Daily Debate: Are You Worried About the Zelda Series Being Annualized?

When the discussion of the “next Zelda game” comes  up, we often think strictly in terms of the next mainline installment — a game that, depending on when the previous one released, could be anywhere from three to six years away. Even so, us Zelda fans aren’t exactly starved for content. Since The Wind Waker HD’s launch on September 20, 2013, we have seen at least one Zelda-related game release every year. From handheld quests to spin-offs to HD remakes, the gap between Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild was unquestionably the most bountiful era in the series’ history.

The train didn’t stop there, though. Since Link’s 2017 adventure, we have seen three other titles hit the Switch with Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, Cadence of Hyrule, and Link’s Awakening. Indeed, for many Zelda fans, this is a glorious and prosperous age.

Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment, though, and ask this: is Nintendo diluting the Zelda brand and giving us too much of a good thing? Granted, Zelda has always been one of Nintendo’s most prolific franchises, but even the 2000s and early 2010s had a couple of a silent years. Honestly, there was something to be said for going a whole 12 months without any new Zelda content whatsoever — it made the release of a new game feel that much more eventful, you know?

Ultimately, though, I don’t think the “annualization” of the series is an issue right now, in part because it doesn’t feel annualized in the traditional sense. As I mentioned off the top, it isn’t as if each of these games are tent-pole, mainline entries — one may be a throwback to the NES/SNES era, while another might be a Dynasty Warriors-inspired spin-off. I still feel a very particular brand of excitement for each proper, major installment. It’s a brand of excitement so powerful that only one other thing rivals it: that special, once-in-a-console-generation moment when Nintendo says “Yes, Twilight Princess will be coming to this system, too.”

Most importantly, though, is that almost all of these games are great. As long as these releases continue to be as polished, fun, and distinct from one another as they have been, then I’m good with seeing one or two Zelda-related titles each year.

What are your thoughts, though? Is this something that has crossed your mind, too? If so, then do you think the series should take more frequent naps? Let us know in the comments below!