Ubisoft Zelda spin-off with Ganondorf reportedly cancelled by Nintendo
According to Insider Gaming, Ubisoft Milan worked on a Zelda spin-off codenamed Goliath before Nintendo reportedly shut it down.
- The project was said to have been revised along the way: first with a new protagonist, then with Ganondorf as a playable character.
- The developers involved, including Davide Soliani, are said to have left Ubisoft and now work at Day 4 Night on Bradley the Badger.
What happened
Gamespot reports, based on Insider Gaming, that Nintendo shut down a Zelda spin-off developed by Ubisoft. The project was reportedly known internally as Goliath and was in development at Ubisoft Milan. According to the report, the game was later reworked, with the original protagonist replaced by Ganondorf.
The same source claims Nintendo rejected a prototype of the game in late 2023. That would mean the project never progressed into an officially announced title. The article also says Ubisoft pitched other IPs to Nintendo, including Star Fox and Mario, as alternatives to the Zelda license.
Gamespot further reports that Davide Soliani, known for the Mario + Rabbids games, left Ubisoft along with other team members. They are said to have founded a new studio called Day 4 Night, which is working on a game titled Bradley the Badger.
Timeline
Late 2023 — Nintendo reportedly rejected a prototype of the Ubisoft Zelda spin-off.
At some point before the rejection — The project reportedly started with a new protagonist and was later reworked into a version featuring Ganondorf.
After leaving Ubisoft — Davide Soliani and other team members reportedly founded Day 4 Night.
According to the report today — Day 4 Night is working on Bradley the Badger.
November 5 — The article mentions a Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time releasing on this date, but that claim is unconfirmed.
Background
The report places the cancelled Zelda spin-off in a broader set of earlier rumours about unreleased Zelda projects. It also references a previously reported cancelled Zelda project from Retro Studios codenamed Project X, which that earlier report said would focus on Sheik.
The same article also includes a claim that a Switch 2 remake of Ocarina of Time would launch on November 5. That claim is not confirmed in the information provided here and appears separate from the Ubisoft spin-off rumour.