We Still Don’t Know If Zelda Is Playable in 'Tears of the Kingdom' – but There’s Some Intriguing Evidence

While Tears of the Kingdom might be one of the most anticipated games of 2023, there’s still a lot we don’t know about it. Nintendo has shown off a few minutes of gameplay footage, but much of the open-world adventure is still shrouded in mystery.

In fact, many players are wondering if Zelda will be playable in Tears of the Kingdom, as there are plenty of subtle hints that are pointing towards her inclusion as more than an NPC.

Here’s a comprehensive overview of everything we know about Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom, and whether the beloved character will be playable in the upcoming game.

Nintendo has not officially announced that Zelda is playable in Tears of the Kingdom. For now, we’ve only seen Link as the main character – but that doesn’t mean he’s the only character you’ll get to control.

Fans have been spinning up wild theories about why Zelda needs to be playable in Tears of the Kingdom, and recent trailers for the title have only muddied the waters.

Some players are pointing to Zelda’s new, short hair as one of the main reasons she’ll likely be a playable character, as this would be easier to animate and is less likely to get in the way of the action. She also says a curious line in one of the latest trailers:

"I know why I am here. It's something only I can do."

Zelda will likely be split up from Link for the vast majority of the game, and the above line might indicate that you’ll get to jump into her shoes as she tackles a variety of quests that aren’t tied directly to Link – similar to how portions of God of War: Ragnarok have you playing as Atreus.

How exactly this would pan out is unknown, but some fans are optimistic that the eponymous character will finally get a starring role in the series.

Others aren’t as convinced, as there’s still no concrete evidence that puts Zelda as a playable character. For all we know, Zelda could just pop up in a variety of cutscenes like she has in past installments. And since Nintendo still hasn’t shown any footage of a playable Zelda (or discussed the topic at all), there’s no reason to assume it’s going to happen.

For now, it’s best to think that Zelda will not be playable in Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo might be holding back these details for a big reveal once the game launches, but as it stands, there’s still no official announcement.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches for Switch on May 12, so you won’t have to wait much longer to find out if both Link and Zelda will be playable characters in the highly anticipated game.