Zelda Should Break Tradition On Switch 2 By Embracing A Genre Nintendo Has Never Entered

Zelda Should Break Tradition On Switch 2 By Embracing A Genre Nintendo Has Never Entered


Breaking into a certain new genre could prove to be a perfect move for The Legend of Zelda when the Nintendo Switch 2 console is released. As a company, Nintendo has produced an incredible variety of games, but not every genre is a part of its vast catalog. However, The Legend of Zelda is arguably a perfect franchise to experiment with breaking Nintendo’s traditions; combined with the future release of the Switch 2, there is a major opportunity for Zelda to truly break new ground for the company.




There are plenty of interesting concepts Zelda could explore on the Switch 2, especially considering the vast opportunities a new console can offer. While much of the console’s precise capabilities are still being kept a secret, what is known about the Switch 2 indicates that it will offer several significant changes and improvements over its predecessor. Furthermore, it seems inevitable that the upcoming console will be much more powerful than the original Switch.


An MMORPG Would Be Perfect For Zelda

The Series Already Shows Many Clear Parallels To MMORPGs


An MMORPG would be a bold new direction for The Legend of Zelda, but much of the franchise already appears ready to support an entry into the genre. For example, character creation could draw on the incredibly diverse range of races from across Zelda’s history, each with their own natural specialties in exploration and combat. The world itself could likewise draw on the franchise’s rich lore, and the sheer size of an MMORPG would allow for an even more detailed environment than that of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

A
Zelda
MMORPG could not only allow player characters to belong to races like Hylians and Gorons, but also more lesser-known races like the Subrosians.

Hyrule itself would arguably be the perfect setting for an MMORPG, as it already features a diverse range of environments, enemies, and potential player character races. There is also plenty of room in the franchise for an original story, whether it belongs to a known part of Hyrule’s history (like the hundred-year gap in BOTW’s backstory while Link is in the Shrine of Resurrection) or an entirely new era. In either case, it would be simple to justify player characters taking up arms against some threat instead of simply leaving the problem to Link and Zelda.


There are also many Zelda features that would translate easily to an MMORPG setting, a fact that would undoubtedly smoothen the development process. For example, it would be interesting to see how The Legend of Zelda’s own style of dungeons would be portrayed, and whether they would maintain the franchise’s signature puzzle mechanics. But in either case, a Zelda MMORPG also has the chance to make Boss Monsters more intimidating and powerful than ever before; the core concept of raids and their associated difficulty to complete means that these enemies would be far more powerful than in any other title.

Zelda Already Has Enough Material For An MMORPG

An MMORPG Would Be Able To Use The Entire Series For Inspiration


Of course, there is already a strongly established quest system in The Legend of Zelda courtesy of the Adventure Log found in recent titles, and which is quickly becoming a staple of the Zelda series. Naturally, this would transfer extremely well to an MMORPG format, a genre that is firmly rooted in players exploring the game world and undertaking various quests. Moreover, as Zelda’s NPCs are well-known to face many bizarre issues, the content that could be offered by an MMORPG could likewise be vastly varied and entertaining.

Art of Link riding Epona with the Sky and Skyloft from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword​​​​​​​ in the background.

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It is also worth noting that an MMORPG would not necessarily be limited to Hyrule itself, either. There are plenty of Zelda settings aside from Hyrule that could increase the scope of such a title dramatically, such as Termina, Lorule, Holodrum, and Labrynna. Including other established countries, and perhaps entirely new ones, like this would not only offer Zelda the opportunity to establish an official world map, but also allow for much larger stories to be told. A truly global threat, whether originating from Ganon or an original villain, would be perfectly suited for the scope of an MMORPG.

Furthermore, a good and evil faction system may even lead to players being able to play as some species of monsters themselves, or else as members of villainous groups like the Yiga Clan. Again, this would be a major break with tradition for the franchise, as well as an extremely appealing feature in its own right. Allowing players to take on evil roles would create countless more quests to accommodate this approach, and this in turn would show Hyrule from a perspective that has never been shown before.


Nintendo Switch 2 Could Have A Nintendo MMO

The Upcoming Console Should Be Capable Of Playing MMORPGs

Toon Link from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker presenting a Nintendo Switch console as a newly collected item.

As what is clearly up shaping to be Nintendo’s most powerful console yet, the Switch 2 should be fully capable of handling the requirements of an MMO. In fact, at least one such game may already be in development, as leaks regarding a recent Nintendo Switch Online playtest revealed gameplay in the style of MMO games. Of course, this is far from there being official confirmation of The Legend of Zelda entering the genre itself, but it does at least indicate that Nintendo seems to be exploring MMO titles in general.


A Legend of Zelda MMO would undoubtedly be the next big step for the franchise, and would allow people to connect like never before. Multiplayer has been an unpopular concept for Zelda in the past, but an MMO could redeem the gameplay style in the eyes of many by being a far more ambitious title than any of the previous side games to make use of it. By fully committing to creating an MMORPG, Nintendo could bring the world of Zelda to life like never before, and allow countless people to join each other in exploring its secrets.

Link from The Wind Waker and Zelda from Breath of the Wild next to a Nintendo Switch.

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Creating an MMORPG would break tradition not just for Zelda, but Nintendo as a whole. Nevertheless, with the exciting new possibilities offered by the Switch 2, the company has never had a better opportunity to break into this genre, and Zelda would be a perfect series to do this with. With much of the series’ established mechanics, setting, and lore already fitting the genre, it seems The Legend of Zelda gaining an MMORPG title would simply be the natural next step in its development.


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