Rumor: Zelda Wii U Development, Release Year

According to a source in Japan who is corresponding with Wii U Daily, major details on the next Zelda game have been leaking through the cracks. Of course, the article itself makes little concrete sense, saying things like one of the dungeons in development is larger than Hyrule Field in Ocarina. Any gamer would know that dungeons in Zelda have well surpassed the scope of Hyrule Field. This source apparently is from within Nintendo, and has seen the game in action. They credited their source with also accurately predicting Miiverse and Wii U achievements.

Actual details are not plentiful and vague description abounds. Reportedly, the game was so ‘big’ it couldn’t make it by a Q3 2013 release, which is what Nintendo initially aimed for to offset competition from Microsoft and Sony’s new consoles. So, the game is set for 2014 and of course will be the biggest Zelda game ever… the most expensive and investment-contentious project that Nintendo has ever made. As of yet, the game has not had an official subtitle. It will stick to the Skyward Sword look, which Nintendo considers to have been the sweet spot. What follow are highlights of the article.

Nintendo has got “hundreds of people working on the new Zelda.” Development is undertaken by Eiji Aonuma, which started in late 2010 with his team.

”It’s a 4-year development cycle with a new console, new technology, new engine etc. It’ll end up being the most expensive game they’ve made to date. It’s a huge investment for them [Nintendo] in money and manpower, this is Rockstar/GTA territory”.

In terms of dungeons, Zelda Wii U will feature more or less the same number of dungeons, except as you suspected, much, much larger in size and vastly different from each other. Some of them are “broken up in size” and will need to be completed in three entirely separate parts, with literally hours to complete each dungeon. Side-quests and mini-games will also likely figure, though they are still in the concept development stage. Composers are creating an entirely original soundtrack with “hours of music.” No boss fights, cut-scenes were seen, and no information is known on the story, or if the characters will speak (voiced). The source has seen a “much higher-detailed, adult Link” akin to the recent Skyward Sword hero.

The rest of the article is even more conspicuous, with nothing concrete at all and aggrandizing explanations of how the game will be the most innovative product Nintendo has ever made, period. Wouldn’t we all want for the game to be that way…

Source: Wii U Daily