Nintendo confirms pronunciation of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom title

After much confusion, Nintendo has confirmed the pronunciation for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launches in 2023.

Zelda fans long assumed the follow-up to Breath of the Wild would simply be known as ‘Breath of the Wild 2.’ It seemed the natural course of things, after all.

However, Nintendo corrected the record during a Direct stream earlier this week. The next open-world adventure actually bears the title of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Notably, the use of “Tears” in the subtitle raised a couple of incredibly important questions. Is the title in reference to crying “tears,” or dimension-hopping “tears” in reality? The answer determines both the meaning of the new name and how it should be pronounced.

Nintendo reveals the pronunciation of Tears of the Kingdom

Fans who were unsure of which form of the word to use need not wonder any longer. A Nintendo representative informed Eurogamer the correct way to say it is as if you’re talking about crying “tears.”

Tear-like imagery in a mural during the new trailer’s opening segment suggested the pronunciation for Tears of the Kingdom would be in line with the word’s most common usage.

But the clarification from Nintendo is welcomed; now the fan theories can really take on a life of their own.

Nintendo originally announced a Breath of the Wild sequel during E3 2019. Though the title once bore a 2022 launch window, the publisher pushed its release plans to a nebulous 2023 due date.

To the delight of many a fan, the most recent Nintendo Direct cleared the air. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hits stores on May 12, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.