Was Tears of the Kingdom meant to be DLC?

Was Tears of the Kingdom Meant to be DLC?

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the highly-awaited sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, has sparked conversation among fans and critics. One question that has recently gained traction is whether Tales of the Kingdom was supposed to be a DLC (Downlaodable Content) Expansion for Breath of the Wild. In this article, we will delve into this topic, exploring the information available to answer this complex question.

Initial Project Concept

According to some sources, the initial conceptualization of Tears of the Kingdom began as a substantial DLC expansion for Breath of the Wild. The thought was to add new adventures, mechanics, and levels to the original game instead of creating a standalone entry. However, as Development progressed, the scope expanded, and the addition of new features, characters, and gameplay mechanics necessitates a standalone game.

Taken from an interview Eiji Aonuma Conducted in 2012

The Shift Happened

The shift of Tears of the Kingdom happened around 2019-’20. As developer Aonuma mentioned a few times, the core team recognized that the proposed DLC content had grown past the boundaries of a proper expansion, and it become a full-fledged sequel. The main reason behind this shift. The initial concept, an expansion of Breath of th Wild’s world, gained momentum. The story turned out to be too huge for the original game design.

From an uncredited article

| Fact | Content |
| First DLC | The initial DLC concept was around 1* to 2 terabytes. |
| Growing scope | The project scale increased. |

Other Evidence Suggesting So

The following points allude to the fact a standalone sequel was always intented, rather than started as DLC:

1.Breath of the New Wild – The original box art’s title suggests separation from the original game
2.Major Changes Compared to Original – New additions, including the second phase of Hyrule, Depths, the new world beyond the main game
from an unlicensed article
| Table | Change |
"| Breath of the Wild 1 | The Wind Waker 2 – 4 | First DLC Concept 1 MB |
"| Changes | Hyrule Map | | Depths + World Beyond |

 **What Does This Leave Us with?**

      * Tears of the   Kingdom as a standalone           sequel rather than a Downloadable Content (D
      * The original development concept expanded, necess         a new game.

Based on these points, facts, and quotes,we can confidently conclude that Tears of the Kingdom originally intended as a standalone sequel, not a DLC of Breath of the Wild at the onset.