Almost 10 years after the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo is preparing something new for die-hard fans: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Secrets of the Zonai will be released on October 20 in the United States, and it will include never-before-seen sketches, developer interviews, and much more.

American fans of The Legend of Zelda will have the chance to decorate their bookshelves this year with a new book from the series. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Secrets of the Zonai returns to Nintendo’s open-world Hyrule, delving into the enigmatic Zonai civilization through previously unseen artwork, explanations that expand the canon, and new details that should interest fans of the franchise. And given that this is a release tied to a game that launched in 2023, it could be one of the final installments in the era that began in 2017 with the acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

If this is the first time you have heard of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Secrets of the Zonai, it is worth knowing that this is the kind of book many franchise fans will want in their library. It was previously released in Japan, but it is now scheduled for a United States release this year, which could also open the door to an additional European launch. For now, however, the only confirmed detail is that the English-language version will be available on October 20.

As for its features, Nintendo appears to have prepared a real treat for fans of The Legend of Zelda. Secrets of the Zonai includes more than 50 pages of illustrations of the world and civilization introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, as well as more than 300 pages of sketches, notes, designs, and concept art never previously seen in the West. If that were not enough, the book also promises to immerse players in Hyrule’s history with more than 80 pages that include details about the Zonai and interviews with some of the most prominent figures in the Zelda series: Eiji Aonuma, head of the IP, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Satoru Takizawa, the game’s art director.

A Stage Lasting Almost 10 Years

The release of Secrets of the Zonai, and its potential European launch if it happens, feels both like a gift for die-hard fans and a sign that an era is coming to an end. Nintendo is obviously not the only company releasing guides, art books, and related products for its games, but Secrets of the Zonai carries a slightly more special meaning. It may be one of the last chances players have to immerse themselves in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom through a new official product.

That is not a bad thing. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild left a massive mark on the industry, establishing itself as one of the best open-world games in history. Nintendo refreshed that formula with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom through new abilities that led to impressive fan creations. The journey has lasted almost 10 years, and if Nintendo chooses to do so, it can close this chapter in the history of The Legend of Zelda and explore different formats, either more classic or entirely new, as we saw with the more recent The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

Secrets of the Zonai would be a good way to bring the chapter that began with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to a close. However, Nintendo’s strategy regarding new games remains unknown, and aside from rumors pointing to the return of a classic title in the series, the company could still surprise players in the future by revitalizing, once again, the open-world concept that impressed so many people in 2017. And while we wait to learn the future of the franchise, more than one player will return to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom through Secrets of the Zonai.

Source: 3DJuegos