You know that feeling when a game just sinks its claws into you and won’t let go? That’s me with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. It’s 2026 now—can you believe it?—and my Switch is still pumping out warm nostalgia every time I boot up either title. The wild thing is, even though the credits rolled on Tears of the Kingdom ages ago, some part of me refuses to believe this particular version of Hyrule is done for good. In fact, I’d argue it’s just begging for a trilogy-capping third chapter.

I’m not just whistling Dixie here. Nintendo themselves told us open-world Zelda is the franchise’s direction right now, but they’ve also said Tears of the Kingdom pretty much exhausted all the big ideas they had for this specific sandbox. That sounds like a polite way of saying “we’re moving on,” but mate, the story is far from over. There’s too much juicy stuff left dangling to just walk away.

Take a look at the timeline shenanigans this duo has already pulled off. We’ve got Breath of the Wild sitting in some foggy future, Age of Calamity creating a full-blown alternate branch, and Tears of the Kingdom time-jumping back to Hyrule’s founding. It’s a right old spaghetti bowl of possibilities. The Zelda series has never been shy about direct sequels—Ocarina of Time led into Majora’s Mask, and that same Link’s spirit popped up in Twilight Princess. If any pair of games deserves the same treatment, it’s this one. Our current Link and Zelda have become icons. You’d think Nintendo would want to squeeze a little more magic out of them.

And let’s be real—the plate is still absolutely loaded with unanswered questions. How was the Master Sword forged in this timeline? Tears of the Kingdom threw a spanner in the works with its time travel, especially since we know Fi is sleeping inside the blade. Also, what happened to the rest of the Zonai? Rauru and Mineru are the only ones we ever meet, and that feels like a massive tease. Plus all those whispers about the Goddess Hylia and the Triforce never got a clear payoff. I’m not asking for a history lecture, but a third game could tie these threads together like a perfect little bow. Calamity Ganon kept coming back again and again—maybe there’s a reason deeper than just “bad vibes.”

On the flip side, imagine a sequel that takes the tech level even further. Tears of the Kingdom already gave us honest-to-goodness rocket shields and motorized contraptions. In gaming years, we’re practically living in the future. A third installment could leap a couple of generations ahead and show a Hyrule that’s almost modern. I’d love to see Guardians repurposed as city-service robots or a new version of Ultrahand that feels natural in a more urban setting. Picture skyscrapers rising above the Great Plateau while the Depths still hide ancient ruins. That would be the bee’s knees, wouldn’t it?

I get it, though. Nintendo has been playing in this sandbox since 2017, and that’s a long time in development hell or heaven. The team might be itching to craft something entirely new—maybe a return to top-down style or a fresh take on 2D Zelda. But here’s the kicker: that doesn’t mean the Breath of the Wild era has to be sealed up forever. Spin-offs, interquels, or even a numbered sequel could still happen down the line. As of 2026, rumors about the next Nintendo console are flying around like crazy, and I’d bet my last rupee that whenever it drops, a new Zelda is close behind. If it turns out to be a third act for this Link, I’ll be over the moon.

In the end, I’m just a punter with a controller and a lot of love for these games. But deep down, I believe Nintendo would be daft to ignore the potential of a true trilogy. Hyrule has more stories to tell—I’ve felt it while gliding over the Hebra peaks and diving into the chasms. So here’s hoping the big N pulls a rabbit out of the hat and gives us one last ride with the Champion’s tunic. Until then, you’ll find me replaying Tears of the Kingdom and leaving korok seeds under rocks. Old habits, right?