What Celebrity Did The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Seemingly Pay Tribute To?

Nintendo first entranced gamers with magical tales of a beautiful Hylian princess as early as 1986, when the original "Legend of Zelda" was released on NES (via The Verge). Ever since, countless Zelda games have come out, year after year. Majora's Mask (2000), Twilight Princess (2006), and Skyward Sword (2011) were some of the most iconic Zelda variations of this generation, with many waiting nearly a decade for the next great game (no disrespect to 2013's A Link Between Worlds, 2014's Hyrule Warriors, or 2015's Tri Force Heroes). It wasn't until 2017, that everything changed (via Twitter).

"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" took the world by storm, being one of the highest grossing games ever created, let alone one of the best-selling Nintendo games as of 2022 at 26.55 million sold, second only to greats like "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," and "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" (via Nintendo Life). The game boasts picturesque views, blanketed across a fantastical, post-apocalyptic, open-world landscape, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Although the game has plenty of hidden Easter eggs (and korok seeds ... for the gamers out there), this beloved celebrity who seemingly makes a guest appearance may surprise you.

Robin's Love for the Game

Beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams adored bringing smiles to people's faces. But something he may have adored even more, which brought countless smiles to his face over the years, was playing games from the "Legend of Zelda" series (via The Hollywood Reporter). He loved it so much that he even named his second-born daughter after Princess Zelda, and played the game with her growing up. Sadly, Williams died in 2014 at 63 years old just a few years before the latest release of his favorite video game series (via CNN).

Fans of both the series and of Williams would not allow his passion for the game to die with him. In 2014, a petition on Change.com demanded Nintendo name an NPC (non-playable character) in honor of William's memory (via Polygon), who was not only an avid gamer but narrated countless Nintendo commercials and advertisements throughout the years as well (via MIC). Although Nintendo never confirmed their plans to satisfy the request, their somewhat foreshadowing response hinted otherwise.

A spokesperson said "Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo. Our hearts go out to his entire family, and especially to Zelda Williams who we've worked with multiple times. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community and hear the request of fans to honor him in a future game. We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close" (via Polygon). Then came 2017.

Doppelganger ... or doppelgamer?

At the Maw of Death Mountain, in the North Eastern part of the map outside Foothill Stable, you will find an NPC who could double as Professor Philip Brainard from "Flubber" (via MIC). With the same exact facial construction, fans believe "Dayto" is Nintendo's response to their pleas. Although he is not named Robin Williams, and Nintendo has never confirmed nor denied if it is supposed to be him, the resemblance is uncanny. Be sure to grab a picture with him the next time you visit Hyrule.

Zelda Williams continues to pay tribute to her father in her own way (via The Hollywood Reporter). Amid the game's release in 2017, she participated in a live stream marathon to raise money for the Brain and Behavior Institute, benefitting mental health research. "Breath of the Wild 2," which was set to release this year, was pushed back to Spring 2023 in an apologetic announcement from Nintendo producer Eiji Aonuma (via YouTube). Fans have yet to find out if Williams will once again (or officially) be honored ... so we'll just have to wait and see.