Game delays always hurt, but some hurt worse than others. Over five years since the first Breath of the Wild was released for the Switch, fans have been eager to get a new installment sometime in the next nine months. A 2022 release seemed all but certain, with a number of comments from Nintendo execs fanning the flames of excitement. Sadly, earlier this week, Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Legend of Zelda series, announced that Breath of the Wild 2 would be delayed until Spring 2023. Social media sites are filled with disappointment, but a more measurable metric of displeasure is Nintendo’s stock price, which took a six percent drop following word of the delay.
What does a six percent drop mean to Nintendo? All in all, not much. The Switch continues to sell incredibly well, with the company’s share price up 25 percent year-to-date prior to the most recent drop. Add to that the recent launch of the system’s OLED model and the massive success of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and the company doesn’t have much to worry about.
Despite fans having to wait a while longer to see where Link’s adventure takes him next, 2022 is still shaping up to be a banner year for Nintendo fans. Nintendo Switch Sports will be here in less than a month, with Splatoon 3 and Mario Strikers: Battle League rounding out the summer. Closer to the holiday season, Pokemon fans will be eating well again when Scarlet & Violet hit the scene.
When Breath of the Wild 2 eventually launches, fans can rest well knowing that Nintendo gave its all to make the best possible follow-up to one of its most beloved titles. That will just have to be enough to get us to 2023.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released for the Nintendo Switch in March 2017. Development of the game took over five years, and it has recieved universal acclaim, with many critics calling it a landmark in open-world game design. It has become one of the best-selling video games of all time, selling over 27 million copies by 2021.
