As we previously predicted in the Nintendo NX release date thread, more industry insiders are now coming out with information corroborating that the development of the Legend of Zelda game previously announced for Wii U is being migrated to Nintendo's new platform, Nintendo NX.
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma announced in March that the release of the upcoming Zelda game was no longer going to happen in 2015. This announcement happened only a few days after Satoru Iwata announced the NX as Nintendo's next-generation gaming platform.
Why does it make sense for Nintendo to switch Zelda over from Wii U to NX? For several good reasons.
First, Wii U development is winding down. Venture Beat reports that of the 380 originally announced Wii U exclusive games, most were launched in 2013, and some were released in 2014. The Legend of Zelda was the last big AAA first-party release to be released in 2015, and that release was tellingly shelved until 2016. That means that Nintendo will stop promoting the Wii U very soon and focus entirely on more promising systems.
Second, Zelda on NX would make a fantastic launch title. Historically, most Nintendo systems launched with a Mario installment, but launching with a major Zelda game would also creative positive publicity for the new system.
Finally, Nintendo has already pulled this trick with Zelda before. Remember Twilight Princess that was schedule to be a GameCube exclusive? As the Wii launch date approached, Nintendo quickly announced that Twilight Princess was now going to be released on both GameCube and Wii. What's more is that Nintendo intentionally made the GameCube version inferior by disabling widescreen mode in order entice people to buy the Wii version (and the Wii, of course).
We stand by our previous prediction that the new Legend of Zelda game will launch on Nintendo NX in November 2016.
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma announced in March that the release of the upcoming Zelda game was no longer going to happen in 2015. This announcement happened only a few days after Satoru Iwata announced the NX as Nintendo's next-generation gaming platform.
Why does it make sense for Nintendo to switch Zelda over from Wii U to NX? For several good reasons.
First, Wii U development is winding down. Venture Beat reports that of the 380 originally announced Wii U exclusive games, most were launched in 2013, and some were released in 2014. The Legend of Zelda was the last big AAA first-party release to be released in 2015, and that release was tellingly shelved until 2016. That means that Nintendo will stop promoting the Wii U very soon and focus entirely on more promising systems.
Second, Zelda on NX would make a fantastic launch title. Historically, most Nintendo systems launched with a Mario installment, but launching with a major Zelda game would also creative positive publicity for the new system.
Finally, Nintendo has already pulled this trick with Zelda before. Remember Twilight Princess that was schedule to be a GameCube exclusive? As the Wii launch date approached, Nintendo quickly announced that Twilight Princess was now going to be released on both GameCube and Wii. What's more is that Nintendo intentionally made the GameCube version inferior by disabling widescreen mode in order entice people to buy the Wii version (and the Wii, of course).
We stand by our previous prediction that the new Legend of Zelda game will launch on Nintendo NX in November 2016.