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Discussion Eiji Aonuma confirms BOTW/TOTK will be the template for Zelda going forward

Hero of Hyrule

Hero of Hyrule

Frieren the Slayer
Pronouns
He/Him
Now, as this formula proves successful with Tears of the Kingdom, the devs are never looking back. Speaking after Tears of the Kingdom's launch, series director Eiji Aonuma confirms that this style of Zelda game will be the "new format" going forward, leaving the style of previous instalments behind.
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"We've arrived at Breath of the Wild and the new type of more open play and freedom that it affords," says Aonuma. "I think it's correct to say that it has created a new kind of format for the series to proceed from."
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Game Informer, The Gamer

I mean... yeah, lol
 
Yeah, we suspected since BotW.

However, I hope the next one changes some things…

…like no more Great Plateau tutorial area that is way to similar between them, no more shrines (or at least change the name) and no more memories
 
As expected. BotW and TotK have provided an amazing template going forward, and it can still be fine-tuned as the developers see fit for each game. And I think even things like more traditional dungeons can still be fit in if the developers care for it. Not entirely linear but more guided than these games’ “five terminals in any order” structure.

Personally I would love to see the next game take place in a brand new land and give Hyrule a break. Maybe something but quite as big as Hyrule, but filled to the brim with caves and dungeons, having everything being more interconnected than TotK’s. TotK is kind of reverse-engineering BotW’s overworld to fill things in, but I think if they go into the next game with the idea of making large-scale interior environments from the get-go, they can make something really complex.
 
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Please give me wind Waker BotW aonuma

It’s all my small brain can think of but I know I’d love it
 
I hope they don't rigidly follow the template BOTW set. Otherwise they risk running it into the ground like they did with the ALTTP/OOT formula.

The open world should 100% be kept. But I don't think aspects like shrines, universal starter abilities, and weapon durability should be strictly kept just because "it's the formula". The only aspect that should be considered off limits is the open world. Personally I'd love to see them ditch most of those aspects while keeping the world.
 
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Makes sense.

But also they added a bit more restrictions this time. So I can see feature titles continue to do so but still fall in the open air concept.

I think they’ll strike a perfect balance from old and new Zelda eventually, universally love titles by both fanbases. The hardest challange to do lol.
 
TOTK made a lot of improvements to this formula but there's still improvements yet to be made. As long as the games are great I'm fine with this.
 
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what a surprise, i am shocked.
Memes aside, i think there is still some stuff that needs to be adressed (which should have been adressed in totk already)

Like options smh
 
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Think the best way to move forward is to leave behind Hyrule entirely. Don’t need to dump this iteration of characters yet, but take them to an entirely new world instead. Something weird, like Koholint or Termina, that recontextualizes the formula.

Maybe have a new antagonist show up and throw all of Hyrule into this weird new world, and you need to find the important characters like Sidon and Riju in the world, along with interacting with the new characters.
 
That's a shame. I miss the feeling and dungeons of the old Zelda games. Getting everything at the beginning of the game really doesn't do it for me either. I don't like shrines and koroks. I'm tired of those being rewards for exploring. I don't want to create my own adventures. But maybe TotK's different. I'm not far into the game.
 
I would love to see the TOTK/BOTW team to make OOT again for the Switch 2 with reimagined combat, extra features, and highly detailed graphics.
 
As expected. There's still a lot they can do with it (note that I haven't played TotK yet -still waiting on my copy- so I don't feel comfortable saying anything more because for all I know TotK has addressed some of them already).

I'd like to see this cast of characters again but outside of Hyrule, but I'd be fine with a brand new world/storyline too.
 
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I don't see the appeal of Ocarina Of Time remade/reimagined. Just to see some characters and vaguely similar locations from a game that's decades old? I'd rather see something new. The original game is fine as is.
 
Fantastic news. Keep the linear progression model to new high-quality 2D titles, and never stop iterating on the brilliant template of the open-air games.

I have so much nostaliga for OoT/MM/WW/TP/SS, but the freedom of exploration in BotW/TotK is so brilliant that I never want to go back.
 
Good! Hope the next one is on the Great Sea. Give us Calamity Bellum

Would love more remakes/remasters/small games in between tho. A Zelda I/II combo remake would be good.
 
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As expected. The next game should a brand new and clean slate for the next generation. It will be unreal.
 
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Loving all the Wind Waker suggestions.

Imo,
Wind Waker x Subnautica.

It just makes sense.
 
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But will we have to wait six years for the next installment? (I already know the answer lol)
 
Curious to see what the next Hyrule will look like. I can't imagine what they'll do because the scope of ToTK is kinda insane from what I've played. I'm sure they are done with this map. Either way I'm much more a fan of this template than what came before tbh.
 
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Good, as long as they don’t copy BotW/ToTK 1 to 1. I would like to see this formula but without all of the powers given to you in the first 2 hours, and to see what it would be like with traditional styled Zelda dungeons. Whatever they decide to to I’m down… as long as it’s in a new Hyrule. I like the changes ToTK made to the old Hyrule but I don’t need to see this same world for a 3rd time. New Link & Zelda too please.
Lugia667 said:
the discourse really is gonna get insufferable isn't it?
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Expect a lot of “The Zelda series is dead” from a few people for the next few years while Nintendo continues delivering fantastic games that sell 5 times better than the OoT styled Zelda’s.
 
I don’t see the need for Wind Waker to return. BotW and TotK are so great because exploration is purposeful at every given moment. Spending so much time traveling by boat takes away from that.

It worked great with the old formula to centralize the content spread throughout the world into localized islands, all while packaging it under a fun theme and setting. I don’t see it translating to the formula we have now without significant altercations.
 
i can't imagine they're just going to suddenly stop doing spin-offs with different gameplay concepts, such as the Hyrule Warriors series. so it's probably not all going to be using the BOTW template.

also, remakes. there's still the heavily rumoured Switch ports for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess that haven't been heard from in a while.
 
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Zelda always evolves and is always ambitious so I hope they don’t just keep the same format.
 
Yeah, ever since BotW was a huge success I expected the series to never go back. I wouldn't rule out BotW 3, but I think the team will start from scratch the next project. I mean they could reuse assets but I don't expect that same world again. Unless it's hundreds of years in the past or future.

I do hope that we get a 3D non-open world Zelda done by another team in the future, like 2D Zeldas releasing in between 3D entries.

Also it's damn time for a new 2D Zelda.
 
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I feel the next Zelda they will do a Wind Waker 2, huge expansive Ocean with Islands and underwater exploration.
 
What they have to do is avoid doing a "BOTW 3" (like TP was "OoT 2") or a "BOTW, with a twist" (like WW was "OoT, but with an ocean"). Otherwise, within two games the new formula will already be aged. TotK is already a "BotW 2", but as the direct follow-up to BotW that's understandable (and it also addresses several of BotW's faults).
 
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I'm not really sure how they can evolve mechanically, but I'm sure they have plenty of ideas. If you would have told me 5 years ago we would be building shit in Zelda I would have been dumbfounded, but it turns out it works and is awesome. Nintendo are always great and giving you what you didn't know you wanted. They probably have ideas for days.
 
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