10 Theories About the Next Legend of Zelda Game

10 Theories About the Next Legend of Zelda Game

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re speculating about what we might see in the next “Legend of Zelda” game!

Playing With History

Nintendo has shown an inclination to experiment with “Zelda” spin-offs over the years, even within the “Breath of the Wild” continuity. A brand new entry will likely take a long time to produce, so we wouldn’t be surprised if we were given another spin-off. We’d love to get more information about the Great Calamity, an event only briefly spoken of. It details Calamity Ganon’s first emergence, where he was eventually defeated by a Zonai hero, the appearance of which Link can take on with the Ancient Hero’s Aspect in “Tears of the Kingdom.” Speaking of which, we’d also be on board with a spin-off focusing on the Imprisoning War. Since “Hyrule Warriors” has been a major success, it seems likely that, if we were to get another spin-off, that’s the style it would be in.

A New Land

With both “Breath of the Wild” and its sequel, Nintendo completely reinvented Hyrule, one of the most famous settings in video games. But as producer Eiji Aonuma said, Nintendo is done with this current iteration of the kingdom. Because Hyrule and the way we interacted with it was so unique here, the Zelda team may want to take Link to a new location and time period for whatever comes next. It seems highly unlikely we’d go back to a previous one-off setting, like Termina. And so, a brand new kingdom may be waiting in the future. That would honestly be very exciting, as a new setting has a lot of potential for different characters, races, lore, and enemies.

Revisiting the Era

Yes, we know what we just said. But Aonuma stated they’re done with this version of Hyrule; that doesn’t necessarily mean “Tears of the Kingdom” couldn’t get a sequel. There is a truly massive neighboring continent to the North of Hyrule that we’ve all been wondering about since 2017. Certain characters, such as Yona the Zora in “Tears of the Kingdom,” speak of other lands outside of the traditional setting. It could also provide answers to certain mysteries, like where the hell Kass is. Additionally, this has, without a doubt, been the most profitable era the franchise has ever seen. While many players are expecting the next “Zelda” to be disconnected from this duology, Nintendo could surprise us.

Growing Grander

Again, we look to Eiji Aonuma’s words to speculate on what the future holds. While this current era of “Zelda” has been extremely popular, there are some fans who miss the linearity of previous games. When speaking to IGN in December, 2023, Aonuma expressed confusion in his response to such criticism. He didn’t understand why people would want something that restricts or limits how you can play. Of course, while he is the series producer, he isn’t the only one who gets a say in “Zelda’s” future. Nintendo could still re-evaluate their approach. However, we again have to look at this era’s success. The open world format may be here to stay and, if anything, we could see it grow even grander or more intricate.

A Return of the Roots

On the other hand, there’s no reason why different styles of “Zelda” can’t coexist. While the open world formula may get used for the next big game, there’s still a lot of love for the classic top-down format. Like we said, the next mainline installment will obviously take a long time to make. And so, Nintendo may seek to hold fans over with something smaller, similar to how we got a “Link’s Awakening” remake in between “Breath” and “Tears.” In terms of new games, we haven't seen this style in a mainline entry since 2015’s lukewarm “Tri Force Heroes.” However, another from-the-ground-up remake seems more likely. Personally, I hope it’s “Minish Cap.”

Playable Zelda

Call it a theory, a hope, or an undying desire. Many fans, us included, have been craving the chance to play as Zelda for years; ya know, the character the whole franchise is named after. While she has been playable in “Hyrule Warriors,” the closest we’ve gotten to her playing a bigger role in a mainline game was as the companion in “Spirit Tracks.” But that isn’t quite the same. Some players have even modded “Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom” to replace Link with the Princess. This is another fan request Aonuma has commented on, stating there’s always room for new ways of thinking in regards to Zelda’s role, and it’s a possibility for the future.

Link Speaks

Nintendo seems as against letting Link talk as some fans are to hearing him. He makes plenty of grunts and screams, and dialogue options show that he does speak even if we don’t hear him. When “Breath of the Wild” brought voice acting to the series, at least in cutscenes, everyone spoke except for the main character. As the series continues to grow like any other, expanding the aspect of voice acting seems like a logical step. That is, if the new game continues on the grander trajectory. Plus, players may eventually need to get used to the idea of a talking Link. A live-action movie is coming, and we doubt Link will stay silent the whole way through. If that interpretation is well-received, we may get a talking Link in the next game.

A New Villain

Ganon clearly plays a huge role in the franchise and is certainly its most well-known villain. However, there have been many games across the series that he didn’t appear in. Nintendo made him a huge focus in these past couple of games, focusing on his monstrous form in “Breath of the Wild” and his Gerudo form in “Tears of the Kingdom.” Going with a different villain could be an easy way to differentiate the new game from this current era. Although, if Nintendo didn’t want to leave him behind, we could also see the studio still including him in a more supportive, villainous role similar to “Twilight Princess.”

Classic Dungeons

Nintendo is usually good about taking criticism of “Zelda” and adapting for the next game. “Twilight Princess’” mature tone was in response to the backlash of “Wind Waker’s” cel-shaded art style. And “Breath of the Wild’s” freedom was in response to “Skyward Sword’s” overbearing linearity. So, we can look at criticism of “Tears of the Kingdom” to see what the series might do next. While the dungeons were definitely an improvement over Divine Beasts, they were still criticized for being completed the same way; basically, activate several switches with the Sage, and fight a boss. They clearly still took a backseat compared to the Shrines and open world survival aspects. But other open world games have shown there’s room for exploration-heavy playgrounds and bigger, more fleshed out dungeons. At one point, dungeons were a key ingredient to the “Zelda” formula, so we’re hoping they make a strong return in the next game.

An Adaptable Story

Whether or not you like the “Tears of the Kingdom” story, there were definitely issues with how it was told. Because of the game’s non-linear structure, you could stumble upon a memory set much later in Zelda’s storyline, possibly making it less impactful. Although the chronological order could be seen at the Forgotten Temple, we imagine most players watched the Dragon Tear memories when they found them, since the game’s key focus is non-linear progression. This wasn’t much of a problem in “Breath of the Wild,” as those cutscenes all built towards something we already knew happened at the beginning. Additionally, that structure also meant we essentially had to watch the same cutscene after every single dungeon. However, if Nintendo could find a way to have the story adapt to your decisions and your path, this would be a non-issue. Nintendo always puts gameplay first. But as we’ve already seen it’s willing to change based on player feedback, perhaps the plot will be a bigger focus next time.

What do you think the next “Zelda” game will look like? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!