Home
Technology
Gaming
Entertainment
World & Business
Science
Sports
AI

World & Business

Home
Technology
Gaming
Entertainment
World & Business
Science
Sports
AI

Nintendo reportedly rejected Ubisoft Milan’s Ganondorf-led Zelda spinoff · Digg

Nintendo reportedly rejected Ubisoft Milan’s Ganondorf-led Zelda spinoff

Insider Gaming says Project Goliath reached a prototype in November 2023 before Nintendo declined it for reasons that remain unclear.

TLDR

Insider Gaming reports that Ubisoft Milan developed a prototype for a Zelda spinoff codenamed Goliath, initially built around a new hero before Nintendo asked the team to make Ganondorf playable. Nintendo reportedly rejected the prototype in November 2023 for reasons that remain unclear. Talks about shifting the studio to another Nintendo property later broke down, the report says, and several senior Ubisoft Milan developers left in July 2024 to form Day 4 Night.

Combined views

567.3K

14 Sources, first seen 20d ago

Combined views

567.3K

14 Sources, first seen 20d ago

5.4K likes

Display figures of Ganondorf and Link in front of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom artwork.

20d ago

first seen 20d ago

5.4K likes

140 comments

925 saves

487 reposts

140 comments

925 saves

487 reposts

Ubisoft Milan spent much of 2023 developing a prototype for a Zelda spinoff that would have put Ganondorf in the lead, according to reporting by Insider Gaming. Nintendo reportedly rejected the prototype in late November that year, ending a project known internally as Goliath before it was publicly announced.

Featured Source

The reason for the rejection remains unclear. Insider Gaming says its account is based on sources familiar with the project and reporting conducted over more than 18 months. Ubisoft did not comment before the article was published, and neither Ubisoft nor Nintendo has publicly confirmed the project.

From a new hero to Ganondorf

The report traces Goliath to discussions that followed the late-2022 release of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Ubisoft Milan and Nintendo began talking about another collaboration, but the studio wanted to go beyond a third Mario + Rabbids game.

Davide Soliani and a small team prepared a pitch in early 2023 for an original spinoff set in the Zelda universe. The concept initially featured a new playable protagonist. Insider Gaming reports that Nintendo liked the broader idea but asked Ubisoft to replace that character with Ganondorf, the recurring antagonist usually positioned against Link and Zelda.

Sentiment

Positive——Negative

Summary

Not enough discussion yet.

No sentiment analysis available yet.

Today's Rank

—

Not ranked yet

Today's Rank

—

Not ranked yet

Ubisoft Milan was reportedly given until roughly the end of 2023 to produce a prototype strong enough to clear its next greenlight. Nintendo rejected it in late November, according to the report. No public footage or gameplay details from Goliath accompanied the story, leaving the concept's design beyond its playable character unknown.

Other Nintendo talks did not produce a replacement

After Goliath was canceled, two developers familiar with higher-level discussions told Insider Gaming that Ubisoft Milan considered moving to a different Nintendo property. Star Fox and another Mario-universe game circulated as internal possibilities, but those were studio rumors rather than confirmed pitches. Talks between Nintendo and Ubisoft reportedly broke down between late 2023 and early 2024.

The report says the Milan team was then divided among other Ubisoft projects. Some developers were placed on “availability,” meaning they had no assigned project, while some senior staff were moved to Beyond Good & Evil 2.

Soliani, Cristina Nava and Gian Marco Zanna left Ubisoft in July 2024 and formed Day 4 Night with veteran developer Christian Cantamessa. The new studio later revealed its first game, Bradley the Badger, in December 2025. Goliath's reported fate gives new context to those departures, but it does not establish why Nintendo declined the prototype or whether the companies could work together again.

Nintendo The Legend of Zelda Ubisoft

Sentiment

Positive——Negative

Summary

Not enough discussion yet.

No sentiment analysis available yet.

