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Nintendo Executive Says New Games and Remakes Are Equally Important; Classic Games May Continue to Be Remade
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Nate Bihldorff, Nintendo's Senior Vice President of Product Development and Publishing, said that new games and remakes both have a place in Nintendo's lineup and are equally important. This statement has been interpreted as suggesting that, after The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Star Fox, Nintendo may continue remaking classic titles. Bihldorff said that different intellectual properties each have their own fans; new entries in a series are eagerly anticipated, while revisiting older titles with special significance can be equally satisfying.
However, he did not announce the next remake, nor did he disclose its production timeline or release platform. Potential remake candidates such as Super Mario 64 are currently only outside speculation, not projects confirmed by Nintendo. Whether Nintendo will continue to move forward with remakes of classic games, and what the next title will specifically be, have not yet been announced at this stage.
Information that has been announced shows that Star Fox, released in 2026, is a full remake of another Nintendo 64 game, and its sales as of September of that year were reportedly more than 1 million copies. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, meanwhile, has just been released and has received positive reviews.
Eiji Aonuma, producer of The Legend of Zelda series, explained the art direction of the remake. The team adopted a new style inspired by puppet theater, hoping to enhance the impact of the work through unexpected visual expression. After the first gameplay reveal, the sharply contrasting detail-rich Link and the relatively simple designs of non-player characters surprised some players.
Aonuma said that the series' installments often feature significant visual changes, and the team first considers which form of expression is most suitable for the specific game and development goals, rather than changing for the sake of change. For Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which are connected in story, the team can use a similar visual style; when there is no such connection between works, they seek a unique expression that better fits the individual game. He also acknowledged that the team itself may be surprised when first seeing a new style, and only gradually adapts to it and comes to understand its design.
VGC gave the remake a five-star review, believing that the work does not completely overhaul the original but instead adds modernization adjustments where appropriate; this rating is VGC's subjective assessment. Aonuma believes that if the final result completely meets players' expectations, the work may miss the opportunity to create an impact. Nintendo's subsequent remake plans still await official confirmation.
