Monolith Soft Announces "Large Expansion" As Work On Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 Continues

Sounds like it's in safe hands, and hoping for a bit more information at the E3 digital event.

Wish List:

1. Zelda playable.
2. Full co-op support.
3. Actual dungeons where the narrative theme and the mechanics come together like only Zelda games can provide.

Can't wait, oh I actually can 😅

Can't wait to lick the cartridge of The Legend of Zelda: Kooloo-Limpah!

I've been told it's gonna taste like 'dubious food' from BotW

Crazy how Monolith Soft just keeps getting bigger and bigger

@mariomaster96 You could say it's getting... monolithic.

@Mackocaster7 hopefully any BOTW2 recruits are for testing rather than development, it would be good to understand how many of the roles are fixed term contracts (For a specific project) vs permanent contracts which would indicate either a high turn over of staff (bad) or a larger roadmap of multiple games (good!)...

@MarioBrickLayer Might be to ramp up production for a Christmas Release, hopefully its not due to turnover

@pixelpatch you're right, we could get an idea based on the types of contract, if they are all fixed term contracts running out in November then it's pretty clear what they are for. Ideally it's recruitment for permanent employees who will work on say BOTW2 but then roll onto another project...BOTW3?! or Maybe it's Splatoon 3 related?

@Mackocaster7
I can only go under the assumption that this involves more of Monolith's Xeno Series side of things rather than the BotW stuff. Xenoblade Chronicles could definitely use a larger development team if they want their game to keep up with Nintendo hardware.

Ehhh...spring 2022 for Zelda and the Switch Pro this holiday.

@NoxAeturnus

I'm torn; I would love a co-op Zelda title that I could play with my wife, but on the other hand I want a return to the OoT style that became the staple of Zelda series.

BoTW wasn't as enjoyable to me, hopefully we can get 3 styles from here on: 2D top down, OoT style and open air style.

At least I have my old Zelda games to play still

@NoxAeturnus
Oh hell yeah, i would love coop.

@Classic603
I want two series. One in the style of BOTW amd one in the style of OOT/Majoras mask.

I just want underwater exploration/gameplay, fishing and being able to interact more with animals (dogs and cats)

Oh and maybe a blacksmith to repair damaged weapons

Xenoblade Chronicles 3, baby!

@The-Chosen-one Co-Op wouldn’t work well at all in BotW’s world. It’d probably heavily lag the game and ruin the exploration feel.

This listing probably means we won’t be seeing the game release this year.

Now that it's inevitable to have both Link and Zelda as playable characters, I can see the gameplay branching off into two directions. Zelda, who now has the slate again, will take charge of Shrines and BotW style challenges. Link, who is now back to basics and will have to rely on traditional bombs etc, will go explore newly discovered dungeons and more old-school Zelda gameplay elements. Thus combining both eras of Zelda, and making it the perfect sequel.

FYI, the Kyoto studio works on Zelda, and other Nintendo franchises. The Tokyo studio made Xenoblade.

I remember playing BotW and getting to the area with the Shrine Quest that you are solving a puzzle while lightening rains down. I saw the design of that place with the stone mushrooms and immediately said out loud "I'm pretty sure Monolith Soft's art team had a hand in this." And I was right! Lol. Those guys are great

@Mackocaster7 not necessarily. It's pretty common for video game companies to hire contractors to ramp up the development and make sure deadlines are met. Let's just say BOTW 2 is set to release at the end of 2021 or early 2022 then it may make sense for them to hire contractors to meet that deadline and make sure development is proceeding as planned and that they don't fall behind. But it could also be for other projects so who knows.

Interesting and encouraging news.

It might be controversial to say, but I for one would welcome more RPG elements into the Zelda games. I will be interesting seeing what kind of mark, if any, Monolith leaves on the series.

@NoxAeturnus

None of those things are needed nor wanted. Only a small minority actually cares for playing as Zelda. And if they really implement that I wouldn't be the only one pissed that they took development time away for a co-op mode in Zelda of all games.

