The footage was only two minutes long, yet that was enough to conjure months of debate over sacred relics, goddesses and swords that could easily be confused for the arcane squabbles of medievalists studying Arthurian legend.
But these self-taught experts were discussing a more recent hero’s tale, one that has unfolded over the past four decades in a doomed kingdom called Hyrule. More than 6 million people watched the preview for hints about the next video game in Nintendo’s beloved Legend of Zelda franchise. Millions more are expected to play it.
It has been a long six years since the last entry — Breath of the Wild — revitalized the series with the apotheosis of an open-world game, one that tantalized players to explore a vibrant environment full of ambitious quests and powerful equipment.