Xenoblade studio could make new Zelda game, after supporting Nintendo with Tears of the Kingdom

Monolith Soft is best known for producing the Xenoblade Chronicles action RPG franchise. However, it has also played an increasingly vital role in the development of Zelda games. In a new interview, Nintendo producer and director Daiki Iwamoto seems eager to give the studio more control. He suggests that, after its work on Tears of the Kingdom, Monolith is ready to create a brand-new game in the series.

Nintendo and Monolith culture clash

Nintendo bought a large share of the Japanese developer from Bandai Namco in 2007. By December 2024, it established complete ownership of the company. During that time, Monolith worked on several Zelda titles, alongside its Xenoblade projects. It also contributed to other major releases like Mario Kart World.

The discussion posted on the Monolith website involves the studio’s lead animator and now producer, Yasuhiro Fujita. Iwamoto and Fujita detail how, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Monolith mainly generated assets. The two companies had contrasting philosophies, with Nintendo embracing a less structured trial-and-error approach.

Despite those differences, the collaboration flourished as Breath of the Wild took shape. The Xenoblade Chronicles developer gained more freedom to influence the title’s design and gameplay. With Tears of the Kingdom, the studio had even more impact during the earliest phases of development.

The most notable part of the interview came toward its conclusion. Iwamoto revealed that he “would like Monolith Soft to play a central role as a strong partner in creating the Zelda series from scratch.”

The future of Zelda with Monolith

It’s unclear how such a Zelda game would distinguish itself from the Nintendo-led titles. The partner may be asked invent a spin-off, with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment the most recent example.

As far as the next mainline adventure with Link, few details have surfaced about any project. One popular guess is that a remake of Ocarina of Time could arrive first as a Switch 2 game. When the Zelda movie launches in 2027, gamers could see a new release to boost the film’s marketing efforts.