The reason I bring this up is Breath of the Wild fans, like myself, have been patiently waiting for news regarding the game’s release. Ever since it was unveiled at E3 back in 2019, there’s been little to nothing in regards to news for it. Sure, there have been news outlets from time to time that comment on the rumors that have been swirling around about it. However, we as fans have yet to receive any hard evidence of when we can expect the sequel to drop.

What’s the Deal?

Let’s not act as if the year 2020 hasn’t been insane, as it certainly has. With the world in pure chaos and COVID-19 taking over, many businesses and organizations have been affected in negative ways. Nintendo hasn’t been immune to this and the pandemic has actually seemed to affect them more than others. Could this be the reason we haven’t heard any news about the sequel?

Maybe There’s Nothing to Show

We may just have to accept the reality that Nintendo is not close to finishing Breath of the Wild 2 (or whatever it’s going to be called as it probably won’t be called that). The reveal trailer showed little to no gameplay footage and it sure would be nice to see some actual in-game footage. But, even though Nintendo contradicts themselves on the topic occasionally, they typically don’t like showing off games that aren’t close to release (even though they literally do it all the time).

That begs the question, though, how much longer does the sequel need before it’s ready to drop onto our home consoles?

Prepare for a 2021 Release

It’s no secret that Nintendo has kept the rest of their 2020 lineup (which has been pedestrian) a secret. For whatever reason, there’s been little talk about what we could see come the holiday season of 2020. Many have speculated and hoped that it could be the sequel to Breath of the Wild, but it’s probably better to presume that it won’t come until 2021.

Hopefully, if 2021 is the intended release window, it will be in the first quarter of the year. Who knows, though, it could drop in the holiday season of 2021. No, that’s something nobody wants to admit, but Nintendo’s not going to release the game until they feel it’s 100 percent polished and ready to go. Us as fans will simply have to continue to remain patient, though it’s definitely getting harder and harder to do so.

It is also a free update, which is much appreciated when you consider the way modern gaming functions. It just recently launched and it added a feature that I never thought I would see. That’s right boys and girls; Nintendo finally added a world maker and its freaking awesome.

The World Map Creator

Nintendo could have simply added the ability to string levels together into worlds. It would have been incredibly dull, but it would have been something. Instead, they decided to release a full-fledged map creator. There are custom themes (with music from the original games which made me lose my mind), aesthetic options, bonus stages, and more.

Plus, you can create a “game” with up to eight worlds and 40 courses. Talk about mind-blowing; this is something that we fans have been asking for since the first game came out.

But Wait… There’s More

Honestly, Nintendo could have simply stopped there but they upped the ante. In addition to the world map creator, they also released some brand-new items and course parts. Let’s talk about some of the ones that stand out the most.

Ever since the first game, gamers have clamored for a Super Mario Bros. 2 level style. Sure, it’s a controversial game, but it’s still a classic. Plus, Nintendo left a game slot open in the “extra game styles” section of Super Mario Maker 2. But, alas, they didn’t add this game style with the newest update. However, they kind of did.

Specific for the Super Mario Bros. game style, players can now use the mushroom from the classic second game to transform Mario. In this state, he can pick up enemies from underneath and throw them around. Additionally, the original soundtrack from the second game plays (which is an amazing touch). They also added the cursed key.

Power-Ups

Nintendo also went ahead and added some exclusive power-ups. Though they could have added more from Super Mario Bros. 3, it’s awesome to finally see the Frog Suit in action. Also, they added the Super Acorn and an upgraded Power Balloon.

Oh yeah; the original Koopalings were also all added for each game style (except Super Mario 3D World). With very few boss options before this, this is a solid addition.

There’s a Kicker

Plenty more was added that I have not discussed, but those were some of my favorite additions. Yet, there is something Nintendo said at the beginning of their video that has us all scratching our heads. They noted how this was the last major update coming out for the game. Wait, the game has only been out for less than a year? How can they already be dropping support for the game?

The keyword here is “major,” as minor updates may still be planned. This is the type of game that could be supported for years, so I don’t understand why they wouldn’t release any more major updates. It would be sad to see, but if this was truly the last “big” update for the game, Nintendo sure did go out with a bang! Thanks, Nintendo!