Dungeons are obsolete in BOTW's style, as the overworld is the meat of the game not the dungeons anymore. Old school Zelda dungeons wouldn't fit and would lock players away from the actual meat of the game, which again, is the overworld. There's a reason why BOTW doesn't have any, and this is it.

I read that headline as being a new expansion pack was coming. 😣

I do hope we get some real news on this game soon.

Whatever this supposed sequel is going to look and play like, a few things that I hope get brought back are the armor sets and Master Cycle Zero.
It was so fun driving around the world in that motorcycle and getting up rocky upward terrains that it would be an absolute shame if it didn't return as well as wasn't improved upon with some upgrades.

If there's another thing this sequel needs it's definitely a new game plus with the ability to carry over the Master Cycle and any other items.

@Eve99 That's why it's a wish list bro. It's a list of things that I, personally, am wishing for. None of those things are needed nor wanted BY YOU, but it turns out, yours is not the only opinion that matters. I think it's sad that you'd be angry at the inclusion of a playable character and the ability to play with others. There are way better things to be angry about. And just because botw is a great game without dungeons does not mean that they are obsolete nor that it could not have been made better by including some.

@Classic603 Those are some weird expectations.

@RetiredR Monolith sucks on story? 🤣🤣🤣 hahaha good one

@Eve99 I just don't get why people think playing as Zelda will be any different from playing as Link, and I don't get why people think co-op is possible in an open world game..

@russell-marlow

Not expectations, more wishes. I fully expect Nintendo to run open-air as the new 3D style and continue with top-down spin-off/remakes. I just personally don't like it and would rather a return to the classic 3D style

@RetiredR hahaha what an amazing argument. So, if you’re saying that Monilith Soft’s games are for weebs... then you haven’t played them. As you say you’re not “a weeb” 🤣🤣

So how the hell do you know they suck at story?
Damn, just uncovered your idiotic argument and way of thinking. Get out of here will ya?

And clicheé stories? Hahaha I dare you to tell me what is clicheé about the story of XC1?

As far as I remember I’ve never seen a game where the story revolves around living on two colossal titans.... but yeah... sure... “clicheé” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Mackocaster7
Game developers are always hiring more people. I don't think it is at all indicative of when BOTW2 will release.

A game thats based on too many DLC ideas sounds really bad to me, but since its Zelda, I am sure theyll do a good job.

@VoidofLight Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 releasing worldwide on Nintendo Switch on holiday 2022(the wait is gonna be worth).

Monolith Soft is one of Nintendo best subsidiaries, a expansion of one of it studios is always a good sight, they are problaby working on Splatoon 3 and Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2(Splatoon 3 to be released worldwide on Nintendo Switch on summer 2022 and Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 to be released worldwide on holiday 2022).

@Eve99 WHAT?, everyone missed tradicional Dungeons in Zelda Breath of the Wild, Nintendo should take the complaint and bring back tradicional Dungeons in Zelda Breath of the Wild 2, they are essencial part of the franchise since the very begining, getting rid of this is not a very good idea, i was very disapointing, by the underwhelming replacement way Nintendo found for the tradicional Dungeons in Zelda Breath of the Wild, adding tradicional Dungeons in Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 would actually improve the game.

@OldManHermit E3 2021/TGA 2021 or a Nintendo Direct focused on the Legend of Zelda franchise, is problaby when we gonna know more information regarding Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2.

Guess this solidifies no XCX port

@Classic603 I didn’t really like BOTW’s gameplay and would like them to also make OOT-style games again. I felt the only thing that really held those games back was the constant re-use of the same items over and over. How many times can we be given the same Hookshot puzzles in a Zelda game?

I would like a new classic 3D Zelda game where opening chests always yields a new item to solve dungeon puzzles, rather than the same parade of bombs, bow, hookshot, boomerang, etc we always seem to get.

@pixelpatch highly unlikely it is due to turnover, companies owned by Nintendo, and Nintendo themselves have a history of people working decades with the company. Nintendo actually treat their devs really well.

