Botw: Update 160 2021

When the update landed on June 21, 2021, the response was polarized.

The main feature of this update was adding compatibility for the then-upcoming Nintendo Switch OLED Model.

If you’ve dug through old patch notes or Switch update history, you’ve likely seen Version 1.6.0 for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — often labeled as the “2021” update.
But here’s the catch: 1.6.0 didn’t add new gameplay, story, or performance boosts. botw update 160 2021

So what was it?

For the average player, the update was invisible. Your save file remained compatible. Your DLC progress remained unchanged. You did not suddenly gain new items, and the frame rate in Korok Forest stayed roughly the same (still choppy on original Switch hardware). When the update landed on June 21, 2021,

However, three groups felt the impact:

Some players misremembered 1.6.0 as adding: Others confused it with the 2021 Skyward Sword

Others confused it with the 2021 Skyward Sword HD release or the Age of Calamity DLC.

While the notes mentioned “adjusted VR camera behavior,” the reality was a complete rewrite of the stereoscopic rendering pipeline. Previously, VR mode capped the game at 30 FPS with heavy reprojection. Update 1.6.0 introduced:

| Aspect | Verdict | |--------|---------| | Gameplay changes | None | | Performance boost | None | | New content | None | | Voice language unlock | Yes (major) | | Subtitle expansion | Yes | | TotK prep | Likely | | Worth updating for | Only if you want JP voices or different subtitles |