Zelda Wind Waker Sequel Canceled for Realistic Game
A sequel to The Wind Waker was in development but ultimately scrapped. The team shifted focus to a more realistic game due to the original's reception. Producer Eiji Aonuma also felt the original game was more compact than intended due to deadlines.
Coverage across 2 outlets
Zelda Wind Waker 2 was in development but was scrapped for more realistic game
Eiji Aonuma revealed in a 2007 Game Developers Conference talk that a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was in development but ultimately scrapped. The project was canceled due to the reception of the original game, with the team shifting focus to a more realistic game.
Aonuma says Zelda Wind Waker was more compact than intended due to deadlines
The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma revealed in a 2005 interview that The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was made more compact than originally intended due to development deadlines. Aonuma expressed regret for this decision, stating his determination to avoid similar issues in future Legend of Zelda titles.
Eiji Aonuma believed it was his "fault" that The Wind Waker wasn't as meaty as other Zelda games
The Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma expressed that he felt responsible for The Wind Waker's perceived lack of content, attributing it to the need to make the game more compact for its release. He aimed to avoid a similar impression with future titles. The article also briefly mentions Shigeru Miyamoto's desire for horseback combat in Twilight Princess.
