10 Tears Of The Kingdom Rumors Most People Forgot About (That Turned Out To Be True)

There were plenty of rumors that were thrown out before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was released, some that felt more likely to be true than others. Nearly two years after TOTK's launch, many of the rumors have been forgotten. However, some are important to remember, because they show that fans can guess what's on Nintendo's mind from limited resources and critical thinking.

A lot of the rumors thought most likely to be true actually ended up being right. To be fair, many were just thrown out there without much context, but they did come to fruition. There is no guarantee when it comes to The Legend of Zelda, as Nintendo is fine just starting an entirely new story or timeline, but these times fans were right about Nintendo's plans.

10 The Triforce Is Nowhere To Be Seen

This Is An Intriguing Loss

Before Tears of the Kingdom came out, a lot of people were talking about how the Triforce might not be in the game at all. The Triforce is a famous and important object in the Legend of Zelda series. Some players thought that since the Triforce wasn’t in Breath of the Wild, it might not exist in this version of Hyrule. While some disagreed, there was a real question about whether the Triforce was in TOTK.

Link from Zelda: TOTK with Ancient Hero's Aspect

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Turns out, that was right. In Tears of the Kingdom, the Triforce is never seen or talked about. It doesn’t affect the story, and no characters even mention it. This makes this version of Hyrule feel different from others, where the Triforce is a major part of the plot. By leaving out the Triforce, Nintendo made a bold choice, letting the story stand on its own without relying on the usual Zelda traditions.

9 Time Travel Was A Very Important Game Mechanic

Time Travel Is Normally Not This Important

Before Tears of the Kingdom was released, one of the biggest rumors was that time travel would be a major part of the game. The Legend of Zelda deals with time travel so often that this is a persistent rumor in every game. Nintendo didn’t say much about it, but fans speculated wildly based on mysterious trailers and hints. Many thought Link could travel through time, maybe even meet past versions of himself or other characters.

When the game finally came out, it turned out that time travel was even more important than most people expected. While players don’t directly control time travel like some thought, the story is deeply connected to events across different periods. Zelda’s sacrifice (giving up her humanity to power up the Master Sword) happens over thousands of years. Players see her turn into a dragon and learn how her actions in the past affect the present.

8 Dungeons Weren't Gone For Long

We Were Glad To See It Back

One of the biggest complaints about Breath of the Wild was that it didn’t have the big, traditional dungeons that Zelda games are known for. Instead, it had smaller puzzle rooms called Shrines. Many players were disappointed and hoped Tears of the Kingdom would bring back proper dungeons. That's the kind of thing that Nintendo likely shouldn't have removed.

Thankfully, the rumors were right. Tears of the Kingdom did bring back dungeons, though they weren’t exactly like the ones in older games. There are six large dungeons, each with its own special puzzles and bosses. These dungeons gave players the bigger, more challenging experiences they missed in Breath of the Wild.

7 It Was A True Sequel To Breath of The Wild

Sequels Are Hard To Get Right

The most common theme of The Legend of Zelda is that each game tends to start a whole new storyline. The events of other games are not referenced unless they fall under a timeline with some games in it. That made sure Nintendo wasn't forced to follow any sort of lore and could start fresh each time. Getting a sequel to a specific story seemed to be out of the question most of the time, and the existence of Tears of the Kingdom was not guaranteed to be a sequel.

As the first trailer came, it became evident that this would be a true sequel to Breath of the Wild. This was great for Nintendo fans who wanted to see what happened after the end of BOTW. The rumors and theories came from all around once the trailers confirmed that this game would be a sequel. This was going to guarantee that fans got the answers they wanted.

6 There Was No DLC To Be Seen

Surprisingly, No Extra Payments Needed

Before Tears of the Kingdom came out, another strong rumor was that there wouldn’t be any DLC. Many people thought that because the game was already so huge, way bigger than Breath of the Wild, there wouldn’t be any need or even room for extra content later. Also, Nintendo did do DLC sometimes, but it wasn't always guaranteed. Nintendo didn’t officially say this before release, so fans kept debating it.

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In the end, the game itself proved the rumor true. Players quickly realized how much was packed into Tears of the Kingdom. There were sky islands to explore, underground areas, tons of shrines and side quests, new building mechanics, and an updated combat system. There was so much to do that players could spend dozens of hours without finishing everything. In the end, Nintendo moved on, and no DLC was made for Tears of the Kingdom.

