The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) is one of the most acclaimed video games of all time, and now it has a multiplayer mod to play with some friends. The Breath of the Wild multiplayer mod runs through a Wii U emulator and is the work of YouTubers ARCHIT3CT and stanz, who initially created the mod to win a $10,000 bounty being offered by YouTuber PointCrow back in 2021. The two actually earned the bounty from PointCrow last year, but then the three continued working on the mod, releasing it to the public on April 4 through PointCrow’s Discord.
Using the BotW multiplayer mod, you can start a server or join a player’s server, and apparently there are options for syncing Shrine progress, quest completion, and Korok Seed collection. Anecdotally, the mod seems to run decently well, though there are some remaining kinks to work out that can be seen in PointCrow’s videos. Well, maybe. Nintendo recently had some of PointCrow’s videos that showcased the Breath of the Wild multiplayer mod pulled, but some of the media has since been reinstated, albeit demonetized.
PointCrow has bemoaned the demonetization considering how much work went into the creation of this mod, and he said he worked to “significantly transform their work and (his) videos are under fair use.” But legally speaking, that sounds like nonsense. It’s Nintendo’s IP, and Nintendo has absolutely zero obligation to let a YouTuber generate ad revenue off of modding its games, no matter how sophisticated the mod might be.
Update: I have appealed these claims. As of now, they are still visible for you to watch — however, they are not monetized. Hopefully Nintendo releases these claims, as I significantly transform their work and my videos are under fair use.
— eric pointcrow (@PointCrow) April 7, 2023
Regardless, the mod is out there now — out in the wild. You might want to check it out before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes over your life for the next several months (years?).
Related: Breath of the Wild Beginners Guide on Attack of the Fanboy
