This is the big rumor of the moment… And if the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was thought from the beginning for the next Nintendo console? This is the question that experts are asking after an in-depth analysis of the first trailer of the game.
Of course, even if the analysis in question is based on factual elements, it is important to specify that it is above all a question of speculation.
A Zelda too ambitious for the Switch?
On March 29, Nintendo confirmed the postponement of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 (which is only a working title) whose release is now scheduled for spring 2023. A blow for fans of the saga … But this decision could be motivated by the upcoming launch of a new console that the Japanese manufacturer has yet to announce. This guess comes from the experts at YouTube channel Digital Foundry.
Indeed, the analysts of this channel have dissected the latest gameplay extracts from the next Zelda (video below). Several details seem to indicate that this good old Nintendo Switch could have difficulty running such a game.
Digital Foundry points to the impressive sharpness and clarity of the in-game passages compared to the first opus. The volumetric clouds seen in the trailer would be nearly impossible to achieve on the current Switch, while perfect anti-aliasing during camera cuts is something even the Xbox Series X struggles to achieve.
Several hypotheses considered
Without making plans on the comet, Digital Foundry explains that Nintendo could have used “a resolution and higher visual parameters” only for the realization of the trailer. A practice which is however not in the habits of the Japanese manufacturer. The videos posted by the Japanese firm almost always reflect the final rendering of its productions.
It is also essential to specify that the first The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was also released on Wii U. Its sequel will therefore necessarily benefit from more or less significant visual improvements since its development is only carried out on Nintendo Switch. But it's also not totally impossible to imagine the game running on a new console. That is to say a "Switch Pro" (which has been talked about for a long time) or even a "Switch 2".
At the launch of the sequel to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Nintendo Switch will already be celebrating its sixth anniversary. Seeing a new machine land at this time would therefore not be surprising… Even if in a statement made last February, the brand mentioned the fact that its console was only halfway through its life cycle. Enough to tip the scales towards a Switch Pro. Case to follow!
Sources : IGN, Digital Foundry
