In a recent video announcement, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been delayed until 2023, but it's not necessarily a bad thing. Although it might be saddening to hear that a major video game title, especially one that's a sequel to a hit like Breath Of The Wild, has been delayed, it's better than the alternative. If the developers need more time to make the tentatively-named BOTW 2, then this means they are giving it the care it needs.
Breath of the Wild is one of the most successful games of all time. Although it can be argued that there are too many split timelines in Legend of Zelda, BOTW breaks out of the series' faults and offers players an open-world adventure. It combined the beloved Zelda franchise with a sprawling world and a myriad of new features and mechanics that all blended together to make a hit game that's still just as enjoyable now as it was five years ago when it first released. In 2019, a sequel was announced, and more recently, Nintendo promised a 2022 release date. It would appear that there have been unexpected complications, however, since the game has been pushed back to a "Spring 2023" release date, which means that it'll be a while before BOTW 2 comes out.
News of a delay has been expected for a number of reasons. Signs have pointed toward BOTW 2 being delayed for a while now. Lack of news and a crowded timetable are just a couple of the signs that have brought worry that BOTW 2 wouldn't see a 2022 release date, and now they've been confirmed. It's never fun to hear that a big-name title will come out later than expected, but if the developers need more time to make BOTW 2, then they should take it instead of trying to rush the game forward and risk ruining it. Few games have suffered from an extra coat of polish, so in order to make BOTW 2 the best game that it can be, it's best if the developers take their time.
BOTW 2's Delay Was Kind Of Expected
Although BOTW 2's release date delay is sad, it's not quite unexpected. Delays happen, and there were a few signs pointing toward it, so the news has been anticipated for quite some time. BOTW is still a masterpiece five years later, so its sequel has a lot to live up to. Expectations are high, and meeting those expectations takes a lot of work. Even making a mediocre video game takes a massive amount of time, effort, and resources, so the sheer amount of all three of those things that must be going into BOTW 2 is enough to make one's head spin. Delays are common in the video game industry and the events of the past couple of years most certainly haven't helped, either.
One of the biggest signs that pointed toward BOTW 2's delay was the multitude of other major Nintendo games releasing this year. 2022 is crowded with big-name titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as well as Bethesda's next IP, Starfield. All of 2022's video game releases are too many to name, and many are coming out later in the year. Before the delay announcement, BOTW 2 was slated for "late 2022," which means that it would have had to contend with other big names for players' attention, as well as other popular open-world games like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West. Spring 2023 is a much freer release window, one that will allow the game to shine on its own and stand out as the gaming experience that it hopefully will be.
Rushed Games Turn Out Bad & BOTW 2 Is Worth Waiting For
As the gaming community is painfully aware, rushing a game is never good. Although it's exciting to think that the next big entry in a beloved series - or indeed an exciting-looking newcomer - could be just around the corner, they can come out a disaster if they release too quickly. BOTW 2's delay isn't at all surprising, and if any studio is going to be making a great game, then it should take the time to do it right. Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042 are both living proof of good games being ruined by their own timetables and releasing too early. Bugs and lackluster mechanics abound when games are rushed, and with a big title with high expectations like BOTW 2, it's better to not take any chances. Spending a few extra months on the game to bring out its full potential is better than getting it too early and having it become a flop.
More than the games, however, rushing big titles is bad for the developers. Time crunching in game studios has been a consistent problem with the industry, and burnt-out developers aren't a good thing, especially not for the games they're making. It's best to just stop thinking about BOTW 2 for the time being. Extra time to work on BOTW 2 will be good for the people making it, which means that they'll be able to make that much of a better game. It's better for everyone, so it's nothing to complain about.
BOTW 2's Delay Will Make It Better
If it's anything like the first game, then BOTW 2 will be massive. It's stated to take place in the skies just as much as on the ground, so it looks like it will take BOTW's open world and expand upon it in a big way. With such a big world, one based on the previous game, there's a lot to be done. If BOTW 2 is improving the first game's exploration and building on its various features, then it should take its time in order to do so in the best way possible. Returning features like the glider are likely to be made even better than they were in the last game, so some extra time to do improve them will likely only be a benefit.
New features are also confirmed to come in BOTW 2. Although all details about them are not yet known, and probably won't be for some time, the trailers and footage so far have shown some kind of unknown ability akin to teleportation, and there are likely to be others. Getting the new mechanics just right also takes time, perhaps even more so than improving the old ones. Link could use new weapons in BOTW 2, they're just the start of what could come in the next entry in the Zelda series. More time will aid these new features just like the rest of the game, so in order for Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 to be the best game it can be, it's best not to rush.
