The 5 Rumored Legend of Zelda Games, Ranked By Likelihood of Being Real

The rumor mill has been swirling recently surrounding The Legend of Zelda, with plenty of games suggested to be in some stage of development or another. Some fans believe that Zelda‘s future lies in an entirely new title, either as a part of the mainline series or through another retro-style adventure from Grezzo. Others argue that the franchise is going to revisit the past with their next entry, either through a ground-up remake or a remastered version of an older release.

The debate of Legend of Zelda‘s future has only gotten more intense thanks to the upcoming 40th anniversary of the series, with many fans expecting some new release or formal announcement by year’s end. While leakers have suggested some games are less likely than others, there are five rumored Legend of Zelda games that have really taken off with the fan base as potential next entries in the series. Looking at Nintendo’s recent trajectory, purported leaks, and the realities of the games industry, here are all five popular picks for the next Legend of Zelda release, ranked by their likelihood of actually coming out.

5. Ocarina Of Time Remake

One of the more popular rumors among Legend of Zelda fans for years now has centered around a potential remake of Ocarina of Time, even if seems increasingly unlikely. The beloved N64 game has remained the gold standard of action-adventure gaming since it came out, and rumors have swirled that a remake of what many call the “best game in the series” could be a fitting way to pay tribute to the upcoming anniversary. However, that kind of expansion would require a great deal of work, taking the version of Hyrule from decades ago into the present day, likely requiring years of dedicated work.

The rumors surrounding this have grown in recent months, but notable insiders like Nate the Hate have shot down any prospective chances for an Ocarina of Time remake, noting that he hasn’t heard “even a whisper” about the idea. Given the kind of attention a remake like this would generate, and how much work it would require to get finished, it seems highly unlikely that Nintendo could just surprise fans with such a release — especially when the original version remains playable through the Nintendo Classics service. This all makes it the least likely rumored new Zelda game to be real.

4. Wind Waker Remaster

While the graphics of Ocarina of Time would likely require a lot of work to upgrade for modern-day standards, the more stylistic approach of The Wind Waker makes a modern upgrade far easier. It’s also something Nintendo has already done with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD for the Wii U in 2013. Another remaster wouldn’t be the most shocking thing in the world, given the enduring popularity of the GameCube game. However, the existence of a previous remaster makes it seem less likely, as Nintendo could just port the HD remaster to new consoles without much fanfare.

On top of that, Wind Waker is technically already playable on the Switch 2, thanks to the Nintendo Classics service. It also doesn’t hurt that Wind Waker‘s graphics have actually aged very well, thanks to their emphasis on style instead of going for realistic — meaning that the cartoony characters retain their charms while the cutting-edge graphics of yesteryear grow staler by the day. Honestly, Wind Waker doesn’t need a remaster, and it seems unlikely Nintendo is working on one.

3. Twilight Princess Remaster

A more interesting possibility would be a remaster of The Twilight Princess. Similar to The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess got an HD remaster on the Wii U. However, that game feels less likely to simply be ported to the Nintendo Classics service, especially since the gameplay was so largely connected to the motion controls of the Nintendo Wii. The Switch controller has similar potential as the Wii-mote, which could make bringing Twilight Princess to the Switch 2 a more enticing possibility.

However, there’s also a chance that revisiting this game would feel like a step back after all the innovations that Nintendo has made with the Legend of Zelda series in the years since Breath of the Wild came out. Similarly, The Twilight Princess would make sense to bring to Nintendo Classics, given the game’s status as the final first-party Nintendo release for the GameCube. While this makes any remaster seem less likely than a new title, The Twilight Princess is probably the most likely Zelda game to get one if Nintendo does go that route.

2. Project Bernard

A more interesting theory surrounds a project supposedly titled “Project Bernard.” Although Nintendo has not confirmed that any game currently in development is referred to as that, notable leaker Nash Weedle has noted that developer Grezzo has used similar-sounding code names for other projects. During development, the Link’s Awakening Remake was known as “Richard,” while Echoes of Wisdom‘s remake was code-named “Edward.” The theory argues that “Bernard” is a working title for a new Zelda game, likely embracing a similar top-down visual style to Grezzo’s other Zelda titles.

This one is harder to prove or disprove, as it’s impossible to know exactly what is going on behind closed doors at Nintendo. However, Grezzo’s good working relationship with Nintendo and long history with the Zelda franchise make it seem like a more possible direction than others. If “Project Bernard” does turn out to be a Zelda game from Grezzo, it could be a fresh title like Echoes of Wisdom or a remake of a classic title similar to Link’s Awakening. It could even pay off rumors that “Bernard” is something of a compilation game by being a modern reimagining of the Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons titles.

1. New Mainline Legend Of Zelda Game

While no new Legend of Zelda game has been formally announced yet, there’s no way that Nintendo isn’t working on one — and a rumored new entry in the mainline series seems like the likeliest option. That would explain the multi-year gap between Tears of the Kingdom and any formal announcement, as that’s similar to the time that happened between the previous entry and announcements of the follow-up. It’s also something developers at Nintendo have tangentially mentioned, such as when longtime Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma revealed that the Hyrule Warriors games are influencing how the team approaches the next entry in the series.

This suggests that there is some form of momentum on that front, whether that be a direct sequel to Tears of the Kingdom or an entirely new experience. While remasters, remakes, and top-down adventures have been released in the past, the mainline Legend of Zelda series has remained one of the benchmarks of Nintendo’s library for a reason. Especially in light of the Switch 2’s launch last year, the franchise’s fortieth anniversary coming up, and the feature film adaptation set to hit the big screen, it would be shocking to learn that Nintendo has no concrete plans for a mainline follow-up to Tears of the Kingdom. While the other projects are possible, it seems more likely that Nintendo is invested in carrying on the series through a new mainline game over anything else.