The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom DLC - Will It Ever Happen?
"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" is one of the most celebrated video games of recent history. The continuation of the "Breath of the Wild" timeline has earned critical praise for its story, the character development for Zelda and the supporting cast, and a groundbreaking physics engine that's been seen as a miracle by other game developers. Though it is certainly possible to put hundreds of hours into "Tears of the Kingdom" without ever wrapping up its main quest, many fans have long since finished the story and seen its side missions to completion. Naturally, these same players are also quite hungry for more.
"Breath of the Wild" received a few expansions after its initial release, which fleshed out some of the story elements and added new weapons and gear for Link to collect along his journey. But will "Tears of the Kingdom" get the same treatment? Here's what we know about the future of "Zelda" DLC.
Why isn't Tears of the Kingdom DLC happening yet?
Famitsu recently had the opportunity to chat with two of the legends behind "Tears of the Kingdom": director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and producer Eiji Aonuma. During the interview, the publication asked the pair about what's next for the beloved game. Unfortunately for fans who might have been expecting future DLC to expand on the core experience, it doesn't look like that's in the cards. Put simply, the developers feel they've said all there is to say when it comes to this iteration of "The Legend of Zelda."
As Aonuma explained (translation via Eurogamer), "There are no plans to release additional content this time, but that's because I feel like I've done everything I can to create games in that world." Now, despite the phrasing here, gamers shouldn't be worried about the possibility of the "Zelda" franchise coming to an end. In the same chat, the devs confirmed that there's a chance they'll revisit the realm featured in "Tears of the Kingdom" in the future.
What Nintendo has said about Tears of the Kingdom's future
According to Eiji Aonuma, the developers had a good reason to set "Tears of the Kingdom" in the same version of Hyrule seen in "Breath of the Wild." He explained to Famitsu, "we thought there would be value in experiencing a new kind of play in that place in Hyrule. Then, if such a reason is newly born, it may return to the same world again." In other words, Nintendo has no qualms about creating another direct sequel in this particular timeline, but only if the story offers opportunities to build on what came before in a meaningful way.
Aonuma added, "Whether it's a sequel or a new work, I think it will be a completely new way to play, so I'd be happy if you could look forward to it." The door isn't completely closed on this iteration of Link and Zelda, but "Tears of the Kingdom" stands as a full work in the eyes of its creators. The only reason Aonuma and Fujibayashi would return to Hyrule in the future would be to do something new and exciting. Still, that doesn't stop fans from feeling like there's plenty of room to explore in the sandbox that "Tears of the Kingdom" inhabits.
What could be explored in Tears of the Kingdom continuations
"Tears of the Kingdom" is a truly massive game, with secrets hidden in every corner of the map, including under it. Fans didn't even realize how much of the game had been hidden from them in the lead-up to release, only discovering the incredible Depths as they dove into the game's story. However, there are some loose ends that players would love to learn more about: What was Zelda's life like when she was sent back in time? Are she and Link really a couple or not? What happened to the Divine Beasts? These questions and more are some of the plot threads that fans have brought up in their wish lists for future DLC.
[TOTK] What would you want to see in DLC for Tears of the Kingdom?
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If Aonuma and company were to change their minds and begin work on a new chapter of "Tears of the Kingdom," the second DLC for "Breath of the Wild" offers a pretty good idea of what to expect. In addition to new treasures, the "Champion's Ballad" story expansion grants new insight into Link's life before the game's main quest, as well as deepens his relationship with Hyrule's other great champions. If "Tears of the Kingdom" follows a similar template, we could get to know the five Sages who help Link in his journey, unlocking memories and cutscenes that tell us more about their history and connections to Hyrule.
This is probably just a pipe dream at this point, but perhaps Nintendo could still surprise patient fans at some point down the line.
Who would star in a Tears of the Kingdom follow-up?
With no clear plans in place for the next "Zelda" game at this time (at least publicly), no actors have been announced for a "Tears of the Kingdom" follow-up just yet. However, it's pretty easy to guess at least one star who might be attached at some point in the future: Patricia Summersett, a.k.a. Princess Zelda herself. The actress has voiced Zelda in three games thus far — "Breath of the Wild," "Hyrule Warriors," and "Tears of the Kingdom" — and has repeatedly stated in interviews that she loves playing new angles with the character each time.
When speaking with Gizmodo shortly after the launch of "Tears of the Kingdom," Summersett explained, "Any time [Zelda] can become more strong or fleshed out and nuanced, I love getting to work with those evolutions." The events of "Tears of the Kingdom" certainly offered new levels for Summersett to play, including (spoiler) an evil doppleganger of the beloved princess.
A "Zelda" game just isn't the same without Zelda, so fans can hopefully count on Nintendo to re-hire Patricia Summersett for the next adventure. Considering Summersett also described the role of Zelda as being "like an old friend that I get to revisit" when SVG interviewed her, we have a feeling she'd be happy to come back for more.