Ubisoft's Canceled Zelda Game Starring Ganondorf Revealed

Did you know Ubisoft once tried to make a Zelda game? And not just any Zelda game – one where you'd play as Ganondorf, the series' big bad. According to a new report from Insider Gaming, that's exactly what almost happened.

The story goes that after Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Nintendo and Ubisoft Milan started talking about their next collaboration. Ubisoft pitched a Zelda project codenamed Goliath. At first, it starred a brand new protagonist, but during development, it shifted to focus on Ganondorf – apparently at Nintendo's request. Nintendo was reportedly on board with the idea, and Ubisoft had until the end of 2023 to deliver a prototype.

But then things fell apart. Nintendo rejected the prototype, and the project was canceled. After that, Ubisoft allegedly proposed a Star Fox or new Mario title, but conversations between the two companies eventually broke down. It's a tough break for a studio that had already delivered two well-received Mario + Rabbids games.

Not long after the cancellation, key Mario + Rabbids developers Davide Soliani, Cristina Nava, and Gian Marco Zanna left Ubisoft to form Day 4 Night. They're now working on a platformer called Bradley the Badger. Zanna told Multiplayer.it that the decision to leave was based on a project led by Soliani falling through – which could very well be this Zelda title.

When reached for comment, Ubisoft told GamesRadar+, "We do not comment on rumours or speculation." Nintendo hasn't responded yet. We'll update if they do.

This isn't the first time Nintendo has let outside teams play in its sandbox. During the Switch era, we got Mario + Rabbids and Cadence of Hyrule, plus remakes like Donkey Kong Country Returns HD from Forever Entertainment. But a Ganondorf-led Zelda game? That would've been something else entirely.

What do you think? Would you have played a Zelda game starring Ganondorf? Let us know in the comments!