Nintendo fans had a lot to look forward to from the February 2022 Direct. And the event delivered on those expectations. Popular titles like Mario Strikers made a stunning comeback with Battle League; Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes were announced.

This wasn’t all, as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would soon see its number of total tracks doubled. The Booster Course Pass would add 48 new tracks to the racing title and fans are raving over the announcement. However, a significant title did not make its appearance during the Direct. It was one that fans have been waiting for since the teaser was released back in 2021, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.

And YouTube channel SwitchForce recently released a video speculating why Zelda skipped the Direct and what it means for the title in the future.

Zelda missed the Direct because Nintendo has bigger plans

Just to snuff any suspicions before moving forward, BOTW 2 is still going to see a 2022 release window. Nintendo confirmed as much in their recent financial report. This rules out the possibility of the awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild being delayed. So what other reasons could Nintendo have to give one of their titular franchises a miss during the Direct? SwitchForce elaborates:

“(talking about the possibility) Nintendo is just laying the groundwork for E3. They’re prepping for an absolutely amazing show and Zelda is at the centerpiece.”

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Recounting their time during E3 2016, SwitchForce mentions how Nintendo dedicated their entire booth to the original Breath of the Wild. It was a momentous occasion for the company as their entire booth was showcasing one franchise. And with how popular Zelda is and the meteoric growth in the fanbase post Breath of the Wild, it is not too far-fetched to assume Nintendo would do something similar for the long-awaited sequel.

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Seeing an E3 Direct with Zelda at the forefront is a real possibility, but it could simply be the case that this Direct was just too packed. In SwitchForce’s words, “this Direct had four first-party titles and Mario Kart DLC.” That leaves very little room to shoehorn in a title as important as Zelda.

Given Zelda’s overwhelming popularity, it could have also absorbed the hype surrounding titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Mario Strikers, as noted by SwitchForce.

Are you looking forward to more Breath of the Wild news? Tell us in the comments below.