Home > Eiji Aonuma Interview with Industry Gamer - Zelda Wii U, Development Timeline
In a recent interview with Industry Gamers, Eiji Aonuma talked about several aspects of the Zelda franchise.
Industry Gamers: The 'HD Experience' demo that was shown of Zelda, is that representative of just how good a new Zelda on the Wii U would look?
Eiji Aonuma: Well, one thing I want to emphasize here, when talking about the Wii U Zelda HD experience, is that we really built it specifically to be an experience. The idea is using Zelda as the backdrop for one of these HD experiences, what kind of representation Zelda can make there. But this is really just to show people what kind of things the console can do. And so, it's not necessarily the case that we would use that graphic style or depiction the same way we would in a new Zelda, when there is a new Zelda for the Wii U. Just like the map functionality that was also implemented in that experience - it's simply us giving an objective look at the kinds of things that can be done with the HD hardware. And Zelda happened to be the filter through which we view it in that experience. So nothing is defined right now as far as how we'll proceed.
So the Wii U Zelda should prove interesting with all of the new features it provides. The touchscreen on the controller sporting the items and other menu's will save on screen space and allow for more seamless game play.
EA: I can't really speak to Mario, obviously - it's not my forte. But with regards to Zelda, the development process is typically around 3 years and that's a pretty big timeline obviously. So you've got a timeline for a given Zelda game and you've also got a timeline for new hardware. So obviously when those two timelines can line up neatly, then, yes we'd love to have something out and available at launch. There have been times when we've realized how important that is. For example, when Twilight Princess was being developed, we started on the GameCube and it turned out the game was going to complete itself more or less around the time of the Wii launch and I thought, '€œWell, it would be a real waste not to have that available for new players with that functionality in the forefront.'€ So we did make a Wii version of the game as well as the GameCube version.
But in general, the timeline for new hardware is actually shorter than the timeline for a new Zelda game. And because of that, when they don't line up correctly - and that's often the case - it's extremely hard to coordinate getting that title out as a day one title. But when possible, of course it's something that we understand is great and we like to do it. And, naturally, I realize that it is in some ways a problem that Zelda games take as long as they do. I would like to get them out faster. That's something that I consider a personal challenge and it's something that I look into.
Interesting? According to Aonuma in a different part of the interview, he has been working with WiiU for 2 years and the system is set for launch next year. This means that he will have roughly 3 years under his belt. Will we be able to see Zelda as a WiiU launch title? Possibly but not likely due to the fact that Skyward Sword only came out of development mere months ago.
IG: Speaking of the personal side, do you wish at times that you could work on something other than Zelda? You've been sort of the go-to guy for the Zelda franchise for a long time now. Do you have a creative desire to maybe work on a brand new Nintendo franchise?
EA: Yeah, the truth of it is I always want to work on something new. It just turns out that as I'm coming up with these ideas along the way, I realize, '€œY'know, this could really work on a Zelda game.'€ And it sort filters back into it and in the end, we come back into another Zelda project. So in some ways, it's a bit of a challenge for me personally that Zelda ends up becoming this pool of my ideas and it keeps absorbing the ideas I have and they get integrated back into Zelda games. But that's just sort of the way it's flown for me.
So with all of Aonuma's ideas being absorbed into Zelda projects, will we ever see a new Aonuma IP? Who knows, but check out the source link for the full interview.
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