With less than two weeks to go until release, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom leaks have already been shared countless times across social media websites.
Easily one of the biggest games to launch on Nintendo Switch this summer, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is seemingly already in the hands of certain players. That’s despite not officially releasing until Friday, May 12. We know this because the Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel has been the subject of many leaks across YouTube, Twitter, Twitch and other social media sites, sending fans who don’t want the game spoiled into a frenzy.
Don’t worry, we won’t be posting any of the leaks in this article. However, that hasn’t stopped videos and screenshots from the early sections of the game being posted. Twitch streamer NV5x has already been hit by a copyright strike from Nintendo with his channel taken down after playing the game for roughly 30 minutes. As if that wasn’t bad enough, news site VGC has verified that Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s file has already been ripped by PC players, and that ROMs are already being shared illegally online.
It's not totally clear what the main source of all these The Legend of Zelda leaks are exactly, but one user on Twitter confirmed in a post that at least one online retailer has broken street date. And while the images of the cartridge, front cover and back cover don’t reveal explicit spoilers, it’s still a sign that this highly anticipated Nintendo game has made its way into the hands of the public. Last week’s round of previews revealed some additional info, but mechanics like Link’s full ability set remained a mystery – until these leaks sprang up, anyway.
In recent years we’ve become accustomed to Pokemon games leaking a day or two ahead of launch, but this marks the first time it’s occurred for a major The Legend of Zelda game on Nintendo Switch. There’s not too much longer to go now until Friday, May 12 arrives. Until it does, be wary of what you’re reading and watching online, and expect Nintendo’s lawyers to be out in full force.
Tears of the lawyers
As one of the biggest AAA releases not just of the summer, but for the entire year, it’s no surprise to see fervent The Legend of Zelda fans wanting to play the game at the earliest opportunity – even if it means duplicating the ROM file and sharing it online. However, I personally wouldn’t dare sharing any content or images on social media, as Nintendo’s lawyers have a reputation for being more stringent than most.
We’re already seeing this in the form of copyright strikes aplenty, with links to the likes of Twitch and YouTube being taken down within the hour. Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s still impossible to be spoiled, and it’s a situation that sucks not just for Nintendo but for any player wanting to jump into Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with a set of fresh eyes and wanting to be surprised. It’s no secret that the marketing campaign for this game has been more mysterious than most, which has somewhat paid off in ways that are both good and positive.
Keeping cards like key story details and character reveals close to the chest is an ongoing challenge in the social media age. The current situation surrounding Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is just the latest example. The irony is that in a month’s time the web will be awash with everyone’s Fuse and Ultrahand creations. Nintendo just needs to police these platforms harshly for a little over a week as best it can, if only to retain the magic for first-time players.
