Can a simple subtitle change one’s whole perception of a game?

Nintendo, as most of us expected, was the winner of an overall blasé E3 presentation thanks to its reveals of a brand new game in the mainline Metroid series and some new footage of the mysterious sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In the case of the latter game, we finally got a timeframe for its release, some time in 2022, as well as a peak at some of its fascinating new mechanics and settings. However, in spite of the hype that footage brings, there’s still a big question hanging over the game: what the heck do we call it?

Since its initial reveal at E3 2019, the game has only be known as “the sequel to Breath of the Wild,” or just “Breath of the Wild 2” when discussed casually, but obviously, neither of those are the game’s real title. Nintendo has been oddly cagey about revealing the game’s title, and while that hasn’t changed, we have at least received an explanation for why that is.

“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,” Nintendo Treehouse’s Bill Trinen said in an interview with IGN. “Those subtitles… they start to give little bits of hints about maybe what’s going to happen.”

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is planning for a release in 2022. #NintendoDirect #E32021 pic.twitter.com/NsLUPx0gXS

— Zelda Universe (@ZeldaUniverse) June 15, 2021

That’s not incorrect; Zelda subtitles often contain references to major plot elements and important items, from the Twilight Princess to the Ocarina of Time, though the fact that this hidden name apparently carries such heavy significance that they’d keep it hidden only makes it more intriguing. For the time being, though, Nintendo’s cool with everyone just calling it “Breath of the Wild 2.”

“[Breath of the Wild 2] is going to be shorthand and it’s natural for people to want to find a shorthand way to frame it. We’re still calling it the sequel to Breath of the Wild,” says Trinen.