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TotK producer Eiji Aonuma WaPo interview: "I’m kind of reaching my limit here"

Toots

Gold Member

Huge hat off to Mr. Aonuma. Normally at age 60 we'd expect a easier and leisurely life. Old man still has great passion and delivered such a masterpiece. It is per se the pure heartwarming side of gaming.
I don’t get it, reading the itw excerpts isn’t an easier and leasurely lifestyle exactly what Aonuma seems to aspire to ?
Isn’t he basically saying, leave me be and find someone else to make Zelda, im getting to old for this shit ?
Don’t get me wrong he did a tremendous job with the new Zelda but he doesn’t seem to have much drive in him anymore (which is totally understand able for a guy his age)
 

nightmare-slain

Gold Member
If he doesn't feel he can give his best effort to another game and wants to retire or move to another role then he deserves it. The guy is a legend and has given us so many classic Zelda games.

And anyway I honestly think that the next Zelda should be something totally different from BOTW/TOTK. It might be best that someone else comes in with a fresh take on the series.
 

6502

Member
He has done a great job, and I cannot deny the success and reception; though personally I want a 3d Zelda with a smaller world and bigger dungeons, unique bosses etc.. an OOT type game with cutting edge graphics and weapons that don't break... a fantastical adventure you can complete in 30 hours without the padding of crafting / jobs / homework which I feel Zelda has become.

Failing that a four swords dungeon crawler playable off a single console.

Hopefully he or his successor can get something like that out in less than 6 years.
 
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Deerock71

Member
Sick Kill Me GIF
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Let him rest and let someone else work on a Zelda. Maybe a remake to OOT/MM and also a new AAA entry. Eiji can just overlook
 

peronmls

Member
Good time to stop playing these games. No point when the original minds of the past developments are gone. This guy hasnt even directed since TP. He seemed on his way out anyway.
 
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Dude probably doesn't wanna make another one.

Making games seems to be Soul sucking.
Always reminds me of Daniel Craig’s James Bond quotes - right after Spectre wrapped they asked if he’d do another one and he said he’d rather jump off a cliff (or something along those lines)

It’s just big draining experience to make any game, particularly a huge game like this. Emotionally, physically, creatively. Once you’re done it’s probably the last thing you want to do again. But after they take a break and step back and start having some new ideas, creative minds can’t help but getting dragged back in to it.
 

LakeOf9

Member
So does Call of Duty but yes your right it does sell more and get high reviews from the "mainstream masses" but how much stock does that hold..
Are you actually seriously comparing goddamn tears of the Kingdom with fucking call of duty, lmao
 

DKPOWPOW

Member
He certainly deserves retirement if he is ready for it.

Me thinks he he's got one more left in him, but not a brand new game.

It would be nice to see him and Miyamoto kinda help oversee a remake of Ocarina of Time for the next console.
It would be a nice swan song for their careers. Probably not as stressful as making an entirely new game, but who knows.
 

Zannegan

Member
Idk how you even advance dramatically from ToTK. You either scrap and build from scratch or polish what’s here with small tweaks.
A new setting might do it.

For example, revisiting the Wind Waker idea with a flooded world. You keep the systems-centric approach, only now wind and wave physics are the new hotness. AC4 ship to ship combat by way of Nuts and Bolts.

You could make underwater exploration a big part of the game too, and even time travel. Scuba your way down to a drowned city, then activate the time crystal or whatever to find yourself in the midst of a bustling metropolis.

You could even bring the Majora's Mask time limit gimmick back into play. Finish X, Y, and Z before the waters come. And as you save people, their older selves/descendants appear on the surface islands and they may give you hints on where to go next/what to do.

...so, TotK meets Wind Waker meets Ocarina meets Majora's Mask. This is starting to sound like the videogame equivalent of Homer Simpson's dream car. Lol.
 
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This is a minorities opinions though reviewers and public likes open world Zeldas more

Higher scores and WAY higher sales

My man.....I don't think it's a minority opinion to claim, as a Zelda fan, that BOTW/TOTK do not represent "Peak Zelda"

TOTK is still an incredible game, but it's not my ideal version of the series.
 
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