A new job posting reveals that Nintendo is looking for a new level designer for the Legend Of Zelda franchise.
This update comes from Twitter user @bk2128 who spotted a job listing on Nintendo’s Japanese website. According to the translation, this job listing asks for a designer to “create events/dungeons/fields/enemies from design to actual implementation.” What’s especially interesting, though, is that the listing references the need for someone with experience “on console games” and who can communicate in Japanese.
While it would be difficult to find anyone who thought that Nintendo wouldn’t make a new Zelda game, the timing of this hiring is interesting. The fact that Nintendo is asking for a designer with console experience would seemingly indicate that they are working on a new Zelda game for the Nintendo Switch rather than the 3DS. It seems, then, that the plan is for Nintendo to release another Zelda title for the Switch rather than to wait for a next-gen device. Such a move isn’t unheard of, though it’s not always a guarantee that a Nintendo console gets two major Zelda games during its lifespan.
While you can’t completely discount the possibility that this listing references a Zelda game on a platform other than the Switch – assuming that Nintendo refers to the 3DS as a console – it feels likely that they are jumping at the opportunity to capitalise on the success of Breath Of The Wild.
So far as that goes, the listing doesn’t really give any indication that Nintendo is necessarily sticking with Breath Of The Wild‘s open-world design for this upcoming game. “Events/dungeons/fields/enemies” is a pretty generic ask in terms of the types of things found in just about every Zelda title. As for why they are seeking a new level designer at all, it’s likely just a simple matter of the company wanting to expand the Zelda team ahead of this upcoming release.
Would Nintendo ever return to the classic style of Zelda game now that Breath Of The Wild has seemingly re-written the formula? It’s possible, but for the moment, we’re going to assume you can expect another open-world style Zelda game from the studio.