The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the latest addition to the long-running adventure game series, available now on the Nintendo Switch. While the game brings new changes, fans of the series have long been asking for a female lead character, and Eiji Aonuma, the producer of The Legend of Zelda, has discussed the potential for such a change in a recent interview.
Gameplay as Priority
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Aonuma stated that the priority for the game developers is the gameplay and whether having Zelda as the main playable character would serve the experience best. While the series has previously included female characters, having Zelda take on the main playable character role has not yet been explored.
Potential for Future Direction
Aonuma explained that the next step for Zelda is uncertain, and the developers can’t say what her next role will be until they know what the next gameplay experience will be. He also noted that it’s likely to be quite a while before the next game in the series is released.
Remakes in the Works
While it may be a while before a new mainline Zelda game is released, developer Grezzo has been releasing remakes of previous Zelda games, such as Ocarina of Time 3D and Link’s Awakening, for the Nintendo Switch. This suggests that the developers may have more remakes in the works, even if a new mainline game is not immediately on the horizon.
Possible Switch Successor
There have been rumors of a successor to the Nintendo Switch, but no new hardware is expected for at least the next year. Regardless, Nintendo is not expected to abandon the Switch right away, so it’s possible that there may be more Zelda games released for the platform in the future.
The Legend of Zelda series has been a beloved adventure game franchise for over 30 years, and the potential for a female lead character would certainly shake things up. While there are no concrete plans for such a change, Aonuma’s comments show that the developers are open to exploring new directions for the series.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who is Eiji Aonuma?
Eiji Aonuma is a Japanese video game designer and producer. He has worked at Nintendo since 1988 and is best known for his work on The Legend of Zelda series, having served as producer for many games in the franchise. -
What is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom?
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a video game for the Nintendo Switch console. It is part of the long-running Legend of Zelda series and was released in 2023. It features an open world, similar to its predecessor The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and allows players to explore the world and complete various quests and puzzles. -
Will there be a game with Princess Zelda as the main playable character?
The producer of The Legend of Zelda series, Eiji Aonuma, has stated that if the particular gameplay they’re trying to bring to fruition would be best served by having Zelda take the role of the main playable character, then it’s possible that that could be a direction they could take. However, he also mentioned that they are not sure what the next gameplay experience is going to be, so it’s uncertain whether a game with Princess Zelda as the main playable character will be made in the future. -
What other games has developer Grezzo released?
Developer Grezzo has worked on several games, including remakes of classic Legend of Zelda titles such as Ocarina of Time 3D and Link’s Awakening. They have also worked on games such as The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and Ever Oasis.