PSA: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom leaks are already starting

Leaky tear duct

If you’re wary of spoilers, it might be time to mute or block Tears of the Kingdom and any terms related to it. Just after Nintendo debuted a new trailer for the Breath of the Wild sequel, Tears of the Kingdom leaks are flooding the internet.

Someone who reportedly has access to the art book included in the Tears of the Kingdom special edition set posted a handful of images from it on Resetera, and dozens more have since begun showing up. They show various NPCs, locations, and even outfits for Link, and while they seem convincing, there’s also no way to prove whether they’re legitimate or fabricated.

A similar book-based leak occurred in 2019 prior to Pokemon Sword and Shield releasing. A Tears of the Kingdom special edition Switch console also leaked shortly before the February Nintendo Direct, and while it seems legitimate, Nintendo has made no official announcement about the system.

Game leaks are hardly a rarity anymore, but fans seem particularly eager for these. That’s likely due in part to Nintendo showing practically nothing about what to expect from Tears of the Kingdom’s take on Hyrule, its gameplay structure, or even who else Link meets on his journey, despite releasing two trailers for the open-world sequel.

We do know it'll be the Switch's biggest game, at least in terms of file size, and the most expensive.

Whatever implications that has for what's in the game itself, we won't have much longer to wait to find out. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releases May 12, 2023, for Nintendo Switch systems.