Legend Of Zelda Game Starring Surprise Protagonist Cancelled By Nintendo

Published Sep 25, 2026, 6:39 AM EDT

Paul Farrelly is a Contributing Writer for Screen Rant’s Gaming section and the founder of GeekGasm.org, a site dedicated to celebrating all things gaming, from triple A blockbusters to weird and wonderful indie hits. Based in Louth, Ireland, Paul has spent years writing about games, pop culture, and tech, turning his lifelong love of gaming into a career that lets him talk (probably too much) about what makes this industry so endlessly fascinating.
He’s previously written and collaborated with several entertainment outlets, including LADbible, gaining a wide perspective on how gaming fits into today’s pop culture conversation. His work blends genuine enthusiasm with thoughtful analysis, exploring how design, storytelling, and community have made gaming one of the most creative mediums around.
When he’s not glued to a controller or keyboard, Paul’s usually spinning vinyl, plotting his next horror marathon, or debating which Resident Evil entry really reigns supreme.
 

For every great, and not so great, game that releases each year, there are a pile of projects that get canceled. Occasionally, some of these canceled games have great concepts that deserve to see the light of day. Sadly, we've just learned of a canceled Nintendo game that sounds like an absolute banger. Nintendo rarely makes a bad move but keeping a brand-new The Legend of Zelda adventure away from us gamers feels like a big loss. So, put down your sheikah slate, and stand with us in the graveyard of broken dreams as we look at what could have been.

According to a recent report from Insider Gaming, we were robbed of an intriguing collab between Nintendo and Ubisoft. In the past, this partnership has seen great success, with Ubisoft being responsible for the hilarious crossover game Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, bringing many of our beloved Nintendo characters to life in new ways never seen before. Mario with a gun? Come get some! In fact, this crossover was so successful and well received by the fan base, that a sequel Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope was made in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.

Riding off the back of that successful partnership, Ubisoft began working on a new Zelda game where the villainous Ganondorf was set to be the main protagonist. Alas, the partnership was dissolved long before the project reached fruition, and the untitled Zelda game is currently languishing in limbo. The project, which was codenamed Goliath, was first set to introduce a brand-new character before Nintendo suggested it be based around Ganondorf instead.

Ganondorf as the protagonist has such massive potential that it's a shame this project never saw the light of day. From The Legend of Zelda franchise, little is really known about what Ganondorf was like growing up. Bar his thirst for power and his hatred of pointy-earred guys in green, we really don't know what motivates Ganondorf. Learning what goes on in his head or perhaps how he became so evil could make for an amazing epic adventure. Then again, it's more likely that he was simply always evil and hungry for power.

The potential for what might have been feels limitless and users on Reddit are tripping over each other to theorise what would make a compelling The Legend of Zelda game featuring Ganondorf as the lead protagonist. One user hoped for the following:

I’m imagining it like the shadow of Mordor games, where you go through hyrule and build your army by infecting the creatures and eventually towns and hyrule castle

While another theorized:

The actual lore behind the triforce kinda works for a Ganondorf hero/redemption arc. The Triforce isn't supposed to be broken up into three pieces. It only does that when somebody with an "unbalanced heart" touches it. The pieces that they are lacking fly off and find more suitable bearers. If Link or Zelda touched it, the same thing would happen.

Option A: Ganondorf goes to seize the power of the Triforce, it breaks apart like it always does, and he sets out to retrieve it. In the process he learns about the "unbalanced heart" thing and goes about fixing that, becoming a better, more heroic person in the process.

Option B: Link or Zelda touches the Triforce, it breaks apart like it always does, and the Triforce of power flies off and finds a pre-villain arc Ganondorf. He sets out on a journey to reunite it and restore the sacred land. Since this version of Ganondorf gains the necessary courage and wisdom to unite the Triforce before trying to steal it he doesn't get twisted by the Dark World and having his prize snatched away by the gods' stupid rule.

Regardless of what a finished Ganondorf-led game would look like, it still feels like a loss to all gamers. Nintendo are generally great at quality control so perhaps what was on the table, just wasn't up to scratch. But with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake almost upon us, we don't need to grieve the loss for too long. Now, if Nintendo and FromSoftware can continue their partnership after The Duskbloods and bring us some Zelda/Elden Ring crossover... we'll all get over the lost The Legend of Zelda game from Ubisoft pretty quickly!