The designers drew inspiration from Shadow of the Colossus (2005) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011). Led by director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and producer Eiji Aonuma, Nintendo sought to rethink Zelda 's conventions and introduced elements such as detailed chemistry and physics engines. Breath of the Wild 's world is unstructured and encourages exploration and experimentation the story can be completed in a nonlinear fashion.ĭevelopment lasted five years, commencing immediately after the release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in 2011. Players explore the open world of Hyrule while they collect items and complete objectives such as puzzles or side quests. Set at the end of the Zelda timeline, the player controls an amnesiac Link as he sets out to save Princess Zelda and prevent Calamity Ganon from destroying the world. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 2017 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U.