Daily Debate: Should Nintendo Resume the Yearly Zelda Game Release Schedule?
Posted on July 13 2022 by Michaela El-Ters
Maybe it’s because information on Breath of the Wild 2 has been scarce and an official release date hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s easy to forget that we haven’t had a total drought of Zelda content. With the Skyward Sword remake last year, the Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity spinoff a year before that, and the Link’s Awakening remake before that, there’s been a somewhat steady and consistent stream of Zelda game releases. It’s been great!
But in the early 2000’s, fans were treated to a Zelda game every year for eight years in a row. Eight years! That’s amazing! Whether it was a sequel with borrowed assets like Majora’s Mask, handheld installments like Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons, or a new console game like The Wind Waker, it was a great time to be a Zelda fan. Only having to wait a year (or two at most in the 2010’s) for a new Zelda game meant there was always another one to pick up, a perfect distraction from waiting for the next big console game.
I recognize that video game development timelines will likely only continue to increase the more advanced technology becomes, and I always appreciate Nintendo’s commitment to innovation with each installment. But there is a selfish side of me that would love to see Nintendo resume a yearly release schedule. Whether it’s a sequel that expands on its predecessor, an experimental multiplayer-heavy game, or a remake that is both nostalgic and modern, at the end of the day, I really just want more Zelda in my life.
What do you think? Would you want a Zelda game to come out yearly? Or would you feel overwhelmed by the options? Let us know in the comments!
Michaela El-Ters is an Associate Editor for Zelda Dungeon. She also writes blogs and streams games on the entertainment website Objection Network. Her favorite Zelda game changes with the seasons, but the series as a whole is near and dear to her heart.