@BulkSlash

An upgrade system for each classic item would keep things fresh, I think.

@RetiredR Saying trash like "you're cringe" and criticising the way a person types isn't the way to make your opinion or argument more valid.

Monolith Soft games may not be everybody's cup of tea but character and story writing are not one of the company's weaknesses. You also took a jab at their design, however Xenoblade Chronicles was and still is praised for being visually stunning years later.

If you're talking about designs from the second game, that can be blamed on the fact that there were too many designers on-board which made the quality less consistent.

Monolith Soft is an ambitious company with a lot of hugely talented staff. You are in the wrong here. If you'd admit that your opinion is very bizarre and unpopular that would be less offensive instead of saying sh*t like "I'm not a weeb so I don't like them" which is really pathetic jabs at people in this community for no particular reason.

Xmas 2022 release. You know it! Xxx

@Classic603 Yeah, that could be fun too. I liked the way items were upgraded in Link Between Worlds when you bought them and then further power up by Mother Maiamai.

I swear I am taking a week off when this game comes out.

Nintendo have a terrible habit of announcing games far to early. We probably won’t see this until at least next year. God only knows when we’ll actually get to play Metroid.

@BulkSlash I like your idea for some fresh items, but they don't even necessarily need the item gating anymore. My biggest disappointment with shrines wasn't the puzzle solving, which was fine, it was the lack of context. The Deku Tree in OOT was inside an actual tree. The dungeon had flavor, and it told a story along the way. The spiderwebs and skultulla were part of the curse, and became more prevalent the deeper you went, and lo and behold the boss in the basement is a giant spider who is hurting the tree! Zelda dungeons used to have a lot of character, and the shrines (and divine beasts) failed to scratch that itch for me. They did an amazing job with the overworld in botw, there's so much to see, but not a ton to do. Especially in some areas. How much is there really to do in Hebra? And if you took all the shrines out of the game and put them together in one package with a generic protagonist, it would be an awesome puzzle game and no one would mistake it for a Zelda game. What I want most is Botw's overworld, with thematic dungeons scattered across the map as an additional activity in the open world. I think that would be the best of both worlds. And even better if I can choose to play as Zelda or Link (with differences in playstyle, wouldn't it be neat to play as Zelda spellcasting archer and with Link as his traditional swordsman?) and/or to co-op with my wife. We had a blast co-op playing botw with one controller each, but I'd love to be able to full co-op it with each our own character.

@Mackocaster7 The article makes the assumption that this is for BOTW2, but I am not sure why they made that assumption

XCX Complete: Now with Actual Ending!

@Eve99 playing as Zelda was a DLC idea that will be in BOTW2 IMO.

@BulkSlash
Oh duh I forgot about that game haha. Thought I had a great and unique idea, just remembering the upgrades in Skyward lol

Why do people keep asking for BotW2 to stop doing BotW things?

@Donutsavant those weren't stone mushrooms they were trees styled after the baobab of Africa, Madagascar, and Australia. They have a nickname of the 'upside down tree' which is why the underside of the canopy looks like tree roots

@Keiichi98 I don't think Nintendo own monolith? I think they're just close partners and Nintendo may hold some shares but I don't think there's any formal ownership arrangement. Happy to be corrected though, I've been saying Nintendo should buy them for a really long time!

@Otoemetry yeah, Nintendo owns them outright now, happened a while ago.

@pixelpatch That's what she said

Still staffing? Another 2 years of waiting and new Switch to be announced.

@Mackocaster7 Not all 40 positions are for Zelda. Most of the listings are not specified for any specific game or project.

@VoidofLight
Yeah i agree with that, will never happen tho, zelda is made to play solo IMO.
But i would love something different to at least play as the Champions lol. Became a big fan of those characters.
And as the latest hyrule warriors (story) is canon. I know we havent seen the last of them.

@Eve99 I totally agree.... I have no interest in playing as Zelda. Not sure why that would be appealing. I love being Link!

I hope they get to do something original and silly again on the side. ^^

Please no weapon durability mechanics