The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is generally considered one of the best games of all time, but certain aspects of it are more controversial than others. Though its often-rainy weather, relatively short dungeons, and surprising difficulty have all been marked as particularly divisive, the most frequently debated aspect of Breath of the Wild is almost certainly its use of weapon durability as a core mechanic. However, regardless of where you stand on this raging debate, it appears that Nintendo is making serious changes to how weapon durability works in Tears of the Kingdom, and that might transform the discussion entirely.
It didn’t take long for broken sword proponents to declare a resounding victory for their side after Nintendo’s recent showcase featured a branch breaking after a scant number of hits. Indeed, those who hoped to see a total removal of durability mechanics in Tears of the Kingdom were betting on a long shot to begin with. The Fuse tool that the showcase revealed appears to be Nintendo’s response to many of the problems that fans complained about in Breath of the Wild, and it’s certainly a promising start.
Now, though it’s probably not necessary to rehash all of the durability debate here, let’s go over some of its basic points. All weapons break in Breath of the Wild sooner or later (except the Master Sword), though some are sturdier than others. Some players enjoyed the mechanic and felt that it added a lot to the game. For example, GameSpot’s Chris Pereira says that he liked the weapon durability in BOTW, stating that it added depth to its combat. It forced him to weigh his options carefully: For example, choosing to use a high-damage weapon now in order to make an encounter easier, or choosing to save it for a potentially tougher fight down the road.