The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Almost Had A Different Title

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was not just another masterpiece from Nintendo, but a testament to their unparalleled storytelling and game design prowess. However, what truly fascinated me about this game’s development was the near-miss with the title “Tears of the Dragon.


Just as its 2017 forerunner, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, quickly became a classic, following on from where Breath of the Wild left off and expanding upon the distinctive gameplay elements introduced in the original. However, Nintendo revealed that this game almost had a different title, one that will undoubtedly make sense to anyone who has completed it.

In an interview for the game’s art book, released in Japan at the end of August, producer Eiji Aonuma revealed that ‘Tears of the Dragon’ was one of the final contenders for the title. However, they decided against using ‘Dragon’ in the title because it might not be ideal, and they wanted to incorporate dragon designs into the logo, but chose a different direction instead. It’s worth noting that this decision highlights the focus on the Light Dragon within the game.

In other words, having “Dragon” in the title might not be ideal because it could reveal a significant plot point prematurely, according to Aonuma. The game Tears of the Kingdom features four dragons that are visible flying over Hyrule and they drop valuable items as loot. However, one of these dragons holds a secret.

heads up: Delving deeper may reveal significant plot twists from the game, so if you haven’t completed it yet, consider exploring different Tears of the Kingdom articles instead.

In simpler terms, the dragon that drops valuable items, including the famous Master Sword, is actually Princess Zelda in disguise. With time running out for Hyrule against Ganondorf’s evil, Zelda resorts to using a magical stone, transforming the decayed Master Sword back into its original power.

Performing this action fulfills its purpose, however, it carries a trade-off, causing Zelda to lose her human nature. With a tear streaming down her face, she ascends into the clouds, leaving behind 11 Dragon Tears that can be discovered scattered across Hyrule when assuming the role of Link. Given this, the ‘Tears of the Dragon’ title was appropriate, but it too had its drawbacks: it could inadvertently spoil the revelation of the Light Dragon for observant players and dedicated game analysts. Nintendo aimed to incorporate dragons into the game’s emblem, yet hesitated to mix a dragon-dominated imagery with a dragon-themed title for fear that the plot twist might become too apparent.

Aonuma mentioned that no other suitable ideas were surfacing, and our development time was dwindling. In one brainstorming session, a team member proposed, ‘What if we call it Kingdom?’ The phrase ‘Tears of the Kingdom’ seemed fitting as it could symbolize the Light Dragon for us, and dragons could be incorporated into the game’s logo. With the title determined, the logo eventually took its current form.

Consequently, the name of the game changed from Tears of the Dragon to Tears of the Kingdom, and beyond that point, as one might put it, it all became a part of Hyrule’s history.

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2024-09-09 22:09