The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released by Nintendo in 2017, and it immediately established a new benchmark for the open world gameplay format in video games. The players were dropped in the middle of an open map of Hyrule and were given the freedom to choose their own adventure…….
This was in contrast to previous entries in the series, in which they were led through predetermined challenges. Users were still able to engage in combat with Bokoblins and other monsters, but they also had the opportunity to explore the outdoors and prepare their own meals.
Breath of the Wild was so successful that it brought in a lot of people who wouldn't normally consider themselves gamers.
Now, after waiting for six years, Nintendo has decided not to release the game's sequel. The eagerly awaited Tears of the Kingdom takes place on the same map of Hyrule as its predecessor, but it expands the world both vertically and horizontally.
Mike Mahardy, senior editor at Polygon, joins host Sean Rameswaram on Today, Explained to explain why this franchise is so influential in the gaming world, as well as why it seems like video games are having a moment right now, given the success of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us and the Mario movie.
The following is a portion of the discussion that has been condensed and edited for readability……..
Listen to the full episode of Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. There is much more content in the full episode than what is presented here.
This is a very well-liked game among a wide variety of players, even those who have never played video games before. With the release of Breath of the Wild, how many new players have been introduced to this game and its narrative?
Approximately 30 million copies of Breath of the Wild have been sold. At the beginning of the game's life cycle, there were more people who owned Breath of the Wild than owned the system that was required to play it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was, in many ways, one of these defining games.