That balance — between allowing emergent behavior and protecting the game from systemic exploits or destabilizing bugs — is a delicate one. When patches remove a beloved exploit, the community can react with disappointment. When they fix a crash that only occurs in odd circumstances, the gratitude is quieter but universal. The ideal patch, and I’d argue 1.6.0 aims this way, is one that preserves the creative sandbox while removing the rough spots that can make playing feel unfair or broken.
| Action | Before 1.6.0 | After 1.6.0 | Improvement | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Approximately 31 seconds | Approximately 21 seconds | 32% faster | | Fast Travel | Approximately 19 seconds | Approximately 11 seconds | 42% faster | | Exiting a Shrine | Approximately 17 seconds | Approximately 11 seconds | 35% faster | | Entering a Shrine | Approximately 13 seconds | Approximately 10 seconds | 23% faster |
If you own Breath of the Wild today, check your version. If you’re on 1.5.0 and enjoying Apparatus Storage, consider staying there. If you’re on 1.6.0, take comfort in knowing you have the most polished, mod-friendly, and final version of one of the greatest games ever made.
For most players, the game will feel exactly the same as it did on 1.5.0 — which, given BotW’s quality, is perfectly fine. zelda botw 1.6.0 update
Beyond the major features, the update also included general code revisions aimed at stabilizing the overall gameplay experience. Addressed Issues
Press the or – Button on your controller to open the options menu.
: A specific Switch-exclusive glitch at the Dako Tah Shrine , where pushing a Lizalfos could break the physics engine, was addressed. Technical and Performance Improvements That balance — between allowing emergent behavior and
While Nintendo's official patch notes highlighted the Labo VR support, the community quickly discovered a massive undocumented feature hidden inside the update: . Faster Loading Screens
On November 8, 2019, Nintendo rolled out Version 1.6.0 for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild . For a game released in 2017, a patch arriving over two and a half years later seemed unusual. The official patch notes were characteristically sparse: “General stability improvements” and “Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.” To the average player, it appeared to be housekeeping—a minor sweep of code before Nintendo shifted its full attention to the highly anticipated sequel, Tears of the Kingdom .
When Nintendo pushed for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in late 2021, many players expected new features or DLC hints. After all, 1.5.0 was a major patch. But 1.6.0 turned out to be something different — and far narrower. The ideal patch, and I’d argue 1
Anyone know what the new BOTW update for? : r/Breath_of_the_Wild
Beyond the VR novelty, the 1.6.0 update included several "under the hood" fixes aimed at keeping the game stable years after its 2017 launch.
In the end, 1.6.0 teaches us something about game preservation and player freedom. Nintendo had every right to patch their game, but communities will always find ways to play the version they love most.
Because 1.6.0 is the final official version, modders don’t have to worry about future patches breaking their work. This has made it the de facto base for fan projects.
Players can experience the entire main game in VR, excluding pre-rendered narrative cutscenes.
