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Last month, the collective jaws of gamers hit the floor when the Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix and Nintendo were partnering to create a television series based on The Legend of Zelda. Alas, it appears that the rumors have proven to be untrue.
According to the original article, the series would have been similar in tone to HBO’s Game of Thrones, albeit more family friendly in nature. In a recent interview with Time, however, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has claimed that is not the case.
“As of now, I have nothing new to share with you in regard to the use of our IPs for any TV shows or films, but I can at least confirm that the article in question is not based on correct information,” said Iwata.
While the news will come as a bit of a disappointment for most fans of the franchise, some may actually welcome it. A strong contingent of Zelda fans has argued in the past that Link should remain voiceless. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto has often said that Link has remained silent in the games because his voice is that of the audience. By keeping Link a silent protagonist, the player becomes a little more immersed in the experience. While the character conceivably could have been kept mute in the series, it probably wouldn’t have been likely.
Of course, just because Iwata has disavowed the project it doesn’t mean it isn’t still happening. Nintendo is a notoriously tight-lipped company, and has never shied away from providing false information before an official announcement is ready. It happened with smart phones, the New Nintendo 3DS, and plenty of other examples. Given that the information first came from The Wall Street Journal, a far more credible source than most outlets, this could be the kind of misdirect Nintendo is known for.
Stay tuned to Nintendojo where we’ll have more information if and when it develops.
Source: Time
Technically he has not denied it. He has deflected the question by saying the article was not based on correct information. It’s a small distinction, but it is definitely indicative of Nintendo’s normal approach to deny as much as they can without lying outright about it.