How Big BOTW 2’s Map Will Really Be
I guess there’s nothing left to do but stack.
Breath of the Wild‘s Hyrule size is impressive, but after 5 years of scouring every corner and leaving no rock unturned, everyone wants more land. And we don’t just mean the islands in the sky or the underground regions. We mean the Ordon province or more lands beyond Hyrule’s edge. Is it even possible, though, for Nintendo to fulfill our wishes? Here’s how big BOTW 2’s map will probably be, based on the limits the hardware poses.
The Switch Can’t Handle Any Bigger Maps
I’m sure many of you have noticed it. While playing Breath of the Wild, the game can get choppy for a few seconds before smoothing out. This means the Switch is having trouble processing the game’s graphics; Nintendo already pushed BOTW’s map size to the limit. The only way to circumvent this unfortunate limit is adding islands in the sky, an underground region, and possibly even islands dotting the vast Necluda Sea.
This way, Hyrule is still technically the same size, but with things stacked on top of it and below it rather than around it. The islands are extra land on ground level, but they are still within the borders of BOTW’s Hyrule. However, even though these additional places exist, the ground-level Hyrule we know will likely still remain the main overworld of BOTW 2. How will this turn out? Will BOTW 2 be boring?
Reinventing Hyrule Would Make BOTW 2 Different Enough
While it’s not the grand change many players have been expecting since announcement day, BOTW 2 is likely going to reinvent Hyrule. This would make the sequel’s map different enough from its predecessor to be considered separate. With new features like an upgraded Stasis, Link’s flame shield, and Talus enemy camps, BOTW 2 will pose new challenges on the old Hyrule. Ganondorf’s resurrection likely means he is bringing new strength to the monsters across Hyrule, and Zelda and Link have to fight back as always. The Bokoblins even grew their horns out for this one.
What new additions may the underground and the sky hold, though? There may even be dungeons (proper ones) in these new territories. The sky may even harken back to Skyloft by bringing back Loftwings or showing the land’s remains. But, with new looks for Zelda and Link and a darker, more mystical adventure that the trailers hint at, we may just be in for a lot of bigger surprises.
