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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was so secret within Nintendo, most employees found out about it for the first time at its E3 reveal: “We popped off”
Nintendo kept development of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so tightly under wraps that most of its own staff had no idea the game existed until it was unveiled at E3. Rather than being briefed internally beforehand, employees reportedly learned about the sequel to Breath of the Wild alongside the public, watching the reveal trailer for the first time along with fans around the world.
According to accounts from within the company, the reaction inside Nintendo mirrored the excitement seen online, with staff describing themselves as having "popped off" upon seeing the announcement. The secrecy reflects Nintendo's broader reputation for guarding its biggest projects closely, even from its own workforce, underscoring just how significant Tears of the Kingdom was treated as a release for the company.
In short
- Nintendo staff mostly learned of Tears of the Kingdom at its E3 reveal
- Most employees weren't briefed internally before the public unveiling
- Staff reportedly reacted with the same excitement as fans online
Explained simply
The Legend of Zelda is one of the video game industry's most celebrated franchises, known for adventure games featuring exploration and puzzle-solving. New releases in the series are major events that draw significant attention from players and media worldwide.
Breath of the Wild was released in 2017 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever made. A sequel to such an acclaimed game would be one of the most anticipated announcements in the gaming industry.
The video game industry is known for strict secrecy surrounding unreleased projects, as publishers carefully control when and how new games are revealed. Nintendo has particularly earned a reputation for extremely tight security around its biggest releases, even restricting information from within the company.