14 Sources

@_Tom_Henderson_EXCLUSIVE: How Ubisoft and Nintendo's Partnership Ended With a Canceled Zelda Title https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@InsiderGamingIGEXCLUSIVE: How Ubisoft and Nintendo's Partnership Ended With a Canceled Zelda Title https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@Stealth40kUbisoft Milan (Mario + Rabbids) was working on a prototype for a new Zelda spinoff starring Ganondorf, but it was ultimately rejected by Nintendo. Davide Soliani, Cristina Nava and Gian Marco Zanna ended up leaving Ubisoft. Source: @InsiderGamingIG https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@KotakuUbisoft Was Reportedly Working On A Legend Of Zelda Spin-Off Starring Ganondorf https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-was-reportedly-working-on-a-legend-of-zelda-spin-off-starring-ganondorf-200073707820d

@GameSpotUbisoft Milan was working on a Zelda spin-off with the internal name “Goliath,” which was set to star a new protagonist. During the early period of development, this was changed to have Ganondorf be the playable character, but Nintendo rejected the prototype in late 2023.20d

@GameRantA new report sheds light on a canceled Ubisoft-led Zelda game starring longtime antagonist Ganondorf. https://gamerant.com/zelda-ubisoft-game-ganondorf-canceled-why/?taid=6ab5d5be3a03d10001617f04&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem-GR&utm_medium=Social-Distribution&utm_source=Twitter20d

@IGNUbisoft Milan reportedly pitched a Zelda game to Nintendo that would have taken place in a new universe with Ganondorf as the protagonist, but the plan fell through, leading to one of the biggest what-ifs in gaming history. https://bit.ly/4dYulL520d

@GamesRadarUbisoft was reportedly working on a new Zelda game starring Ganondorf, but it was scrapped https://www.gamesradar.com/games/the-legend-of-zelda/ubisoft-was-reportedly-working-on-a-new-legend-of-zelda-game-starring-ganondorf-only-for-nintendo-to-shoot-it-down/19d

@PolygonUbisoft Was Working on an Official Legend of Zelda Game, Report Says https://www.polygon.com/legend-of-zelda-ganondorf-ubisoft-game-canceled/?taid=6ab6c4c3d609a70001e8e3a7&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter19d

14 Sources

@_Tom_Henderson_EXCLUSIVE: How Ubisoft and Nintendo's Partnership Ended With a Canceled Zelda Title https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@InsiderGamingIGEXCLUSIVE: How Ubisoft and Nintendo's Partnership Ended With a Canceled Zelda Title https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@Stealth40kUbisoft Milan (Mario + Rabbids) was working on a prototype for a new Zelda spinoff starring Ganondorf, but it was ultimately rejected by Nintendo. Davide Soliani, Cristina Nava and Gian Marco Zanna ended up leaving Ubisoft. Source: @InsiderGamingIG https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-nintendo-canceled-zelda-title/20d

@KotakuUbisoft Was Reportedly Working On A Legend Of Zelda Spin-Off Starring Ganondorf https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-was-reportedly-working-on-a-legend-of-zelda-spin-off-starring-ganondorf-200073707820d

@GameSpotUbisoft Milan was working on a Zelda spin-off with the internal name “Goliath,” which was set to star a new protagonist. During the early period of development, this was changed to have Ganondorf be the playable character, but Nintendo rejected the prototype in late 2023.20d

@GameRantA new report sheds light on a canceled Ubisoft-led Zelda game starring longtime antagonist Ganondorf. https://gamerant.com/zelda-ubisoft-game-ganondorf-canceled-why/?taid=6ab5d5be3a03d10001617f04&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem-GR&utm_medium=Social-Distribution&utm_source=Twitter20d

@IGNUbisoft Milan reportedly pitched a Zelda game to Nintendo that would have taken place in a new universe with Ganondorf as the protagonist, but the plan fell through, leading to one of the biggest what-ifs in gaming history. https://bit.ly/4dYulL520d

@GamesRadarUbisoft was reportedly working on a new Zelda game starring Ganondorf, but it was scrapped https://www.gamesradar.com/games/the-legend-of-zelda/ubisoft-was-reportedly-working-on-a-new-legend-of-zelda-game-starring-ganondorf-only-for-nintendo-to-shoot-it-down/19d

@PolygonUbisoft Was Working on an Official Legend of Zelda Game, Report Says https://www.polygon.com/legend-of-zelda-ganondorf-ubisoft-game-canceled/?taid=6ab6c4c3d609a70001e8e3a7&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter19d

Related

New Ocarina of Time Remake trailer and previews showcase a rebuilt Hyrule

Nintendo’s new trailer accompanies hands-on previews from The Verge, Engadget and Game Informer ahead of the November 5 launch.

Majora’s Mask icon elements reportedly available through Nintendo Switch Online

A user says the icon elements can be redeemed with Platinum Points on Switch 2 and Switch.

New Zelda: The Wind Waker release announced for October 2026

GameRant reports that Nintendo and its partner have officially announced the Wind Waker-related release.