We have no idea when it'll launch, what it'll end up being called, or even what it will be about, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is already one of the most anticipated Switch games for many. With the first one receiving more praise than a cute dog performing backflips, it's not hard to see why, either.
We've put together a full guide to everything we know and everything we've guessed so far - including our thoughts on a potential release window - but this latest news might add a little more confusion into the mix. Monolith Soft, the developer behind series such as Xenoblade and indeed a partner to Nintendo on the original Breath of the Wild, is still hiring for new Zelda staff on its official site.
We first heard about the studio recruiting for a Zelda title back in March, with the Breath of the Wild sequel being a safe bet for the game in question. According to Japanese Nintendo, which has provided a translation of the recruitment site's job titles, Monolith Soft is still looking for Technical Artists, Programmers, Planners, Designers, and Management Support.
So what's happening? Is the project growing to be larger than first anticipated? Are these entirely new positions, or were the original slots never filled? Is this a sign that we're still a long way away from getting our hands on the game, or is it a sign of one final push?
Here's hoping we get some fresh info in the new year.
[source monolithsoft.co.jp, via japanesenintendo.com]
Comments 62
I'm not expecting anything before 2022 at the earliest - you can't rush perfection ^_^
I'm hoping for a 2021 release so we can get Wind Waker HD in 2020.
opens nintendolife
see zelda on main news
mini heart attack
oh well just another one of those staff hiring stuff
2022 with a Wind Waker HD/Twilight Princess HD in the meantime. Wishful thinking.
2022 is my guess
It means that I might have a chance to finish my other games.
Monolith is not the only studio working at the game (teams from Nintendo biggest studio, Nintendo themselves, are working on this game as well) and Monolith have 5 studios working on at least 4 or 5 games while 2 or 3 of those are still unknown
They are always on the look out for developers and they opened their new studio only few months ago, this hiring doesn’t have to be Zelda related at all
2021. No way will it be more than 2 years away, in my opinion. Can’t see it making 2020, though.
What does it mean? I'll tell you what it means! This game is waaaaaaaay far away from being released. See you all in 5 years!
I'm guessing it'll be the switches swan song or pretty close to it.
We'll be playing this around the same time metroid prime 4 releases.
Cue Tom petty's song the waiting!
It's also important to note that Monolith's new original IP is also being developed as we speak (and recruitment for that project is still ongoing AFAIK). So that can be a factor why the studio is still looking for new recruits cuz as far as I can tell they're both pretty big projects.
No, they don’t go hiring a bunch of people right when the project starts, that’s not how this works. Some people will be ramping down and others ramping up, and many of those gaps where already planned during the layout of the project.
Holiday 2020 is gonna be Metroid. This will be 2021. Even if they're well into development on this, 2020 would be forced.
I think we'll see Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, Windwaker re releases in 2020.
Technical Artists, eh?
Maybe I... send them my portfolio, just to let them know I exist? :9
For future reference, y'know.
@zemahon
This isn't right when the project starts any longer though. It likely started two years ago. But you're right that internal restructuring on something like Zelda is more common for Nintendo, than suddenly hiring a bunch of new people is.
So, I'm still guessing you'd be right that the people brought in right now are for a different production, unless Nintendo is really tightening the thumbscrews on Zelda, and forcing them to ramp up on a lot of the aggravating and finicky stuff in graphical implementation and front end usability. In which case, I wouldn't really want to be hired for that. That stuff's a sleep deprivation ulcer waiting to happen.
Probably 2021, although Christmas 2020 seems possible. They wouldn't have teased it if it was much further.
Holiday 2020. Its strategically critical because of the demographics that will be barraged next holiday. The Switch will look viable with BotW2 running alongside whatever “greatness awaits” style marketing Sony pushes. There was no competition this year, but if Nintendo wants a good next holiday they have to compete with what looks cool, and that’s Zelda for them.
It's a mainline console Zelda game. They take forever to make but are almost always worth the wait. To quote the weird old toy repair guy from Toy Story 2: "You can't rush art!"
2021 at least for me too... 2020 is extremely early to advertise. Hopefully (following all the rumors around new consoles) with a new switch 4K... Even 03.2022 could work...
I'd bet the farm we'll probably see a Skyward Sword HD sooner than later. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if Nintendo kept the game in the oven long enough to release alongside the Switch and Switch successor in 2022. They seem to have good success launching Zelda games with their new hardware.
Given there was no BotW 2 at the Game Awards, I think we'll see BotW 2 release holiday 2021 at the earliest with 2020's Zelda game being a Wii U port.
This has to be a final push. Nintendo doesn’t like announcing games too early. Why would they shoot themselves in the foot if the game was planned for 2022 or even 2021. I’d imagine every single resource they have is being poured into making it happen for 2020 to compete with the new consoles.
@Grumblevolcano there was barely any Nintendo presence at all at the game awards. Something tells me even though Nintendo likes Geoff Keighly they are aware that the game awards has a stigma around it for not being taken very seriously.
Nintendo being Nintendo we still don't know much about next year's tent pole releases beyond Animal Crossing and the Xenoblade remaster.
It seems unlikely we will see Zelda out by Christmas 2020 but they might be pushing forward with some big releases to combat the PS5/XSX.
Nothing said in that article proves that Monolith is hiring specifically to work on BOTW 2. It could be literally any project they are hiring for.
2022? Are people insane? They're reusing most of the assets from botw, it's probably only a year or so out.
