Verdict from speedrunner GymLeaderJosh : "Safe to update. The WR runs are on 1.6.0 now. Nothing lost, but nothing gained."
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Update 1.6.0 – VR and Performance Enhancements
While the marketing focused entirely on VR cardboard goggles, data analysis from the community revealed that version 1.6.0 secretly overhauls how the game handles storage data. The patch introduces a that temporarily overclocked the Switch CPU during loading screens, resulting in massive quality-of-life upgrades. Action / Location Version 1.5.0 Load Time Version 1.6.0 Load Time Performance Increase (%) Fast Travel / Teleporting ~26 seconds ~14 seconds ~46% Faster Entering an Ancient Shrine ~16 seconds ~10 seconds ~37% Faster Spawning inside a Shrine ~8 seconds ~6 seconds ~21% Faster
Breath of the Wild never received a version 16.0. The game’s final patch was 1.6.0 . After that, development moved entirely to Tears of the Kingdom . update 16 0 zelda botw
Most notably, this update introduced "Boost Mode" (an internal CPU overclocking feature for the Switch), which significantly reduced loading times. For example, fast-traveling into certain areas was improved by up to , saving roughly 6 seconds per load Modern Context: Performance on New Hardware (2025–2026) In more recent developments following the release of the Nintendo Switch 2
is not a content update. It does not add new shrines, weapons, or story elements. Instead, it is a system-level compatibility patch released simultaneously with the Nintendo Switch firmware update (OS 16.0.0).
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later. Verdict from speedrunner GymLeaderJosh : "Safe to update
Released around the 40th anniversary of the Zelda series in February 2026, this update—like others before it—primarily serves to maintain stability across generations and optimize the experience for new hardware. What Does the Recent "Update" (Ver 1.9.0) Actually Change?
Give you to reset the world.
Look directly under the game's title at the top of the screen. It will display your current version number (e.g., ). The patch introduces a that temporarily overclocked the
For the sake of completeness, it's important to clarify what the actual was. This was a console-level update released for the Nintendo Switch on February 21, 2023. It had almost nothing to do with Breath of the Wild and primarily focused on:
Have you noticed any unusual changes after installing Update 16.0? Share your findings in the comments below or join the r/Breath_of_the_Wild discussion thread.
Players could toggle a "VR Goggles" option directly from the in-game settings menu. This allowed users to slip the Switch console into the cardboard Toy-Con goggles and experience Hyrule with a 3D depth of field.
: Addressed issues with "Zelda Notes" and improved stability for the Nintendo Switch 2.