Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom reportedly includes secret experience scaling system

Much like Breath of the Wild before it, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom reportedly features a secret experience system hidden under the surface, one that allows Link to level up while changing the world around him.

Hailed by critics and met with blockbuster success at the market, the vast-open Tears of the Kingdom experience has captivated the masses in early 2023. With millions jumping in and uncovering every little secret, it was only a matter of time before the very biggest details emerged.

Popular YouTuber and Zelda investigator Austin John Plays is one such gamer that looked beyond just what they saw in Nintendo’s new smash hit. Peering below the surface, they seemingly found a surprise XP system working behind the scenes as players advance through Hyrule.

Reportedly a very similar system to that unearthed in Breath of the Wild, this hidden mechanic supposedly controls the overall tempo of the game. From when new, more challenging enemy types appear, to how frequently advanced weapon drops emerge, an XP system under the hood could very well be manipulating it all.

Operating without being visible to the player, a progression system is reportedly included in Tears of the Kingdom. Without explicitly displaying a level for Link or a challenge gauge for the world around him, certain checks are allegedly being ticked off behind the scenes.

For instance, by leveling up in this hidden system, players will begin to notice new types of enemies around Hyrule, more than likely more challenging foes. After slaying a certain number of regular types, this backend function looks to boost the difficulty and freshen things up to keep players fully engaged.

Similarly, this system also reportedly impacts weapon types found throughout Tears of the Kingdom as well. By earning enough hidden experience, you’ll eventually begin to find more advanced weapons or even familiar weapons with new modifiers attached.

If the reports hold true, it would appear Nintendo has considered the overall gameplay experience from start to finish. Enabling this secret progression in attempt to mix things up along the way and keep Hyrule full of surprises until the very end.