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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 2017 action-adventure game developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 2017 action-adventure game developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch. It follows Link as he awakens after a long sleep and explores an open world to defeat Calamity Ganon.

What it is

Breath of the Wild is an open-world action-adventure game set in the kingdom of Hyrule. It breaks from earlier Zelda conventions by emphasizing exploration and nonlinear progression. Players control Link, who must recover his strength and stop Calamity Ganon from destroying Hyrule.

Why it matters

The game became the best-selling title in The Legend of Zelda series and is widely regarded as influential in the video game industry. Its open-world design and freedom of exploration set a new standard for the genre, and it was released simultaneously on Wii U and Nintendo Switch on March 3, 2017.

Key details

The game features a large open world with optional shrines, side quests, and puzzles. The story is nonlinear, allowing players to complete the main quest in any order. Nintendo designed it to challenge series traditions, and it has been widely discussed by Canadian games media and players.

In short

  • Released March 3, 2017 for Wii U and Nintendo Switch
  • Open-world action-adventure with nonlinear progression
  • Best-selling Zelda game of all time
  • Set in Hyrule; follows Link defeating Calamity Ganon
Canadian angle

The game was released in Canada alongside other North American markets and has been widely discussed by Canadian games media and players; it is part of the internationally recognized The Legend of Zelda franchise.

Quick questions

What type of game is Breath of the Wild?
It is an action-adventure game with open-world exploration and nonlinear progression.
When was it released?
It was released on March 3, 2017.
Which platforms did it launch on?
It launched on Wii U and Nintendo Switch.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Breath_of_the_Wild
    Supports: Release year, platforms, genre, setting, and high-level gameplay and story description.
  2. IGN — https://www.ign.com/articles/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-development-five-year-anniversary-fascinating-facts
    Supports: Development goal to break series conventions.
  3. TheGamer — https://www.thegamer.com/legend-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-things-didnt-know/
    Supports: Claim that it became the best-selling Zelda game and general sales/legacy context.
  4. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3253986/
    Supports: Story synopsis involving Link, Hyrule, and Calamity Ganon.