Nintendo's Next Zelda Might Copy a Warriors Game

Zelda boss Eiji Aonuma hints the next mainline Zelda could take ideas from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment on Switch 2.

Next Zelda game may borrow from Hyrule Warriors spin-off

Nintendo hasn't announced the next big Legend of Zelda yet. But series producer Eiji Aonuma is already pointing at where some ideas might come from: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the recent Switch 2 spin-off made with Koei Tecmo.

Aonuma says working with Koei Tecmo on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment could influence Nintendo's next Zelda
Nintendo wanted to ship the first Zelda on Switch 2 themselves - but the Warriors spin-off got there first
Age of Imprisonment is a Zelda/Dynasty Warriors mash-up with hack-and-slash combat and multiple playable characters

What Aonuma actually hinted at

Aonuma’s comments come from a new interview (reported by VGC) where he frames the Warriors collaboration as useful fuel for whatever Nintendo does next.

Aonuma says Age of Imprisonment was the first Zelda title to launch on Switch 2.
He admits Nintendo wanted to release the first one “ourselves”.
He adds that the “inspiration” from collaborating “may be reflected in the next Zelda we create.”

This is still careful wording. It’s not “the next Zelda is like this”. It’s Aonuma basically saying: if you spot something in the spin-off that feels fresh, don’t be shocked if Nintendo picks up a similar thread later.

Why this particular spin-off matters

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment isn’t a random side quest. VGC describes it as a full Warriors entry that blends Zelda’s world with the button-mashing style Koei Tecmo is known for.

It mixes The Legend of Zelda setting with Dynasty Warriors-style action.
It retells historical events in the Zelda timeline.
Gameplay is fast hack-and-slash, with switching between multiple characters.

If you’ve played any Warriors game, you know the appeal: big battles, lots of enemies, and a focus on moment-to-moment combat. If Nintendo’s next Zelda borrows anything here, it could be about pacing, combat options, or how it handles story beats across different characters — not necessarily “Zelda becomes a Warriors game”.

What it could mean for the next mainline Zelda

VGC’s read is that 2026 (Zelda’s 40th anniversary) may be too soon for a brand-new mainline game “in the traditional sense,” especially with Tears of the Kingdom landing in 2023 and a 2D entry releasing the year after.

Zelda turns 40 in 2026.
The last mainline game mentioned is Tears of the Kingdom (2023).
VGC notes the last 2D entry came out “just last year”.

So the realistic takeaway isn’t “new Zelda confirmed for next year”. It’s more like: Nintendo is still building the next thing, and cross-studio work can leak good ideas into the main series. That’s normal, and frankly, it’s how you avoid making the same game twice.

The wider Zelda pipeline (not just games)

VGC also points out Nintendo has several Zelda projects happening outside traditional releases, which is worth remembering if 2026 doesn’t bring a giant new game.

A live-action Legend of Zelda movie is due in 2027,
There’s also a new Lego set in the works

And yes, if the next Zelda is a big Switch 2 title, you’ll probably want to think about storage early. This tbreak explainer is the least painful way to learn what “microSD Express” even is.