Eiji Aonuma says with only about ten years left in the business, he wants to make something other than Zelda; Link to the Past 2 contains "surprise" that will "shock" gamers.
With only about ten years left before he plans to be finished at Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda director Eiji Aonuma has said he wants to work on something other than the iconic role-playing game series.
In the latest issue of Edge, Aonuma explained he wants to try new things "before it's too late."
"I'm 50 now, so I only have about ten more years to make games at Nintendo. I want to try all sorts of new things before it's too late," he said. "I don't want to get to the end of my career and only have worked on Zelda."
Moving away from the Zelda franchise has proven difficult for Aonuma, he said, because his new ideas are often wrapped into a new Zelda title instead of an all-new franchise.
"But every time I come up with some good new ideas, they end up being used in a Zelda game," he said. "I need a six-month break to get away from the Zelda cycle and focus on something new [laughs]. But I'd probably end up making a game that’s similar to Zelda; after all, A Link To The Past was my biggest influence."
This sentiment falls in line with that of Nintendo director product marketing Bill Trinen. He said in April that in many cases, once a compelling new idea is conceived, it makes sense to pair that with an established character--like Mario or Zelda--so that the game can appeal to a wide range of people.
Aonuma is not the only longtime Zelda designer contemplating retirement. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto explained in March that now that he is over 60, it would be "strange" not to think about retirement, though he has no immediate plans to do so.
Aonuma is currently working on The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 for the 3DS. He confirmed that this game will run at 60 frames-per-second and teased that it kicks off with a "big surprise" that will "shock" players.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
Confirmed: Link dies.
All jokes aside, the statement about his ideas being twisted into Zelda titles sure rings a bell when I start to think that for several titles now, Zelda has been kind of shitty. The last one I enjoyed was Majora's Mask, and even THAT one was pushing it pretty hard. Even if it was disguised as a direct sequel to Ocarina, it could have very well been a full new IP. It surely felt like it in many regards.
1 Like "Moving away from the Zelda franchise has proven difficult for Aonuma, he said, because his new ideas are often wrapped into a new Zelda title instead of an all-new franchise."
It sounds like he needs to get away from Nintendo if he wants to have creative freedom.
"He said in April that in many cases, once a compelling new idea is conceived, it makes sense to pair that with an established character--like Mario or Zelda--so that the game can appeal to a wide range of people."
See this really bugs me, its because of this line of thinking that we get crap like "DmC" and the reason why a lot of talented people leave these big companies to form their own studios. Forming new studios isn't bad but it takes time for them to create and establish their games, not like when they are being supported by big companies.
2 Like ". I want to try all sorts of new things before it's too late," Well buddy you are with the wrong company then, Nintendo is all about redoing the same games over and over and over and over...
True, he should team up with a company that's all about being fresh and original, like Activision.
3 Like Despite hate that Nintendo receives they have made some of the best games of all time and really defined the medium and shaped it into what we have today. They still continue to produce great games even if few and far between and often overlooked. I just hope their next great masterpiece is someone where I play it.
Yeah he's been working on Zelda games the last 30 years he's not going to do anything new now.
1 Like "Link to the Past 2 contains "surprise" that will "shock" gamers."
*gasp* Zelda is Link's father?
@atlanticmoon Zebras use that pattern as camouflage, so I think it's meant to show how Nintendo camouflages its new ideas by incorporating them in old franchises. Too much new isn't good, but too much old isn't good either, so they mix the new with the old to get something good, something they can justify.
Sounds interesting but does this mean there will be no Zelda on the Wii U ?
Enjoying Oracle of Seasons/Ages since release last week :D
@SteamyPotatoes They're currently working on the Wind Waker Remake and they've already announced that there will be a 3D Zelda title shown sometime this year, probably not at E3 though.
Let's hope this "new Zelda" he wants to make doesn't borrow shooter influences, otherwise, Zelda is doomed!
Isn't that was Nintendo does though? They let their designers think up gameplay ideas then wrap them in one of the established franchises that print money. Even if we get new gameplay, we get the same wrapper - which is why when they come up with new ideas they don't even feel new.
Case in point: "But every time I come up with some good new ideas, they end up being used in a Zelda game," Eiji Aonuma
What I worry about is will Nintendo let him think of his ideas and use them differently, or will it just go in the next / next Zelda game instead? You can't escape the Nintendo skinning 'rehash' engine...
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