Eiji Aonuma, the esteemed producer of The Legend of Zelda series, has sparked excitement amongst fans with hints about the next game in the franchise. In a revealing discussion with Japanese outlet 4Gamer, Aonuma shared insights into how the collaboration with Koei Tecmo on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment might shape the future of Zelda adventures.
The Next Mainline Zelda Adventure
While past consoles like the Wii and Switch were graced with Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild as launch titles, the new Switch 2 is yet to have an announced mainline Zelda game. Nonetheless, the console features Hyrule Warriors: The Age of Imprisonment, an exciting addition to the spin-off series. This game immerses players in Dynasty Warriors-style musou gameplay, blending the rich characters, lore, and settings of The Legend of Zelda. The storyline delves into the Imprisoning War, the epic battle to seal away the Demon King Ganondorf. Koei Tecmo, in collaboration with Nintendo, alongside its new AAA Games Studio, brought this thrilling chapter to life.
Zelda series producer Aonuma expressed that his team aspired to launch the first Zelda title on the Switch 2, but Koei Tecmo achieved this with Age of Imprisonment. “The Legend of Zelda: Age of Imprisonment is the first Zelda title released for the Nintendo Switch 2. To be honest, we wanted to bring out the ‘first’ (Zelda game on the new console),” Aonuma chuckled.
Highlighting the synergy between teams, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild, remarked, “it was incredibly fun. They always had ideas we never would have come up with on our own, it was truly stimulating.”
Collaborative Creativity
Director Koki Aoyanagi from Age of Imprisonment shared how the positive feedback from Nintendo motivated their team, stating, “since they (the Nintendo team) were playtesting the game, we wanted to give them big surprises and moments of awe to experience.” Producer Ryota Matsushita added that the collaboration was seamless, particularly in conceptualizing Hyrule Castle, thanks to Fujibayashi’s extensive knowledge of real-world castles.
Yusuke Hayashi, head of AAA Games Studio, explained, “We aimed to combine these two approaches; the Zelda-like, strategic back-and-forth of using Zonai gear and varied techniques against powerful foes with the exhilaration of musou (i.e. feeling mighty powerful as you cut down waves of weaker foes).” Fujibayashi noted that even when Nintendo’s team raised concerns, Koei Tecmo delivered proposals that elevated the game further.
Aonuma hinted that the successful partnership with Koei Tecmo might influence the next mainline Zelda title, encouraging fans to imagine this while playing Age of Imprisonment and to eagerly anticipate the next Zelda game.
Future Prospects for Zelda
In a September 2023 update, reports indicated that Nintendo planned to move forward with a brand new Zelda game, leaving DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom out of their plans. Yet, Aonuma left the door open for revisiting the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, hinting at a possible third installment.
Aonuma explained, “In the first place, the reason I decided to make this a sequel to the previous work was because I thought there was value in experiencing a new game in that Hyrule place. If that’s the case, if a new reason arises, we might return to the same world again. Whether it’s a sequel or a new work, I think it’s going to be a completely new game, so I hope you’re looking forward to it.”
Hidemaro Fujibayashi also added, “We are very grateful that so many customers have been playing Tears of the Kingdom for so long and deeply, so we will do our best to make the next game even more enjoyable.”