Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Devs Include New Staff Who Never Played the Original

Eiji Aonuma says he's "very nervous" about the Ocarina of Time remake, and reveals some younger team members never played the 1998 classic — bringing fresh eyes to the project.

Eiji Aonuma is feeling the pressure. The legendary Nintendo producer recently sat down for an interview in Paris and admitted he's "very nervous" about the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, launching November 5. "I don't know how it will turn out," the 63-year-old said. "I can't help thinking about it."

That anxiety makes sense when you consider what's at stake. Aonuma has steered the Zelda series for over 25 years, and the last two mainline entries — Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom — have sold a combined 55 million copies. His design philosophy? Use space to surprise players and spark their imagination, creating games that "instill the joy of exploration." That, he says, is the essence of Zelda today.

But this remake hits differently. It's a key part of the series' 40th anniversary celebrations, and the original 1998 Ocarina of Time was Aonuma's first project with his mentor Shigeru Miyamoto — and Nintendo's first-ever 3D game. Aonuma recalled learning 3D composition in college through traditional Japanese mechanical puppets, joining Nintendo as an artist in the late '80s, and later being recruited by Miyamoto for the Zelda team.

Here's the interesting twist: some of the younger developers working on the remake have never played the original. According to Aonuma, their fresh perspective is exactly what shaped this new version. It's a bold approach — trusting newcomers to reinterpret a beloved classic.

On Friday, Aonuma was awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters in Paris, an honor his mentor Miyamoto received two decades earlier. In his acceptance speech, he noted that "the path hasn't always been smooth." But at 63, he's not ready to pass the torch just yet. He's eager to see younger staff bring their imagination to future projects and says he'd be "very happy" to offer guidance so they can dream up the next Zelda together.

So what do you think — can fresh eyes do justice to one of gaming's most sacred cows? Let us know in the comments.