Summary
The Legend of Zeldaseries producer and developer Eiji Aonuma recently explained that his main focus when developing a game is the gameplay, with the story coming afterward.The Legend of Zeldaproducer also mentioned that he never prioritizes the story first, as doing so could make the development process “difficult.”
The Legend of Zeldaseries, created by Nintendo, is widely recognized for the sense of adventure it has provided since its first installment in 1986. The franchise’s focus has always been on exploration, innovative gameplay, and mechanics. Eiji Aonuma has been a key developer sinceOcarina of Time, and he has played a major role in shaping the series' direction. Under his leadership, games likeBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdombrought open-world exploration and advanced physics to the franchise, introducing new mechanics and gameplay aspects to the video game scene in revolutionary ways.
In a recentinterview with the Washington Post, Eiji Aonuma opened up about his approach to makingsuccessful games likeZelda: Echoes of Wisdom. He explained that gameplay always comes first for him, as he prioritizes it over the story when developing a newZeldatitle. Aonuma confessed that he believes starting with gameplay mechanics leads to a more flexible and creative design process, while starting with a story can feel limiting and make things harder. “I think it would actually be kind of difficult to do the reverse and start with the story, then try to match the gameplay mechanics to that,” he said. For him, the story is there to support and enhance the gameplay, acting as a guide that helps players navigate the experience from start to finish. According to his vision, gameplay drives the player’s journey, while the story serves as a way to bring that journey to life.
Zelda Producer Aonuma Says Prioritizing the Game’s Story First Can Make Things Difficult
This insight into Aonuma’s approach highlights what’s madetheZeldaseries so successful, especially with the last three titles:Breath of the Wild,Tears of the Kingdom, andEchoes of Wisdom. These games have won over fans with their immersive and innovative gameplay. While many games today focus on or balance story with gameplay, Aonuma’s gameplay-first philosophy has keptZeldafeeling fresh, pushing the boundaries of exploration and adventure.
This has not been the only interesting thing Aonuma has revealed to players, as he recently shared some new details about Link’s role inEchoes of Wisdomin another interview. Aonuma and the game’s director, Satoshi Terada, mentioned that they initially consideredgiving Link spoken dialogue to matchEchoes of Wisdom’s darker themes. However, they ultimately decided to keep Link silent, believing that dialogue wouldn’t fit with his iconic status as a silent protagonist.
I think it would actually be kind of difficult to do the reverse and start with the story, then attempt to match the gameplay mechanics to that
Aonuma’s comments about prioritizing gameplay might come as a surprise for many, considering the strong focus on story that the last three entries in theZeldafranchise feature. However, this also highlights whyZeldaconstantly offers gameplay innovations, presenting new ways to explore its rich virtual worlds.
