How 'Breath of the Wild' inspired 'Tears of the Kingdom'

In a recent interview, producer Eiji Aonuma and director Hidemaro Fujibayashi discussed how Breath of the Wild inspired new ideas in the development of its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom.

The developers were impressed by the creativity of players in approaching the world of the first game, which led them to further explore the potential offered by its innovative style. “We saw that people were exploring how to play,” Aonuma notes, highlighting that this approach changed their vision for the future of the franchise.

More Zelda than ever

Fujibayashi expands on this vision by explaining that they used the same development environment as Breath of the Wild to implement new gameplay mechanics, such as Zonai abilities.

Experimentation was key in this process: the developers created unique vehicles and weapons by leveraging the game’s physics, which led to significant advancements in the sequel.

“We thought there was a lot of potential using what we already had in Breath of the Wild”, says Fujibayashi, indicating that this laid the groundwork for the continuation of success.

With the release of Tears of the Kingdom, players have not only enjoyed new mechanics but have also innovated, as exemplified by the fan who recreated a plane from Metal Gear Solid 2.

Looking ahead, the community eagerly anticipates the upcoming releases for Switch 2 and recommends making a wishlist of the most promising titles on the horizon.