The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Was Almost Named After a Huge Spoiler

As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that the naming process for Nintendo’s Zelda games has always been a fascinating aspect to observe. The latest title, “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” was initially shrouded in mystery, much like the game itself. The name change from “Breath of the Wild 2” was an intriguing move that, upon reflection, makes perfect sense within the context of the game’s story.

For quite some time, “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” had been referred to as “Breath of the Wild 2” during development. But when Nintendo announced the official title, fans were left puzzled since it didn’t have the same straightforward connection to the game’s expansive world like “Breath of the Wild.” However, as players advanced in the game, the title became clearer and made perfect sense. The developers found that choosing this name posed a challenge because it almost revealed a major plot twist before the game was released. In the newly published book “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Master Works,” producer Eiji Aonuma admitted that the game’s title was initially problematic due to a potential spoiler, but they later made an adjustment to keep it under wraps.

In Aonuma’s words (translated by Nintendo Everything), revealing that the Light Dragon is Zelda could have caused complications, and these issues affected the game’s title as well. One of the possible titles that were considered for the final version was ‘Tears of the Dragon’.

Instead of using “Dragon” in the title, we opted for a different approach, as it would be misleading. However, we still wanted to incorporate dragon designs into our logo. In the end, we decided to highlight the Light Dragon instead. Despite brainstorming other ideas, we were running short on development time…

After much discussion, a team member proposed the idea, ‘Couldn’t we call it “Tears of the Kingdom”?’. This phrase seemed to resonate with the Light Dragon for us, allowing us to incorporate dragons into our branding. With the title settled, the final logo design was created.

As a game enthusiast, I can’t help but think that naming this upcoming masterpiece “Tears of the Dragon” would have robbed us of the thrilling anticipation that surrounded the “Tears of the Kingdom” name. The story’s intrigue and speculation might not have been as engaging if we knew Zelda was the Light Dragon from the get-go. It’s hard to say how fans would have pieced together these details, but the title certainly made it easier. In the end, “Tears of the Kingdom” has proven to be a brilliant choice, and it stands tall alongside “Breath of the Wild.

The upcoming Zelda video game is now called “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.” This title appears to be simpler, drawing inspiration from Zelda’s ability to create echoes of foes and objects in the Nintendo Switch version. Yet, it remains to be seen if there’s a hidden meaning behind this name that we won’t grasp until its release on September 26th!

2024-09-08 16:09

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