Daily Debate: Should the Next Zelda Game Feature Another Post-Apocalyptic Setting?

For as whimsical and lighthearted as the Zelda series is on its surface, it sure does have a tendency to imply — if not outright show — catastrophic levels of death and destruction. It seems like at least half of the games take place in the aftermath of some great apocalypse. In The Legend of Zelda, Hyrule seems to be more akin to a desolate wasteland than an actual kingdom. In Skyward Sword, monsters rule the surface, with most of humanity relegated to a single village in the sky. Heck, by the end of The Wind Waker, that timeline’s incarnation of Hyrule is gone forever!

It’s kind of funny how Twilight Princess — despite featuring its fair share of darkness in other areas — boasts a Hyrule that’s pretty well off, all things considered. It may pale in comparison to its former glory — struggling to hang on, even — but at least Castle Town is still bustling with people. More recently, Breath of the Wild’s iteration of the legendary kingdom has been ravaged by Calamity Ganon. Coupled with its minimalist musical score, this is definitely one of the lonelier Zelda entries.

Personally, I’m itching for a more stable world next time around. I mean, I don’t want its denizens to be too happy at the game’s outset. Otherwise, what am I, the hero, doing here?! But it’d be refreshing to see a more densely populated world in a mainline game again. Let’s even throw a fully-fledged city or two in there for good measure. Even if the next game doesn’t take place in Hyrule — in fact, I’m kind of hoping we’ll get a break from there — I would love to see something similar to what I imagine Hyrule was like at its apex.

What about you? Are you still hoping to see Zelda go full-on Mad Max, or should the next world we visit have more stability and grandeur? Let us know in the comments below!