The next mainline Legend of Zelda game might incorporate elements from an unexpected source: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. In a revealing interview with Japanese news site 4Gamer, series producer Eiji Aonuma suggested that the collaboration with Koei Tecmo on the Switch 2’s first Zelda title could influence the direction of future mainline entries.
A Collaboration That Sparked New Ideas
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment represents the latest entry in a spin-off series that merges Dynasty Warriors-style musou gameplay—where players face off against thousands of enemies—with the beloved characters, lore, and locations of The Legend of Zelda. This particular installment allows players to experience the Imprisoning War that sealed away the Demon King Ganondorf, a pivotal event in Zelda mythology.
Like previous Hyrule Warriors games, Age of Imprisonment was developed through a collaboration between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, with Koei Tecmo’s new AAA Games Studio handling the development work. What makes this collaboration particularly noteworthy is how enthusiastically Nintendo’s Zelda team has praised the experience.
“It was incredibly fun,” said Hidemaro Fujibayashi, director of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. “They always had ideas we never would have come up with on our own, it was truly stimulating.”
That creative cross-pollination appears to have left a lasting impression on the Zelda team. Aonuma’s comment about the collaboration’s potential influence on future games suggests something more significant than polite professional courtesy.
“The inspiration we received from this collaboration with Koei Tecmo may be reflected in the Zelda we create,” Aonuma revealed. “Please picture this while playing Age of Imprisonment, and look forward to our Zelda.”
Friendly Rivalry Over the First Switch 2 Zelda
There’s a touch of good-natured competitiveness in how the collaboration unfolded. Aonuma admitted that his team wanted to be the first to release a Zelda title on Nintendo’s new console, but Koei Tecmo beat them to the punch.
“The Legend of Zelda: Age of Imprisonment is the first Zelda title released for the Nintendo Switch 2. To be honest, we wanted to bring out the ‘first’ Zelda game on the new console,” Aonuma said with a laugh.
This admission is particularly interesting given the series’ history. The Wii launched with Twilight Princess, while the original Switch featured Breath of the Wild as a launch title—both critically acclaimed games that helped define their respective consoles. That Age of Imprisonment claimed this honor instead suggests Nintendo’s confidence in the spin-off and perhaps indicates that the next mainline Zelda needs more development time.
A Meeting of Creative Minds
The collaboration appears to have been remarkably smooth, with both teams describing a natural creative synergy. Age of Imprisonment producer Ryota Matsushita described the Zelda team and Koei Tecmo’s team as being “on the same wavelength,” noting that Fujibayashi’s knowledge of real-life castles enabled them to instantly understand each other regarding how Hyrule Castle should be depicted.
Age of Imprisonment director Koki Aoyanagi discussed how motivating it was to receive positive reactions from the Nintendo team: “Since they were playtesting the game, we wanted to give them big surprises and moments of awe to experience.”
AAA Games Studio head Yusuke Hayashi explained their design philosophy: “We aimed to combine these two approaches; the Zelda-like, strategic back-and-forth of using Zonai gear and varied techniques against powerful foes with the exhilaration of musou—feeling mighty powerful as you cut down waves of weaker foes.”
Significantly, Fujibayashi noted that even when Nintendo’s Zelda team provided critical feedback, Koei Tecmo would return with “proposals that elevated it into something even better.” This kind of productive collaboration often results in ideas that neither team would have reached independently.
What Could This Mean for the Next Zelda?
Aonuma’s hint is deliberately vague, leaving fans to speculate about what elements from Age of Imprisonment might appear in the next mainline Zelda game. The most obvious possibility involves combat mechanics—Age of Imprisonment features more action-oriented, large-scale battles than typical Zelda games. Could we see sequences where Link faces massive armies or encounters that emphasize the “feeling mighty powerful” aspect Hayashi mentioned?
Another possibility involves narrative scope. Age of Imprisonment depicts the Imprisoning War, a major historical event in Zelda lore that’s been referenced but never fully explored in mainline games. Perhaps future Zelda titles will tackle similarly grand historical moments or wars that shape Hyrule’s timeline.
The collaboration’s emphasis on combining strategic gameplay with action spectacle could also influence puzzle design or boss encounters, creating situations that require both tactical thinking and combat prowess in equal measure.
Could We Return to Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule?
In the same interview, Aonuma also addressed the question of whether future games might revisit the version of Hyrule introduced in Breath of the Wild and expanded in Tears of the Kingdom.
“In the first place, the reason I decided to make this a sequel to the previous work was because I thought there was value in experiencing a new game in that Hyrule,” Aonuma explained. “If that’s the case, if a new reason arises, we might return to the same world again. Whether it’s a sequel or a new work, I think it’s going to be a completely new game, so I hope you’re looking forward to it.”
This comment suggests Nintendo isn’t ruling out a third game set in the Breath of the Wild continuity, though Aonuma emphasizes that any return would need a compelling reason beyond simply revisiting familiar territory. The door remains open, but only if there’s a meaningful story to tell or gameplay innovations to introduce.
Director Fujibayashi added his own perspective: “We are very grateful that so many customers have been playing Tears of the Kingdom for so long and deeply, so we will do our best to make the next game even more enjoyable.”
This statement, while diplomatic, suggests the team is motivated by Tears of the Kingdom’s success and longevity to push even harder on the next project.
No DLC, But Something New Is Coming
Nintendo announced in September 2023 that they had no plans to release DLC for Tears of the Kingdom, instead choosing to focus entirely on the next game in the series. This decision mirrors the approach taken with Breath of the Wild, which also received no traditional story expansion despite fan demand.
The development team’s focus on entirely new experiences rather than extending existing games has become a defining characteristic of modern Zelda development. Rather than incremental additions, Nintendo prefers to let completed games stand as finished works while channeling all creative energy toward what comes next.
The Long Wait Ahead
As of now, no mainline Zelda game for the Switch 2 has been announced, let alone given a release window. Given that Tears of the Kingdom released in May 2023, and considering the six-year gap between Breath of the Wild and its sequel, fans should prepare for a potentially lengthy wait.
However, Aonuma’s comments suggest the collaboration with Koei Tecmo has energized the development team and potentially opened new creative avenues. Whether that inspiration manifests as refined combat mechanics, different narrative approaches, or entirely new gameplay systems remains to be seen.
What’s clear is that Nintendo’s Zelda team is thinking carefully about what comes next, drawing inspiration from unexpected sources while maintaining the series’ core identity. The cross-pollination between Hyrule Warriors and mainline Zelda games has historically been limited, making Aonuma’s explicit acknowledgment of Age of Imprisonment’s influence particularly noteworthy.
Looking Forward
For now, fans can experience Age of Imprisonment on Switch 2 while speculating about what elements might carry over to the next mainline adventure. Will we see Link leading armies into battle? Will combat take on a more action-oriented flavor? Could we explore more of Hyrule’s historical conflicts?
Aonuma’s teasing comment—”Please picture this while playing Age of Imprisonment, and look forward to our Zelda”—suggests answers to these questions might be found by experiencing the collaboration that sparked these new ideas.
The next chapter in The Legend of Zelda remains shrouded in mystery, but thanks to this interview, we have our first hints about the creative influences shaping it. Whatever form it takes, the enthusiasm expressed by both Nintendo and Koei Tecmo teams suggests something exciting is brewing in Hyrule’s future.
