Debunking the Internet: Zelda U Won’t be Top-Down Styled

Oh internet, you’ve done it again. As I browse across the land I noticed a disturbing trend—a news report we just reported ourselves is being touted as “proof” that Zelda U will be a top-down styled Zelda game. Hey, the quotations exist, and word for word it can certainly be interpreted to mean just that. However, this story has reminded me of the time when Aonuma talked about Skyrim, and how suddenly all of the reports, ourselves included, used Eiji Aonuma quotations that were very point blank to say Zelda U will take inspiration from Skyrim. Eiji Aonuma did finally clear up that mess, but this feels like the same thing all over again.

Zelda U isn’t going to be top-down, and I’ll bet my entire life savings on that fact. You see, Eiji Aonuma doesn’t speak English. Everything he says is quickly translated by whatever translator is present and often times, and his meanings are misconstrued. Certainly top-down Zelda games are going to be considered in the future, but it is highly doubtful when he said “next Zelda game” that it was intended to mean Zelda U. In fact, he was likely talking about the next handheld Zelda game… whenever that goes into production. Here is the quotation that started the whole internet misreporting (emphasis mine):

Eiji Aonuma: I think the top-down view made the ability to enter the wall

really interesting. Also, in this game, I feel we’ve found a new

direction in regards to the potential use of the good old top-down view

for Zelda. It’s the kind of point we will take in good

consideration when thinking about the next Zelda game.

As I said, I can see the correlation and understand why many outlets would go that direction, but he didn’t even hint that it would be a Wii U game, and the interview itself is specifically about A Link Between Worlds. I love the internet, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t consider using the title to garner attention, but reality is that Zelda U isn’t going to be top-down, and I can’t further lead again, as we have done so in the past, to the misinterpretation of Eiji Aonuma’s own words. This is just another case of being careful about what you see and read on the internet, because while these outlets are not lying to you, they are directing you down a path that most of us can reasonably state isn’t happening. Heck, I am almost sad I felt compelled to make this post, but our fans are messaging me saying that we missed some big report here that doesn’t exist.