Ubisoft’s Unreleased Legend of Zelda Game Reportedly Scrapped by Nintendo

Ubisoft and Nintendo teamed up during the 2010s and early 2020s, leading to the creation of the crossover RPG, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in 2017, and its sequel in 2022. However, a recent report reveals that Ubisoft wasn’t ready to end the collaboration there. Ubisoft Milan was reportedly developing a spinoff game set in The Legend of Zelda universe before Nintendo decided to pass on the project.

According to insider sources, Ubisoft Milan, which co-developed the Mario + Rabbids titles, pitched an original Zelda spinoff featuring a new protagonist. This project, dubbed Goliath, aimed to deliver a grand experience. Initially, Nintendo approved the concept but requested that Ganondorf be the main character. While Ganondorf is a key figure in The Legend of Zelda series, he typically appears only in spinoffs like Hyrule Warriors and the Super Smash Bros. series.

Ubisoft Milan dedicated a year to creating a prototype, but Nintendo ultimately rejected it in November. The reasons behind this decision remain unclear, as does the nature of the prototype or the gameplay it would have offered.

Following the cancellation of the Ganondorf spinoff, Ubisoft Milan shifted its focus. Rumors suggest the studio explored other Nintendo franchises, potentially developing another Mario game or a Star Fox title. Notably, Nintendo recently announced and released a new Star Fox game after the character’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

However, by late 2023 and into early 2024, discussions between Nintendo and Ubisoft began to falter, though the reasons for this breakdown are not well understood. The team at Ubisoft Milan was disbanded, with some developers moving on to work on Beyond Good and Evil 2, which has recently shown renewed activity. Others formed a new studio, Day 4 Night, which is currently developing Bradley the Badger.

While major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon are sold out of Switch 2 hardware, Nintendo fans still have alternatives.

This isn’t the first time Nintendo has scrapped a Zelda spinoff. Retro Studios, known for Metroid Prime, once attempted to create a game featuring Sheik that explored the origins of the Master Sword, but it was deemed “a hot mess” by one of the developers involved.

Although Zelda fans won’t be able to play as Ganondorf in his own spinoff anytime soon, they can look forward to a new Zelda game by the end of the year. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a remake of the beloved Nintendo 64 classic, is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5.

Additionally, the 2027 film adaptation of Nintendo’s iconic RPG series has found its villain.