Published: March 24, 2026 
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan went on the Lex Fridman Podcast and said that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the greatest game ever made. Not one of the greatest. Not top five. The best. His reasons make sense, though, but calling any single game the greatest ever? That's a massive claim, and we think it deserves a closer look.
Why Jeff Kaplan Thinks Breath of the Wild Is the Best
Kaplan's argument is pretty specific. He said every part of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is so thoughtful and well-designed. He also pointed to small details, like chopping a tree and watching it float down a river, as proof that the world follows real logic. Fires create updraft, and metal conducts lightning. The game never breaks its own rules, and that consistency makes the world feel genuinely more alive. In his words, "The world is a toy, and everything works as you wish and hope it would work."
Adding to his statement, the numbers actually back him up. Breath of the Wild won Game of the Year at The Game Awards in 2017 and outsold every previous Zelda game. It helped change how the entire industry is making open-world games, and many developers are still borrowing its ideas even today.
People also agree with him because of the freedom it gives them from the start. It's a very special feature because you can literally go anywhere right after the tutorial. You can even try to fight the final boss immediately if you want. We all know that most games wouldn't trust you with that. You really need to go through a long adventure first, before reaching the final boss. But Breath of the Wild does.
Where We Disagree With Kaplan
Sure, Breath of the Wild is an awesome game, but calling it the greatest ever is debatable, especially when its own sequel exists. Breath of the Wild does a few things better. Abilities like the bomb rune and Cryonis are always available and useful, and resources are easier to manage. That makes the game feel more accessible and straightforward, which can be a big plus depending on playstyle.
However, Tears of the Kingdom expands on almost everything. It adds Sky Islands, the Depths, and a changed Hyrule in between. The game also has new abilities like Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, and Recall, which offer more freedom and creativity.
Building machines and contraptions from scratch is genuinely fun to experiment with, and the Sage abilities are more practical than the older Champion powers. On top of that, dungeons feel more distinct, and Ganondorf has a stronger presence. Because of this, many players see Tears of the Kingdom as the better game, which makes it harder to argue that Breath of the Wild is the greatest of all time.
Other games within the same genre, like Ghost of Tsushima, also deserve a mention. It's an open-world action-adventure with a stronger story, deeper combat, and one of the most beautiful environments in gaming. It won't match Breath of the Wild's systemic freedom, but for players who want exploration tied to real narrative weight, it's a serious contender.
Remember the wind navigation system in Ghost of Tsushima, where the wind itself guides you instead of a traditional map marker? It is definitely one of the most elegant design ideas in any open-world game.
Elden Ring is worth mentioning, too. It's an open-world action-adventure game built around exploration, and it does something Breath of the Wild doesn't: It makes the world feel genuinely dangerous and mysterious. Every area in Elden Ring feels like it has secrets buried deep, and the combat asks more of you than Breath of the Wild ever does. Even Red Dead Redemption 2 will win for its own storytelling. So, every one of these games does something differently, and does it really well.
Is Jeff Kaplan Right About the Greatest Game Ever?
Our opinion doesn’t mean Kaplan is wrong to love it. Breath of the Wild is without question one of the greatest open-world games ever made. What the game gets more right than almost any other open-world game is the moment-to-moment feel of just existing in the world. It just feels good in a way that's hard to explain and harder to replicate, and it's genuinely difficult to argue.
But the greatest game ever made? We think that's a pretty massive claim. Within its own genre alone, Tears of the Kingdom, Ghost of Tsushima, and Elden Ring all make strong cases in their own right. However, even if it’s not your number one, Breath of the Wild is still one of the best and deserves to be in the conversation. And if you haven’t played it yet, Kaplan’s recommendation is definitely worth checking out!
