could be a hint at future DLCs or potentially even a sequel at some point.

Nintendo files over 30 Tears of the Kingdom patents

Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Click to enlarge

As reported by Automaton, between July 10 and August 4, Nintendo filed 32 Tears of the Kingdom patents in total.

It's not out of the ordinary for Nintendo to be protective over their content so on the whole, this may appear like the standard process for the company.

However, it's what Nintendo has patented that's caught the attention of Zelda fans, with NPCs, loading screens, and even Link's Ultrahand & Fuse abilities making the cut.

A lot of players are convinced that Nintendo is saving these elements for a Tears of the Kingdom sequel or even DLCs, but is that a realistic possibility?

Why has Nintendo filed so many Tears of the Kingdom patents?

Tears of the Kingdom patent
Click to enlarge

It's far too early to say whether these actions from Nintendo hint at the potential for a sequel or DLC, but it's certainly a possibility.

With Tears of the Kingdom selling so well, it's extremely unlikely that another title isn't on the cards for the future. As a result, it makes sense that Nintendo would want to protect the mechanics from their past titles to preserve them for upcoming projects.

So, while this news has got Zelda fans excited, it's likely going to be a very long time before any confirmation or concrete hints at a sequel are released.

Alex Garton
About the author
Alex Garton
Alex is a Senior Writer at GGRecon. With a BA (Hons) in English, he has previously written for Dexerto & Gfinity. Specialising in Call of Duty & Apex Legends, he loves (attempting) to improve his aim in competitive shooters and will always make time for a single-player RPG.
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