Nintendo Teases Future of Zelda and OG Fans May Not Like It

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom made its highly anticipated debut on the Nintendo Switch in May and has quickly established itself as one of the standout games of this generation. This achievement is nothing new for the series, which consistently delivers both critical acclaim and strong sales. The future of the franchise, however, remains uncertain.

While many Zelda fans are content with the current state of the series, there are some nostalgic fans who long for the Zelda games of the past. Nintendo tends to re-release older titles, gradually bringing them forward to new platforms. However, if these fans are hoping for a return to the series' roots, it appears that such a direction is unlikely.

In a recent interview, series producer Eiji Aonuma expressed that he and his team strive to "always try to create something that offers more than previous titles." He further emphasized that they are not preoccupied with their older games but rather have a strong focus on the future.

Aonuma shared, "It's difficult to say anything about the future. That being said: thanks to previous Zelda games, a game like Tears of the Kingdom now exists. This game originated from the ideas that we had in the past. We always try to create something that offers more than previous titles. In that respect, we really aren't concerned with our older games anymore. We prefer to look to the future."

In the past, Aonuma has indeed hinted that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would serve as the new foundation for future Zelda games. This approach is reflected in Tears of the Kingdom, as it retains many elements from Breath of the Wild. For those who have a preference for the older Zelda games, it seems that replaying those titles will be the way to experience that particular style. It is worth noting, however, that modern Zelda games still possess distinct differences from their predecessors, although not to a drastic extent.