E3 2021 BoTW2 Discussion Thread

[Chispatr]

Since nobody else has been discussing this here yet, I guess I'll jump in. Feel free to add your own theories or analysis of the new trailer.

Bill Trinen said the following: “As for why we’re holding back on the name, you’ll just have to stay tuned because, obviously, Zelda names are kind of important,” he said to IGN. “Those subtitles…they start to give little bits of hints about maybe what’s going to happen.” This doesn't tell us anything, but it's worth noting...

So, they're releasing an HD version of Skyward Sword (the origin story of the series), and BoTW has been confirmed as the latest game in the timeline, so I personally feel like they're planning some sort of full-circle plan for the series that tie the two games together, and this new trailer really has a lot of nods to Skyward Sword, like all those floating islands in the sky, and Link being able to traverse them. They even showed visual similarities when it showed Link skydiving from above with an island visible below, which feels like a nod to Skyward Sword's original reveal trailer.

Obviously, these floating islands didn't come from the ground, otherwise we'd recognize them. That tells me that they've likely descended from the sky, and the markings on the structures have clear connections to the ancient Zonai tribe that was said to disappear from Hyrule in BoTW an undisclosed period of time ago, but they're referred to as ancient. Link's arm gets enveloped in Ganon's malice in the new trailer, but the old trailer from 2 years ago showed it being enveloped in a green energy that I personally think is related to the Zonai tribe. I think his arm got enveloped and damaged by the malice and repaired by the arm that was holding Ganondorf's chest in the original trailer. His new arm has the same markings as that weird arm we saw holding Ganondorf, and the fingernails on his new arm are longer than normal, which makes me think that the arm that was sealing Ganondorf actually replaced Link's old arm.

One theory I've come up with is, the malice is red, which represents the triforce of power and Ganon. Sheikah technology is blue, which represents the triforce of wisdom and Zelda. This new green energy, which I believe to be related to the Zonai tribe, represents the triforce of courage and Link, and is the key to him putting an end to Ganondorf once and for all.

 

[Chispatr]

It's also worth noting that neither the master sword or sheikah slate are visible in the new trailer, as far as I can tell. The malice may have damaged the sword, or at least caused Link to lose it, and this new arm comes with abilities that replace and likely surpass the sheikah slate's abilities.

 

[deleted-152110]

My dream scenario is;

The character who's face they won't show is from the past; to explain how Ganon(dorf) came to be. He fights up in the sky, and on the primordial ground, much like Skyward Sword Link does. He ends up sealing away the evil with the use of the arm.

Present Breath of the Wild Link / Zelda go under the castle to find the root of the calamity, find the evil sealed by the hand and Link pulls the hand out and unleashes the evil in modern times. Sort of a call back to Ocarina of Time Link that pulled the Master Sword thinking it would save the world but instead doomed it.

I doubt it happens. But hiding the name, hiding the other character's face so blatantly, and it not really looking like those pieces of sky are in the same BotW world (unless they come down / get ripped out after the castle lifts) make me hopeful.

I do like what we saw though.

 

[Volvagia_slayer]

So, they're releasing an HD version of Skyward Sword (the origin story of the series), and BoTW has been confirmed as the latest game in the timeline

It still bums me out that Nintendo cares so little about the Zelda story that they think SS makes sense as the origin story of the series when it doesn't explain the origin of anything except the Master Sword, which is a contradiction of the Master Sword's origins already told in ALttP, TWW, and TP. SS makes SO much more sense taking place later in the timeline, and it fixes a lot of plot holes.

Also, even though Aonuma did once say that BotW is the last game in the timeline, he has since said that Nintendo wants to move away from their Hyrule Historia timeline and want fans to come up with their own interpretation of the timeline. So BotW doesn't necessarily have to be the last game on the timeline. Which is good news since Hylians went extinct before the events of ALttP, and BotW is full of Hylians.

so I personally feel like they're planning some sort of full-circle plan for the series that tie the two games together

I could see something like this happening. BotW already references SS in a few ways, what with all of the Hylia worship, Demise's Breach, the child who knows about the stories of Skyloft, and Zelda being said to have the blood of the goddess. The story actually works really well with SS and BotW taking place back to back in the timeline, and though I don't think Nintendo currently views the story that way, I could see them including even more connections between the two games that improves that connection even further.

Obviously, these floating islands didn't come from the ground, otherwise we'd recognize them. That tells me that they've likely descended from the sky, and the markings on the structures have clear connections to the ancient Zonai tribe that was said to disappear from Hyrule in BoTW an undisclosed period of time ago, but they're referred to as ancient.

I've seen it most heavily theorized that the floating island sections take place in the past, but the idea that the Zonai relocated to these floating islands and then vanished with them and have now returned is an intriguing one. However, we've already seen "tribe moves to sky and vanishes" three times in the series now (TMC's Wind Tribe, TP's Oocca, and SS's Hylians), so I'm hoping they're not treading this old ground again, but we'll see.

