Zelda producer on fans who say they miss the series’ more linear games

Starting with Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda has moved away from the linear and traditional 3D games fans had been accustomed to since Ocarina of Time. The series is now focusing on “open air” experiences with a huge world to explore and with much more freedom. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have done well from both in terms of sales and reception, though some fans miss what came before.

Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has now responded to some of those discussions as part of an interview with IGN. Here’s what Aonuma shared when asked how he feels about those who miss linear Zelda given where the series is at now:

“Well, I do think we as people have a tendency to want the thing that we don’t currently have, and there’s a bit of a grass is greener mentality. But I also think that with the freedom players have in the more recent games in the series… there still is a set path, it just happens to be the path that they chose. So I think that that is one thing I kind of like to remind myself about the current games that we’re making.

But also, it’s interesting when I hear people say those things because I am wondering, ‘Why do you want to go back to a type of game where you’re more limited or more restricted in the types of things or ways you can play?’ But I do understand that desire that we have for nostalgia, and so I can also understand it from that aspect.”

Aonuma has indicated that the gameplay in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is where the series will continue to go in the future. However, it should be in a different world as Hyrule from the last two games won’t be used again.