Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Hideo Kojima in a screenshot from the Xbox and Bethesda 2022 showcase.
Games Hideo Kojima's games have something other AAA titles don't, former PlayStation boss says
Fire Emblem Engage
Games Nintendo kept finished games in a "vault" while it waited for a "gap" to release them, says former marketing lead
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time screenshot showing Link, a young boy with elf-like ears and blond hair, with a surprised expression on his face
The Legend of Zelda The Zelda timeline was planned out for years, but Shigeru Miyamoto said it's "not that important"
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker screenshot of Link conducting
Games In 2003, Shigeru Miyamoto figured it was Nintendo's "duty to produce alternatives to GTA"
A picture of a Nintendo 3DS console next to several of the best 3DS games and Nintendo cards.
Games The 25 best Nintendo 3DS games of all time
Link in The Legend of Zelda movie
Live Action Movies Link's leaked look from The Legend of Zelda movie is Twilight Princess-coded, with a bold new design choice
An inkling with orange hair in Splatoon on Wii U using a splat gun to cover the stage with orange paint
Games The 25 best Wii U games of all time
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Wondering why GTA 6 Trailer 3 is taking so long? Rockstar answered that question 14 years ago
The Future of Starfield branding
The Elder Scrolls Everything Todd Howard told us about The Elder Scrolls 6, Creation Engine 3, and the future of Bethesda RPGs
Link in The Legend of Zelda movie
Live Action Movies The Legend of Zelda movie: Everything we know so far about the live-action movie
Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda "Nintendo is absolutely furious" about Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake leaks, former marketing lead assures
Hand holding Zelda Game and Watch handheld with gameplay featuring Link in white outfit in backdrop.
Retro I have 100 different ways to play The Legend of Zelda, but I'm still using the Game and Watch ahead of the 40th anniversary
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto says "there's only so many people" Nintendo can reach via consoles
Witchbrook trailer screenshot of people chatting at a cafe
Simulation Games Witchbrook was delayed because "Harry Potter meets Stardew Valley" got old
Yoshi and the Mysterious Boook screenshot of Yoshi smiling with eyes closed
Super Mario The next big Switch 2 exclusive, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, gets a May release date out of nowhere
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. The Legend of Zelda

Zelda director talks about why annualization doesn't work for the series

News
By Connor Sheridan published 16 October 2013

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Though The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD only took about six months to develop, it's easy to forget there was a time when three Zelda games hit home consoles in four years. Zelda series director Eiji Aonuma told Shacknews that the series briefly flirted with annualization, but it doesn't fit with mounting expectations.

Aonuma said Shigeru Miyamoto himself proposed that Majora's Mask could be released just a year after Ocarina of Time, which debuted in 1998 on Nintendo 64. It ended up releasing two years later, then Wind Waker hit GameCube two years after that.

In the intervening decade, only two home console Zelda games—Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword--were created, though several portable titles did fill the gap.

Article continues below
You may like
  • Ocarina of Time Forget another Ocarina of Time remake – Nintendo needs to get weird with Zelda's 40th anniversary
  • The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom screenshot showing Princess Zelda with tied-back blonde hair and emerald green eyes, wielding a sword before her face As Zelda devs tested contraptions now in Tears of the Kingdom, director realized Breath of the Wild still had potential
  • The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword screenshot Challenges in emulating Zelda titles demonstrates the series' knack for reinvention

"I think before, we did maybe try to make Zelda games come out faster," Aonuma said. "But there's so much expected of Zelda titles now, so you have to reach a certain level of quality, so that's why we started to take a bit more time now."

A Link Between Worlds is set for release in November. Its 3D, top-down take on the world of A Link to the Past may make it the most tempting portable title yet for longstanding fans of the series, but the untitled Wii U Zelda remains unseen and undated.

"It's not like we feel like we have a duty to get one out a year," Aonuma said. "Right now, we're able to split ourselves between the handheld and console games and have two teams. I think we're pretty efficient in getting games out on a regular interval."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Wii-u Nintendo Platforms
PRODUCTS
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan
Social Links Navigation
Former GamesRadar+ News Writer

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar+.

Read more
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom screenshot showing Princess Zelda with tied-back blonde hair and emerald green eyes, wielding a sword before her face
The Legend of Zelda As Zelda devs tested contraptions now in Tears of the Kingdom, director realized Breath of the Wild still had potential
 
 
Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda Forget another Ocarina of Time remake – Nintendo needs to get weird with Zelda's 40th anniversary
 
 
The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword screenshot
The Legend of Zelda Challenges in emulating Zelda titles demonstrates the series' knack for reinvention
 
 
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2
The Legend of Zelda Zelda producer says "hardware evolution" lifts "restrictions" but more importantly, "greatly influences the game design"
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time screenshot showing Link, a young boy with elf-like ears and blond hair, with a surprised expression on his face
The Legend of Zelda The Zelda timeline was planned out for years, but Shigeru Miyamoto said it's "not that important"
 
 
Fire Emblem Engage
Games Nintendo kept finished games in a "vault" while it waited for a "gap" to release them, says former marketing lead
 
 
Latest in The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time screenshot showing Link, a young boy with elf-like ears and blond hair, with a surprised expression on his face
The Legend of Zelda The Zelda timeline was planned out for years, but Shigeru Miyamoto said it's "not that important"
 
 
Monster Hunter World
The Legend of Zelda Monster Hunter and Pragmata creators praise The Legend of Zelda as "A source of inspiration in countless ways"
 
 
Street Fighter 6
The Legend of Zelda Street Fighter 6 director says Shigeru Miyamoto is "a North Star guiding all game creators"
 
 
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone says Link's Awakening is his favorite Zelda game because it has an "indie" feel
 
 
Link in The Legend of Zelda movie
The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask lead worries Link speaking in the movie will ruin the magic for some fans
 
 
Ocarina of Time 3D
The Legend of Zelda Zelda: Ocarina of Time fans share hopes for its rumored remake: "Swing for the fences"
 
 
Latest in News
Fallout
Fallout Fallout co-creator hopes to "make one more game" before his second retirement from RPG development
 
 
Motorslice heroine making peace sign
Action Games Indie dev discovers nuclear fusion of Steam marketing, flies up wishlists thanks to anime girl
 
 
Diablo 4 character screams in front of gray sky
Diablo Diablo 4 needs "aspirational content," says director, but don't discredit casual gameplay
 
 
Lucas, Dustin, Will, and Mike in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 showrunner says the upcoming series won't just be a "Monster of the Week" adventure
 
 
Marathon runners
FPS Games Bungie makes Marathon's Cryo Archive less brutal, blocking spawn rush strats and giving free kits
 
 
Crimson Desert
RPGs The Witcher 3 director says Crimson Desert isn't "story heavy," but it still gets "RPG things" right
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Royce Johnson as Brett Mahoney is Daredevil
    1
    Who is Brett Mahoney in Daredevil: Born Again season 2?
  2. 2
    Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 7 lets down two of its most interesting characters
  3. 3
    Fallout co-creator hopes to "make one more game" before his second retirement from RPG development
  4. 4
    Indie dev discovers nuclear fusion of Steam marketing, flies up wishlists thanks to anime girl
  5. 5
    Stranger Things: Tales From '85 showrunner says the upcoming series won't just be a "Monster of the Week" adventure

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...