The Zelda dungeon formula is enjoying an unexpected comeback, but its renewed popularity raises an uncomfortable question: would Nintendo’s legendary adventure series still be thriving if it had never changed direction? The remarkable reception of Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2 has reignited calls for traditional temples and more structured adventures. However, two former Nintendo employees remember a very different situation before Breath of the Wild arrived.
Why the Zelda dungeon formula once needed a rethink
For longtime fans, traditional Zelda adventures represent an unmistakable identity. Carefully designed temples, memorable items and puzzles that gradually become more complicated helped define the franchise for decades. Consequently, the idea of returning to that structure has considerable appeal.
Yet popularity among dedicated fans does not always translate into a growing audience.
During episode 249 of the Kit & Krysta podcast, former Nintendo of America employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang discussed the difficult circumstances surrounding Zelda before Breath of the Wild.
Ellis, previously Nintendo of America’s director of social media marketing, recalled attending focus groups ahead of the game’s development. According to his account, those discussions painted a worrying picture: existing interest was declining, and new players were not arriving in sufficient numbers.
The hosts described the situation in particularly stark terms: “This series was in dire straits”.
Their recollections challenge the assumption that Nintendo abandoned a commercially unstoppable formula simply to experiment. Instead, the company was facing a problem that familiarity alone could not solve.
The sales history explains Nintendo’s dramatic gamble
Looking at Zelda’s commercial trajectory provides useful context, although individual sales figures never tell the complete story.
Twilight Princess sold roughly eight million copies after arriving around the beginning of the Wii generation. Skyward Sword, released much later in the console’s lifespan, reached approximately three million.
Those results came under different market conditions, so a direct comparison has limitations. Nevertheless, they help illustrate why Nintendo might have questioned the franchise’s ability to reach beyond its established audience.
Breath of the Wild subsequently changed that picture. Its lifetime sales passed 30 million copies, reaching approximately 34 million, while its open-ended approach attracted players interested in exploration, experimentation and discovering their own solutions.
Instead of making progress depend primarily on obtaining a particular item or completing temples in a predetermined sequence, Nintendo gave players considerably more freedom.
That design philosophy became the foundation for Tears of the Kingdom, which expanded the emphasis on player creativity.
Importantly, Ellis and Yang’s comments remain personal recollections and opinions. Neither their podcast discussion nor these historical comparisons constitute an official explanation from Nintendo.
Why the Zelda dungeon formula still matters on Switch 2
The success of Ocarina of Time’s Nintendo Switch 2 remake adds another dimension to this discussion. The classic adventure has achieved the console’s strongest launch performance so far, demonstrating substantial enthusiasm for an experience built around more traditional progression.
As previously covered in Battle4Play’s report on Ocarina of Time’s record-breaking Switch 2 launch, the remake sold more than 5.2 million copies worldwide during its first four days.
However, that achievement does not automatically prove that every future Zelda game should follow the same design.
A remake benefits from an established reputation, nostalgia and the opportunity for newcomers to experience an influential adventure. A completely new installment faces different expectations, particularly after two major games encouraged players to explore Hyrule on their own terms.
There is also an important distinction between revisiting a familiar adventure and wanting every future release to reproduce its structure.
Interestingly, the remake itself demonstrates how Nintendo can preserve classic progression while modernizing the experience. Its updated exploration features and additional guidance systems, examined in our coverage of Ocarina of Time’s gameplay improvements, show that traditional design does not have to remain unchanged.
The next Zelda could learn from both generations
Perhaps the most productive question is not whether Nintendo should choose classic dungeons or open-world freedom. Instead, it is how those ideas could complement each other.
Traditional temples offer something valuable: spaces with a deliberate rhythm, recognizable identities and puzzles designed around a coherent set of mechanics. Meanwhile, the newer games excel at letting players experiment without constantly directing their decisions.
Combining those strengths could produce a different kind of Zelda adventure. Imagine substantial themed dungeons with carefully constructed challenges, surrounded by a world that still rewards curiosity and unconventional solutions.
That is a possible direction, not a confirmed Nintendo plan.
The crucial challenge would be maintaining meaningful puzzle progression without sacrificing the freedom that helped the franchise reach a much larger audience.
For now, Nintendo has not officially commented on Ellis and Yang’s recollections or announced that future Zelda installments will return to the older structure.
The renewed interest in the Zelda dungeon formula therefore represents an opportunity rather than a definitive verdict on Breath of the Wild. Nintendo’s next challenge may be finding room for both philosophies instead of treating them as incompatible.
Would you prefer the next Zelda to restore traditional temples, or should Nintendo continue building on the freedom introduced by Breath of the Wild?
A Fortnite player since the very first storm: I jump off the Battle Bus with a plan (that rarely survives the landing), build faster than I think and never miss a live event on the island. Here I bring you every new season, collab and secret before the storm closes in.
