Details
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U video game consoles. The game is a part of The Legend of Zelda series, and follows amnesiac protagonist Link, who awakens from a hundred-year slumber to a mysterious voice that guides him to defeat Calamity Ganon before he can destroy the kingdom of Hyrule.
The title's gameplay and mechanics constitute a departure from the series' usual conventions, featuring an open-world environment, a detailed physics engine, high-definition visuals, and voice acting. Announced in 2013, the game was initially planned for release as a Wii U exclusive in 2015, but was delayed twice prior to its release on March 3, 2017. Breath of the Wild was a launch title for the Switch, as well as the final Nintendo-produced game for the Wii U.
Breath of the Wild received universal acclaim from critics, who deemed it to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Critics praised the game's open-ended, physics-driven gameplay that encourages player experimentation and exploration, with many calling it a landmark title in open-world game design, although minor criticism was directed at the game's technical performance at launch, which was improved through post-release updates. By mid 2017, the Switch version of the game had sold nearly four million copies worldwide, making it the system's best-selling title.