I'm also kind of burnt out on all the Zonai theories since we've seen Nintendo over and over again introduce a new tribe into the series in one game and then never give us anything else about them. For example, the Subrosians, Tokay, Zuna, Minish, Twili, Oocca, Lokomo, Kikwi, Parella, Mogma, Dwarf, Dark tribe, Wind tribe, Spirits of Good, Cobble, Ancient Robots... All one and done. So I'm afraid people are getting their hopes up with the Zonai, especially since they're even less fleshed out than most of the one-and-done races in the series.

Granted, the dragon head shield thing from the trailer does look an awful lot like the Zonai's art design, so it's possible they could return, but I'm still really doubtful.

I think his arm got enveloped and damaged by the malice and repaired by the arm that was holding Ganondorf's chest in the original trailer.

Agreed. I think this will also explain why Link starts the game with minimal hearts, stamina, and items again. The Malice stripped them all away from Link somehow. It seems that it caused Link to lose the Master Sword too.

My dream scenario is;

The character who's face they won't show is from the past; to explain how Ganon(dorf) came to be. He fights up in the sky, and on the primordial ground, much like Skyward Sword Link does. He ends up sealing away the evil with the use of the arm.

I think this would also be my dream scenario if Nintendo had a better track record for time travel. Now, if we're just playing as the hero of the past in a separate era (maybe present Link is having a vision about what happened all that time ago), then I'm down. I just don't want present Link time traveling back to the past to also be past Link or for present Link to somehow be influencing past Link.

But those sections of the game being relegated to memories might be disappointing.

Regardless of the above, I like Link's new powers, the fact that there are confirmed to be new weapons in the game, the fact that new enemy types are confirmed (I just hope we have actual new enemies in the game rather than just bigger-horned-Bokoblins), and this idea of exploration in the sky. I'm still concerned about the story and concerned that exploration of Hyrule in the non-floating-islands section will feel too same-y to BotW. But other than that, I'm excited for the game.

 

[deleted-152110]

Two things that have been consistent so far; weird backwards playing music and long pauses on the Castle and surroundings.

Going back and looking at the first trailer in super slo-mo a few things stand out;

Obviously the hand from the yet-to-be-seen-Link is on the chest of the maybe-Ganondorf and that is where all the calamity is leaking out from. Sort of reminds me of Wind Waker's ending.

At one point this hand reaches out to grab Link's hand to save him from falling it seems. Hand is still completely green.

While showing a wide shot of maybe-Ganondorf's body there is a flash that shows a shadow of maybe-Ganondorf roaring like he's unleashing power and the hand reaching out for his chest. But the hand looks like it has talons more so than fingers.

 

[Dreamy]

I posted this encase users want to watch it.

 

[Chispatr]

I've seen it most heavily theorized that the floating island sections take place in the past, but the idea that the Zonai relocated to these floating islands and then vanished with them and have now returned is an intriguing one. However, we've already seen "tribe moves to sky and vanishes" three times in the series now (TMC's Wind Tribe, TP's Oocca, and SS's Hylians), so I'm hoping they're not treading this old ground again, but we'll see.

I'm also kind of burnt out on all the Zonai theories since we've seen Nintendo over and over again introduce a new tribe into the series in one game and then never give us anything else about them. For example, the Subrosians, Tokay, Zuna, Minish, Twili, Oocca, Lokomo, Kikwi, Parella, Mogma, Dwarf, Dark tribe, Wind tribe, Spirits of Good, Cobble, Ancient Robots... All one and done. So I'm afraid people are getting their hopes up with the Zonai, especially since they're even less fleshed out than most of the one-and-done races in the series.

Granted, the dragon head shield thing from the trailer does look an awful lot like the Zonai's art design, so it's possible they could return, but I'm still really doubtful.

It seems likely to me that Zonai technology/magic or whatever it is will play a big part in the gameplay. I think all this green energy represents a magic that they wielded long ago, but I'm doubtful we'll get many answers about the tribe themselves, and we'll possibly just be left with even more questions.


Another thing I've noticed is Link's paraglider now has streamers trailing behind it. This could mean that we'll have to take wind direction into consideration, and maybe we'll even be able to control the direction of the wind. Although it could just be a simple stylistic change. BoTW's glider had a Rito symbol and the new one appears to have a Sheikah symbol.

 

[madskillzO25]

Hey guys , hope everyone is well,

Must say I’m not thrilled with the new trailer. Looks just like it’s predecessor.

 

[Chispatr]

Hey guys , hope everyone is well,

Must say I’m not thrilled with the new trailer. Looks just like it’s predecessor.

I think that much is to be expected. We were told it was a sequel with the same engine, and we were led to believe it would have the same overworld.

It was even mentioned that the reason they decided to make a sequel was because they had so many ambitious ideas for DLC, that they figured they'd make it a new game instead. After hearing that, my expectations for this game haven't been high, but I enjoyed BoTW so much, that I'm willing to buy a similar full-priced game on release, and the new trailer makes me think that I won't regret it.

 

[Dreamy]

There have been rumors that Nintendo is putting aliens in the sequel to BOTW. Here is a screenshot.

 

[Sertith]

Must say I’m not thrilled with the new trailer. Looks just like it’s predecessor.

I loved BoTW, so I'm totally cool with another game in that world.