Highlights
- There are no plans for Tears of the Kingdom DLC, and fans shouldn’t expect additional content, as the producers have already done everything they could to make the game as fun as possible.
- According to series producer Eiji Aonuma, a direct sequel to Tears of the Kingdom is highly unlikely, as they have exhausted the possibilities and consider it the final form of that version of The Legend of Zelda.
- In addition, the Ultrahand ability likely won’t return. The integral role of the Ultrahand in Tears of the Kingdom makes it unlikely for it to appear in future games, as it would devalue the unique experience of the current installment, according to the game’s director.
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma comments that the next game in the franchise is likely not going to be a direct sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The long-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild was released to critical acclaim earlier this year, being a significant improvement in the gameplay department while also following up on some of the plot threads that were laid out in the previous entry. With Tears of the Kingdom out now, there have been some fans who wonder if the game could be built upon further, either through DLC or another sequel to make it a trilogy.
Fans shouldn’t hold their breath for Tears of the Kingdom DLC, as series producer Eiji Aonuma stated that the developers wouldn’t be making any. According to Aonuma, there are “no plans to release additional content,” stating that they had done everything they could to make this world and version of Hyrule as fun as possible. While the producer did previously state that a third game isn’t entirely out of the question, it would be pretty unlikely. That unlikeliness seems to be solidified further based on Aonuma’s recent comments.
Future Game Could Make Zelda a Playable Character
The producer of the Legend of Zelda franchise comments on the possibility of making Zelda a playable character in a mainline game.
In a recent interview with Game Informer, Aonuma was asked if there would be a direct sequel to Tears of the Kingdom since the developers had accomplished everything that they wanted to do and no DLC is currently planned. Aonuma simply laughed, stating that would make it a “sequel of a sequel,” calling the idea “wild” as well. He then reiterated that since the team was already building upon Breath of the Wild through Tears of the Kingdom, they were looking to push its gameplay to the very limit. “With Tears of the Kingdom, we were seeking to build on top of the world we created with Breath of the Wild and really exhaust the possibilities of what we could put into that world,” Aonuma stated, “I think it is – to use a bit of a term – an apotheosis, or the final form of that version of The Legend of Zelda. In that regard, I don’t think that we’ll be making a direct sequel to a world such as that that we’ve created,” he adds.
While a direct sequel is out of the question, Aonuma was asked if Tears of the Kingdom‘s Ultrahand ability could make a return in future games, given how integral it was to the gameplay. He noted that since the Ultrahand was something that allowed players to create whatever they wanted, it provided a content-rich experience, which also contributed to the decision to not make DLC for the game.
With Tears of the Kingdom, we were seeking to build on top of the world we created with Breath of the Wild and really exhaust the possibilities of what we could put into that world. I think it is – to use a bit of a term – an apotheosis, or the final form of that version of The Legend of Zelda. In that regard, I don’t think that we’ll be making a direct sequel to a world such as that that we’ve created.
Hidemaro Fujibayashi, the director of the game, also chimed in, stating that the Ultrahand was such an integral part of Tears of the Kingdom that bringing it back in future games would devalue it, stating it would feel like, “we’re just bringing in Tears of the Kingdom as is.” As a result, both Aonuma and Fujibayashi state it’s unlikely the Ultrahand will make a comeback in future Zelda games either.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- How Long To Beat
- 59 Hours
- Metascore
- 96
