Zelda producer: 'If we don't change we might die'

The Legend of Zelda director Eiji Aonuma has told Engadget that it is imperative that Nintendo breaks new ground with its future Zelda titles.

"If we don't change we might die," Aonuma said. "We need to evolve. Things need to change. Things need to grow."

Fans may then ask why Nintendo is launching The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD on the Wii U this fall. Aonuma said development on the HD remake has helped the team "learn what it is the Wii U can do...[and] what the system is capable of."

Aonuma said he has heard calls from fans to shake up the series and change the formula, and though he thinks it is important to do this, changing too much would be a problem as well.

"With regard to...breaking the mold or changing the formula, I certainly hear the thoughts of fans. The impressions of fans that maybe it's getting a bit stale," Aonuma said.

"If we change it too much, I'm also concerned people will say, 'OK, is it no longer Zelda if we don't have this formula?'"

The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD launches this fall, while the Wii U's all-new Zelda game currently has no release window.