A new Zelda every year... there has to be something coming in 2020 according to Aonuma
Breath of the Wild 2 will be the 2020 christmas game. Metroid Prime 4 will be 2021 or 2022. You heard it here first. 👍
There's no way this game will be out next year, mid to late 2021 seems much more reasonable and part of me thinks they might want to save Xenoblade remake as their big holiday title for next year. As for MP4 that seems to be a 2021/2022 title alongside that long rumored hd port of the trilogy. Other than that I think we might see a Mario odyssey sequel or finally have more info on Bayo3
DLC, or they need to round out the trilogy. No way holiday 2020 goes by without a major E ticket game, and Metroid won’t be ready by then. Also, they already said Skyward Sword HD won’t be happening.
@Kr96 Xenoblade remake isn’t big enough to be a “big” holiday title.
@Tantani The hiring specifically references Zelda though. I might not speak Japanese, but take a look at the page, it's all done up in Zelda themes.
But yes, even if they're hiring for Zelda, it's possible they're pulling some staff off for the newly opened offices, and are trying to spread out the new hires.
@Zach777 Cadence of Hyrule 2 clearly will be the 2020 title
Nintendo has been aiming for a holiday 2020 release for Breath of the Wild 2 for quite some time. Given the franchise's ambition and penchant for delays, it could get pushed back to Spring 2021.
There is no chance the game releases in 2022 unless current development suddenly goes south and boils into a disaster, which sounds highly unlikely for what will be a fairly iterative sequel.
I just can not bring myself to believe BOTW sequel is coming out next year I just can't i'm not going to get myself all excited for next year mainly for Zelda BOTW sequel and it ends up not be released next year, my expectations is it will be a 2021 release at the earliest, if it is next year i'm happy to be wrong but i'm setting a realist expectation for it to be a 2021 release
@Chibi Hence the "might" part and yes, Xenoblade IS a huge IP for Nintendo nowadays, still we've yet to see all the new announcements for next year so a direct in january/february wouldn't be surprising
Hiring doesn't mean the game project haven't started or still to start. This game i guess must have been in development since early 2018.
Anyone else think some of the positions are to work on the surprise Wii U version of BotW 2? Anyone? Just me then
As usual, I'm content to wait as long as it takes for BotW 2 to be the best game it can be.
I'm also one of the few who still needs to play its massive older sibling.
@Snakesglowcaps I think the lack of Game Awards presence is either to do with Nintendo has a rather light 2020 so they need to save announcements for the main Directs or they have plenty of announcements but want to position them such that they're not buried by next gen talk and the power debates that follow console reveals.
Studios are always hiring for staff
@Grumblevolcano I doubt it’s a light 2020, Nintendo has been killing it lately. Brand new console launches definitely isn’t the time to chill
I reckon it'll be a launch game for the Switch Pro, Q4 2020 at the earliest. I may have finished Breath of the Wild by then...
Same here a Xmas 2020 is the most likely release date. Rushing releases as we seen so far wasn't smart moves. Aka Bloodstained.
@rallydefault
You really think they're able to make a brand New Metroid from scratch, in less than two years?
@link3710
Link’s Crossbow Training: Labo Edition
@NorseGamerTommy
Shut up, dude. I'd rather a new game rather than a remaster of a game that I could play on my freaking wii u.
@sikthvash Okay first of all, nothing's perfect and second of all, I don't think 2020 or 2021 are rushed. The game has been in development for two years now and it's reusing the same assets and engine. I don't think it's going to take that long unless it gets delayed.
@Grumblevolcano I still have hopes that it might come out 2020 holiday at the earliest. I think it being at the game awards was possible but not 100% likely. I think it might get revealed more in the next nintendo direct.
@Kr96 Sales-wise Xenoblade isn’t even in the 2nd string tier of Nintendo IP’s and a remake/remaster of an old game in the series isn’t going to be able to cut it as a system seller at a critical time of the year, unless it has other, bigger games as support. That’s not to say it isn’t a fantastic series though.
@BrettAwesome
Nope.
@Zach777 You joke, but that sounds like fun.
@rallydefault absolutely no way Metroid Prime 4 is 2020. 2022 at the earliest with the restart of development On January 2019. Zelda does have a good chance of being 2020 because it’s using the same engine built for the original Breathe of the Wild.
@Zach777 Zelda-related…
@original_p Zelda holiday 2020. Metroid summer 2022 with Switch Pro release.
Brooke's law: Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. So here's hoping it wasn't already late.
@Pinkarray 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Same Assets stealth drops this Friday 20th December 2019. Current Metacritic score is around a perfect score of 54 as it was rushed out in 2 years, before we hired staff to complete' - happy now? =0p
Majora’s Mask remastered Xmas 2020. BoTW2 and Metroid Prime 1-3HD Xmas 2021. Metroid Prime 4 Xmas 2022 launch title on ProSwitch.
@rallydefault
So are you thinking remaster?
@original_p @beazlen1 Please, BotW2 will be 2022, after several release windows that lead into delays, and MP4 will be 2024 alongside Shin Megami Tensei V.
@sikthvash I don't get it. Nobody said it was coming out 2019 so I really don't get what you are talking about here.
I really don't know what is happening in these comments anymore.
@Pinkarray Just felt you correcting me that nothing is perfect was superfluous; I'm anticipating a fine follow up. I also don't expect it to drop too early to be honest and I'd rather they take their time, which I'm sure you'll agree bud. Your guess for a launch date is as good as mine ^_^ My reply to you was in jest; I joke therefor I am. Sorry if I confused or if it seemed like a dig, it was nothing more than a silly comment really. Peace out dude!
It could be for a separate side Zelda project. Given the recent success of Link's Awakening for the Switch, who's to say this couldn't be another remake of a classic 2D Zelda, possibly even that being A Link to the Past, or better yet the original 1986 entry?
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