The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been revealed as the title for the sequel to Breath of the Wild, but not many players are using its name in place of BOTW 2. TOTK was first announced in 2019, with Nintendo revealing that BOTW would be receiving a sequel, but it didn't reveal the title at that time. Players spent three years knowing the game only as BOTW 2, and many continue to refer to it by that name ahead of its 2023 release date.
Since Nintendo waited so close to Tears of the Kingdom's release date reveal its name, many players have made it a habit to simply call the game BOTW 2, and that's a habit that might be difficult to break, considering it's been ongoing for years. Most information about Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom consists of rumors for the time being since even the trailers for it reveal very little about what players can expect from the game. Between the late reveal of the title and the lack of knowledge about what the actual "tears of the kingdom" might be, it might be expected that players could call it BOTW 2 even after its release.
Will Players Call BOTW 2 Tears Of The Kingdom After Its Release?
For the time being, referring to Tears of the Kingdom as BOTW 2 doesn't seem to cause confusion among players. Considering TOTK is a confirmed sequel to BOTW, calling it BOTW 2 isn't incorrect. It will likely be easier to break this habit after playing TOTK, but it's possible that it will continue to be called BOTW 2 as well since players are already accustomed to that name.
There's time for players to finish or replay BOTW before Tears of the Kingdom is released in May 2023, and there are still more secrets to be found in such a large game. The speculations about TOTK could make replaying BOTW feel like a scavenger hunt for information about its sequel. The downside is being unable to transfer progress in BOTW to TOTK, making players start from the beginning once more even after completing Link's previous journey.
The sequel for Breath of the Wild will be Tears of the Kingdom, but its name isn't used by every player yet since many are used to calling it BOTW 2. Nintendo is keeping its silence on the meaning behind Tears of the Kingdom's title, but it could imply a darker story along the lines of Majora's Mask or Twilight Princess. Even after its official release date, it's okay if Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is known by its official name, or continues to be called BOTW 2 since the awaiting journey will be the same regardless of how players refer to the game.
