Nintendo has recently expressed that they want Eiji Aonuma to create a new IP, according to the longstanding Zelda producer. In an interview with EDGE Magazine, Aonuma explained that Nintendo wants him to create a new IP but at the same time wants him to continue to make Zelda games. With his hands full with Zelda, which takes an incredible amount of dedication and time to put together, it would be rather difficult to create a new IP. Here is a snippet from the interview.
“Actually, Nintendo has been telling me to create a new IP. But then, they’re also telling me to make more Zelda games. I can’t really share much; I’m not sure I’m allowed to say anything. But I really like the idea of a game where I can live as a thief. That’s all I’ll say.”
While a thief game would be very interesting and would finally be Aonuma’s chance to escape the shadow of Zelda, the fact that Nintendo wants Eiji Aonuma to create a new IP seems somewhat unrealistic. He has worked on Zelda for about 20 years (he was on staff for Ocarina of Time) and it may be time for him to move on, considering that they have been grooming younger developers to eventually take over the reigns. It would also give Aonuma the chance to establish his own legacy.