Want the lowdown on a new Zelda game? You’re in the right place. Zelda fans are, without a doubt, some of the luckiest in the world. Since its debut, the franchise has churned out frequent instant classics, from Ocarina of Time to the most recent Tears of the Kingdom and Echoes of Wisdom. Alongside Pokémon and Mario, it’s one of Nintendo’s biggest juggernauts. So, what’s next for the franchise?
Here, we uncover all the latest news and speculation about the next Zelda title, including a release date estimate, platform predictions, and gameplay speculation. For more Nintendo news, see our guide to the Nintendo Switch 2, and our picks for the best Nintendo Switch games. Or, for a retrospective, read our Tears of the Kingdom review.
New Zelda game release date speculation
Nintendo hasn’t given any information about the release date for a new Zelda game, which may not even be in development yet. With that in mind, and given the lengthy development cycle of new, mainline Zelda games with a redesigned world and combat systems, we might be in for a long wait.
That said, Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom came out of nowhere, and there’s every chance Nintendo wants to bring one of its main franchises to the Nintendo Switch 2 as soon as possible. The new hardware is due to release in 2025, so we’ll be sure to let you know if a new Zelda game is on the cards as soon as we know.
In the meantime, Nintendo is working on a live-action Zelda movie. Following in the footsteps of the animated Mario movie (and its Bowser-sized commercial success), the Zelda movie is set to bring the adventures of Link and Zelda to the big screen. Directed by Wes Ball, the project aims to have a tone similar to a Studio Ghibli movie from Hayao Miyazaki, which sounds perfect to us.
New Zelda game platform speculation
As one of Nintendo’s beloved IPs, there’s no doubt that the next Zelda game will be on one of its original consoles. As the Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon and due to boast far superior hardware to its successor, the next major Zelda game may well be a Switch 2 exclusive. This would also be a good push for users to migrate from the original Switch to the new console.
On the other hand, the Switch 2 is confirmed to have backwards compatibility, so there’s also a chance that a new Zelda game could release on both the Switch and the Switch 2, similar to how Breath of the Wild released on both the Switch and the Wii U. We suppose it really depends on when the next Zelda game releases and how taxing it is to run.
New Zelda game gameplay predictions
Nintendo has hinted that the next big Zelda game will not be a direct sequel to Tears of the Kingdom. This is a break from recent form, as we’ve seen Tears of the Kingdom continue on from Breath of the Wild almost exactly in terms of gameplay. So, it opens up a whole new world of possibility for the next Zelda game, suggesting that the format could change completely.
Throughout Zelda’s long history, the series has transitioned through multiple gameplay styles. We’ve had top-down games, side-scroller platforming games, 3D open-world games, games with multiplayer elements, and much more. So, where the Zelda franchise goes next is anyone’s guess. Maybe it will continue in the same style as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, maybe we could get another Hyrule Warriors game, or perhaps another in the same styles as the Link’s Awakening remake and Echoes of Wisdom – be it a remake or new game, we’re happy with either.
For now, that’s everything we know about what’s next for Zelda. If you want to read more fun Nintendo articles, check out our guides to the new Pokémon game and new Mario game. Or, if you enjoy Zelda you might like Genshin Impact, in which case you should see our list of Genshin Impact codes and Genshin Impact tier list.