You’re paragliding over the Bridge of Hylia, enjoying the quiet ambiance of a ruined kingdom, when suddenly a red shooting star screams across the sky. It hits the ground with a heavy thud. You chase it down, expecting a Star Fragment, but instead, you find a chest containing a piece of "Salvager" gear. If you were playing in 2017, this was a weird, jarring moment. Why is Rex’s diving suit from Alrest showing up in Link’s version of Hyrule? The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Zelda Breath of the Wild collaboration was one of the earliest examples of Nintendo’s modern cross-promotion strategy, and honestly, it’s still one of the most mechanically interesting "side quests" in the game.
It wasn't just a random gift. It was a calculated move by Monolith Soft and Nintendo. See, Monolith Soft actually helped build the world of Breath of the Wild. They are the masters of verticality and scale. When you look at the rolling hills of Hyrule or the sheer cliffs of the Hebra mountains, you’re looking at the DNA of the team that made Xenoblade.
The Salvager’s Armor: More Than Just a Costume
Most players stumble into the quest "Xenoblade Chronicles 2" in their adventure log without realizing it’s an advertisement. To get the gear, you have to look at the sky at night from three specific locations: the Bridge of Hylia, Skull Lake, and the peak of Hebra Mountain.
The reward is the Salvager set.
It looks ridiculous on Link. Let's be real. Link is used to tunics and plate mail, and suddenly he’s wearing this bulky, puffy diving suit with giant boots. But the utility is legit. Each piece increases your swim speed. If you wear the full set, it reduces the stamina cost of "swim dashing." In a game where water is a constant obstacle, having a set that rivals the Zora Armor in speed—but is obtainable much earlier if you know where to look—is a massive advantage.
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Why the Collaboration Happened
Monolith Soft isn’t just a "second-party" developer. They are essentially Nintendo’s secret weapon for open-world design. When Eiji Aonuma and the Zelda team realized the sheer scope of what they wanted to achieve with Breath of the Wild, they called in the experts. Monolith Soft provided a huge chunk of the staff—over 100 people—to assist with topographical design and world-building.
The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Zelda Breath of the Wild crossover was a "thank you" and a marketing push. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was launching in December 2017, just nine months after Zelda. Nintendo wanted to funnel the millions of people playing Zelda toward their next big RPG. It worked. Xenoblade 2 became the best-selling entry in its series at the time, partly because the "Salvager" quest kept the name in front of every Switch owner’s face.
The Lore Problem (Or Lack Thereof)
Does this mean Link and Rex live in the same universe? No. Not even close.
Nintendo is usually pretty protective of Zelda lore. They don't just throw Master Swords into other games unless there’s a reason. But for this crossover, they played it fast and loose. The red shooting stars are explained away as "rumors" in the quest log. There’s no cutscene where Shulk or Rex appears. It’s purely a cosmetic and mechanical nod.
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Interestingly, the crossover went both ways, sort of. While Link didn't show up in Alrest, the design philosophy of Breath of the Wild—the "if you see it, you can go there" mantra—heavily influenced how the Titans were designed in Xenoblade 2. You can see the similarities in how the Gormott Province is laid out compared to the Great Plateau.
The Technical Weirdness of the Quest
If you’re trying to complete this quest today, you might run into some frustration. The stars don't always fall immediately. You have to be standing in the exact right spot.
- The Bridge of Hylia: You have to look south. It usually lands right in the water or on the shore nearby.
- Skull Lake: Stand on the "left eye" (the one with the shrine) and look east.
- Hebra Peak: Look southeast toward the lights of the world.
The sound design is the coolest part. When the star falls, it makes the specific "ding" sound effect from the Xenoblade menus. It’s a tiny detail that most people who haven't played both games would miss entirely.
Comparing the "Open Air" Philosophies
People often debate which game handles exploration better. Zelda is about chemistry and physics—fire burns grass, wind carries paragliders. Xenoblade is about ecosystem and scale—giant Level 81 monsters walking past you while you’re Level 5.
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The Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Zelda Breath of the Wild connection highlights the bridge between these two styles. Monolith Soft brought the "macro" scale, while the Zelda team brought the "micro" interactions.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you haven't finished the Salvager quest, do it. It’s one of the few pieces of "DLC" that stayed free for everyone regardless of whether they bought the Expansion Pass.
- Check your Version: Ensure your game is updated to at least version 1.3.3. That's when the quest was added.
- Nighttime Only: The stars will only fall between 9:00 PM and 3:00 AM in-game time. You can sit by a campfire to skip ahead.
- Listen for the Whistle: The audio cue is louder than the visual one. If you hear a high-pitched whistling sound, turn around immediately.
- Don't Warp: If the star lands and you warp to a nearby shrine to get it faster, the chest will often despawn. Run or glide to it manually.
The armor can't be dyed at the Hateno Dye Shop, and it can't be upgraded by the Great Fairies. This makes it a "mid-game" set. It's fantastic for exploring the Lake Hylia region early on, but eventually, your upgraded Zora Armor will outclass it. Still, for the fashion hunters and the completionists, having a piece of Alrest in Hyrule is a must-have.
It’s a reminder of a specific era in the Switch’s lifecycle where everything felt connected. The crossover wasn't just a skin; it was a badge of honor for the developers who worked on both of the decade's most influential open-world titles.
Practical Next Steps for Players
To maximize the value of this crossover gear, you should prioritize finding the Salvager Headwear first. It is located at the Bridge of Hylia. Because this area is accessible almost immediately after leaving the Great Plateau, it provides an early-game boost to swimming that beats out most other armor sets available at that stage. Once you have the full set, use it for the "Scaling the Zora River" portion of the main quest. You'll find that navigating the rapids is significantly less punishing with the swim-dash stamina bonus active. Just remember that the set offers very low base defense, so swap it out before you engage any Lizalfos or Octoroks in the water.