Nintendo veteran Eiji Aonuma expresses nerves ahead of Zelda remake launch
Producer Eiji Aonuma said he feels nervous about the upcoming release of the "Ocarina of Time" remake, which arrives on November 5 as part of the series' 40th anniversary.
Nintendo producer Eiji Aonuma said he is nervous about the upcoming release of the "Ocarina of Time" remake, which is scheduled for November 5. The 63-year-old developer, who has overseen the "Legend of Zelda" series for more than 25 years, told AFP in Paris that he cannot stop thinking about how the remake will be received.
Aonuma, who began his career at Nintendo after being recruited by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, has guided the franchise through its most recent main entries, "Breath of the Wild" (2017) and "Tears of the Kingdom" (2023), which together have sold over 55 million copies. He highlighted the original game's blend of story and exploration, noting that the remake aims to preserve the series' core spirit while updating its presentation.
"I'm all nervous about releasing the remake of 'Ocarina' because I don't know how it's going to turn out, I can't stop thinking about it," Aonuma said.
The remake marks the most ambitious of the series' recent revivals and coincides with the franchise's 40th anniversary. Aonuma credited younger team members, many of whom have not played the 1998 original, for bringing fresh ideas to the project. He also reflected on his recent appointment as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French culture ministry, an honor previously given to Miyamoto.
"I'm very interested to see what the younger staff will imagine for future titles," he added, saying he remains eager to guide the next generation of Zelda games.