Over the weekend, attendees of The Legend of Zelda: Concert 2018 in Osaka, Japan were given indication that a Nintendo Switch port of 2011’s The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword may be in the works — a prospect that has since set the imagination of many alight. However, in a brief statement, Nintendo has since dashed the hopes of these excited fans, telling Eurogamer that they currently have “no plans to release The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on Nintendo Switch.”
Speaking to a sold-out Oryx Theater at the concert, it is reported that series producer Eiji Aonuma said, “I know what you’re waiting for. Skyward Sword for Switch, right?” The implications of the statement seemed clear enough, and the statement began to circulate through social media and various news outlets.
Now, what specifically Aonuma was referencing is further obscured, but Nintendo’s formal denial, at least, seems to definitively rule-out a Switch port of the Wii-released action-adventure.
The prospect of bringing an updated version of Skyward Sword to Nintendo’s newest console is an exciting one indeed, and it is unsurprising that Aonuma’s words spread quickly. The Wind Waker HD, Ocarina of Time 3D, and Majora’s Mask 3D have been excellent opportunities for players to access modernized remakes of Zelda entries they may have missed, and Skyward Sword for Switch would be very likely to follow suit.
Further, while our writers loved Skyward Sword‘s required motion controls, writing that they added “a new level of gameplay” to the franchise, some critics and fans considered them one of the weakest aspects of the entry. While it is hard to imagine a version of Skyward Sword that does not adhere to compulsory motion controls, a Switch update could provide Nintendo the opportunity to improve and modernize them.
While fans can no longer look forward to an imminent port of Skyward Sword, another recent Zelda tease may be enough to keep their excitement up. In the last episode of The Game Informer Show, senior editor Imran Khan indicated that “the next Zelda will probably be sooner than we think.”
It seems unlikely that Khan is referring to a direct sequel to the exceptional Breath of the Wild, considering it was released less than two years ago, but even a small-scale Zelda adventure would certainly be welcomed by many.
The full conversation from The Game Informer Show can be found on YouTube. And Nintendo’s response can be found on Eurogamer’s website.