5 Link Needed To Go Into The Sky

Sky Islands Were A Welcome Addition

Another big rumor before Tears of the Kingdom’s release was that Link would have to travel into the sky. Early trailers showed large sky islands, making it seem like the game would focus more on exploring above the land compared to Breath of the Wild. This led to a lot of guesses about how important the skies would be. Some thought it would just mean better gliding, while others expected entirely new ways to move around.

When the game was finally shown off, the rumor turned out to be mostly right. The sky islands were a major part of the game, just like some rumors speculated. The opening section takes place high above Hyrule, teaching players how to navigate this new space. Abilities like Ascend and building flying machines made it clear that exploring the skies was necessary to progress. The islands were full of puzzles, challenges, and special items, making them a core part of the experience.

4 Ganondorf Was The Villain

He Cannot Be Beaten For Long

Before Tears of the Kingdom came out, there were a lot of rumors about who the main villain would be. Some people thought there might be a new enemy, but many fans correctly guessed that Ganondorf would return as the big bad guy. This wasn’t just a random guess, Ganondorf had been a villain so often that it was probable. The game’s opening cutscene made it pretty clear that Ganondorf was involved. It showed a scary, mummy-like figure waking up from a long sleep under Hyrule Castle.

The final battle, where players face a monstrous, dragon-like version of Ganondorf, confirmed once and for all that he was the true villain.

This figure then caused the Upheaval, the disaster that broke apart Hyrule and sent chunks of land floating into the sky, setting up the game's main conflict. As players progressed, they found more proof that Ganondorf was behind everything. The final battle, where players face a monstrous, dragon-like version of Ganondorf, confirmed once and for all that he was the true villain.

3 Link Really Did Lose His Arm

Was Surprisingly Crucial To The Story

After the first trailer for Tears of the Kingdom was released, another big rumor was that Link would lose his arm or suffer a major injury to it. Some fans thought his arm might just get damaged, while others believed he would lose it completely. This wasn’t a crazy idea because the trailers and promotional material kept focusing on Link’s arm, making theories about what happened. Some guessed it might just hold a new Sheikah Slate, but the real story was much more dramatic.

Link's glowing arm in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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During this chaos at the beginning of the game, Link’s arm gets badly hurt. Instead of just losing it, he gets a strange new prosthetic arm powered by Zonai technology. This arm gives him new abilities, like Ultrahand and Fuse, which weren’t in Breath of the Wild. The game doesn’t explain where the arm comes from right away, keeping it a mystery for a while. Later, players learn it once belonged to Rauru, the first king of Hyrule.

2 The Master Sword Went Missing

We're Not Sure If It's Gone Forever

One of the biggest rumors before Tears of the Kingdom was about the Master Sword. Many players thought Link would lose the famous sword early in the game, essentially because it was too powerful. It's hard to start a new game with the best sword ever. The theory was that losing the sword would force players to rely on the new crafting and ability systems. That was a pretty interesting theory, but it held a lot of weight.

Turns out, the rumors were right. Early trailers showed what happens to the Master Sword, as it looks broken and corrupted by the Gloom spreading across Hyrule. The game’s story later explains that the sword shattered when Link and Zelda explored beneath Hyrule Castle. Even though Link eventually gets the Master Sword back, its broken state and the way it’s tied into the plot proved that the rumors were true.

1 The Zonai Were Ancient Rulers

There Were A Lot of Guesses

Before Tears of the Kingdom was released, there was a lot of talk about the Zonai, which was an old civilization whose broken-down technology could be found all over Hyrule in Breath of the Wild. People didn’t think the Zonai were just some lost society; many believed they had once been powerful rulers of Hyrule, shaping the land’s history in big ways.

Near the start of Tears of the Kingdom, Link and Zelda find Zonai ruins far beneath Hyrule Castle. Inside, they see carvings showing a huge battle between different tribes and a creature called the Demon King. These carvings make it seem like the Zonai were closely tied to Hyrule’s early royal family, maybe even helping to start the kingdom. Later, Link meets Rauru, the very first King of Hyrule, who turns out to be a Zonai.