2025 will see the release of heavy-hitting Nintendo titles likeDonkey Kong BananzaandMetroid Prime 4, but for a lot of players, the significance of such games pales in comparison to the nextThe Legend of Zeldaentry. Naturally,Zeldahas always been popular, but it has enjoyed newfound levels of success in the wake of the massively popularBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomduology, which not only helped to reinvigorate the franchise, but also influence open-world gaming as a whole.

With these twoZeldagames now in the rearview, Nintendo is setting its sights on the future of the series. After the release ofTears of the Kingdom, Nintendo followed withEchoes of Wisdom, the series' first major Zelda-helmed adventure and a significant departure from the previous two flagship entries. Interestingly enough, Link will be taking a backseat once again in the next officialZeldagame,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, which is set long before the events ofTOTK. With Link being benched for two entries in a row, it will certainly be interesting to see what becomes of him in the next mainline release.

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First introduced in 2017,Breath of the Wild’s rendition of Linkhas been the series' de facto version for the better part of a decade. After all, this Link has the rare honor of being featured in more than oneZeldagame, and even represents the character in disconnected crossovers likeSuper Smash Bros. UltimateandMario Kart 8 Deluxe. In short,BOTW’s Link has become the face of the long-running hero, becoming synonymous with theZeldabrand in the post-Wii U era.

But with Nintendo making it clear thatTears of the Kingdomwon’t be getting a direct sequel, it can be safely assumed that yet another version of Link will be introduced wheneverZeldacontinues in earnest. Not only that, but the next mainlineZeldawill likely be the one that defines the legacy of the Switch 2, much like howBreath of the Wildis a crucial part of the first Switch’s story.

And not only will this new take on Link be following what is arguably his most iconic incarnation yet, but he will also be breaking the character’s hiatus. Since there will be a buffer of at least twoZeldagames sans LinkbetweenTOTKand the next big release, audiences will be ready for a fresh take on the character. When that time comes, Nintendo will have to deliver a worthy successor.

TheLink ofBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomis certainly commendable, and a strong candidate for the strongest, most capable version of the character yet. But he is also rather bog-standard, as far as Links go: he doesn’t have much in the way of personality or distinguishing traits, and while this makes sense, it’s also been proven to not be necessary. Games likeTwilight Princessshow that it’s possible to give Link a detailed backstory and specific characteristics, even if they’re as minor as having an affinity for animals.

After taking the blank-slate approach for this most recent version of Link, perhapsthe nextZeldagamecould get a bit more experimental. Nintendo might have a pass to make this next Link a bit more firmly defined, perhaps with his own unambiguous personality or goals. Conversely, he might be more freeform than ever before, bordering on being a custom character. Who knows, maybe he could even speak.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

WHERE TO PLAY

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.