Monolith Soft Confirms Bigger Zelda Ambitions as Nintendo Fans Debate What Comes Next

Monolith Soft has announced that it intends to take a larger role in developing future entries in The Legend of Zelda series alongside Nintendo. The studio, best known for the Xenosaga and Xenoblade franchises, has co-developed Zelda titles before — most recently Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom — but the new statement signals a more direct level of involvement going forward.

The announcement follows a recent interview in which three Monolith Soft developers who worked on Tears of the Kingdom discussed the game's production. They described working closely with Nintendo to determine how in-game models should look, including how Ganondorf was designed to project strength, menace, and a deliberate sense of allure — adjustments that continued until the game's launch in 2023. Tears of the Kingdom sold over 10 million copies in its first three days, received an enhanced port for Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025, and was followed by the spin-off Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.

Interesting, will Gaten Matarazzo react so happily as he had spoken about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in Polygon's video?

The interview closed with a direct statement from Monolith:

"Moving forward, as a member of the team creating the world of 'The Legend of Zelda' with Nintendo, we (Monolith Soft) will continue to develop games that pursue even more 'new surprises and emotions.'"

That line landed across fan communities within hours. The leading theory circulating on X centers on a rumored Ocarina of Time remake, suggested in an alleged leak from last week. User RevADB proposed that Monolith could rebuild Ocarina using Breath of the Wild's engine. Responses split fast. Some pushed back on the direction entirely.

"Nobody wants another BOTW game bruh," one commenter wrote.

"I sincerely hope the artstyle for the next Zelda game takes a step back from the cel-shaded look," another added, pointing toward the darker visual register of Twilight Princess and a well-circulated Wii U technical demo as preferred references.

On Reddit, the conversation moved in a different direction. Several users argued that Monolith's structural strengths — semi-open world design, systemic depth, large-scale environment construction — make the studio better suited to building an entirely new Zelda entry rather than remastering an existing one.

"Monolith Soft seems to be better suited for a new Zelda if their semi-open world style is any indication, which only leaves a lot of room for new gameplay ideas and innovation while elevating the presentation."

— Reddit user

Others nominated Grezzo as the more appropriate studio for an Ocarina remake. Grezzo led the 3DS remaster of Ocarina of Time, directed the Link's Awakening remake, and developed Echoes of Wisdom. A separate faction called for a Twilight Princess remake instead, a title Nintendo has confirmed will come to Switch Online at an unspecified date.

Monolith's broader Nintendo track record extends well past Zelda. The studio contributed to Super Smash Bros. Brawl, all three Splatoon games, Animal Crossing: New Leaf and New Horizons, Pikmin 3, and Mario Kart World. Within the Zelda series specifically, its credits include Skyward Sword, A Link Between Worlds, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom — four titles that each introduced significant mechanical or conceptual shifts to the franchise.

I think the strongest case for Monolith taking a lead role sits with a new entry rather than a remake; their world-building instincts are too specific to spend on reconstructing a game that already exists in two playable versions. The franchise turns 40 this year, and Nintendo has not confirmed what form the next major release will take. With Monolith signaling expanded ambitions and fan expectations already fracturing across at least three separate scenarios, I doubt the reveal — whenever it comes — satisfies everyone equally.

Read also, a new trick developed two decades after The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker's original release has cut the speedrun record from just under an hour to just over 28 minutes — runner EJ125 demonstrated the technique at this year's Awesome Games Done Quick using a method built on a detailed understanding of the game's underlying systems.