Daily Debate: Should The Sequel To Breath Of The Wild Have A New Moniker Or Should It Be Marketed As A “2”?
Posted on August 21 2020 by Sean Gadus
Modern video game and film companies seem to have a difficult time deciding how to name sequels and follow ups. While some games opt for the classic chronological numbering system like The Last of Us Part 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2, other series have completely dropped their numbering systems due to the sheer catalog of series entries. For example, the Assassin’s Creed games, which famously included an entire trilogy (the Ezio Trilogy) between entries labeled “2” and “3”, have completely forsworn the use of numbers, opting for more thematic titles like Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla. The numbering of sequels is something that The Legend of Zelda has also dealt with in intriguing ways as the second game is indeed titled Zelda II: The Adventure of Link but beyond that point, numbering hasn’t really been used in the series.
With this in mind, do you think the sequel to Breath of the Wild should have a new moniker or retain the name and include a “2” such as Breath of the Wild 2. Giving the game a new moniker would fit well with Zelda tradition. The majority of Zelda games have eschewed the use of numbers and if they have temporary names, the names more often relate to the hardware. For example, Breath of the Wild was colloquially as Zelda Wii-U for years before the official reveal of the Breath of the Wild title.
In contrast, there are valid reasons to retain the name Breath of the Wild. For example, the name Breath of the Wild has become incredibly well known among games, so it would be easy to popularize on the success of the original. Some gamers, especially those who are not seasoned Zelda fans, may even recognize Breath of the Wild more than Zelda due to its rampant use in discussions and videos about the game. Additionally, as the sequel continues the story of Breath of the Wild, it would be logical to market the game as a clear direct sequel with a “2” in the title.
What do you think? Should the sequel to Breath of the Wild receive its own moniker or should it retain the name and be marketed as “2”? Let us know in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
