Ubisoft Developed Zelda-Like Game Without Link Before Nintendo Canceled It

Ubisoft Milan wanted to create an unusual The Legend of Zelda spin-off starring Ganondorf, but Nintendo rejected the project at the prototype stage.

According to Insider Gaming, the idea emerged in 2023 following the release of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. Ubisoft Milan pitched a major project to Nintendo under the working title Goliath featuring a new main character. Nintendo showed interest in the concept but suggested making Ganondorf the protagonist.

A small team led by Davide Soliani began work on a prototype. They planned to finish it by the end of 2023 and showed it to Nintendo in November. The Japanese company ultimately rejected the project, and the reasons for the decision remain unknown. Ubisoft declined to comment on the information.

Following the cancellation of Goliath, the studio pitched other ideas to Nintendo, including projects based on Star Fox and Mario. Communication between the companies gradually ceased in early 2024.

In July 2024, Soliani, Cristina Nava, and Gian Marco Zanna left Ubisoft Milan. They later cited an ambitious unfinished project among the reasons for their departure. Afterward, the developers founded Day 4 Night and began working on the platformer Bradley the Badger.