Ubisoft’s Canceled Zelda Spinoff Starring Ganondorf Explained

A Zelda game starring Ganondorf almost existed. Ubisoft Milan spent the better part of a year building a prototype for a Legend of Zelda spinoff in collaboration with Nintendo, only for the project to be rejected in late 2023, effectively ending the two companies’ working relationship, according to a new report from Insider Gaming.

From Mario and Rabbids to the Legend of Zelda

The story begins in late 2022, shortly after the release of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. While sales were not exceptional, both Ubisoft and Nintendo were reportedly satisfied with the game’s reception. That goodwill opened the door to early talks about what the two studios might build together next, and Ubisoft Milan had much larger ambitions than a third Mario + Rabbids entry.

Over the following winter, creative director Davide Soliani led a small team through an intensive development push. By early 2023, the studio had settled on a pitch for a brand-new Zelda spinoff, codenamed Goliath internally. The name was chosen to reflect the scale of what Milan was chasing, according to Insider Gaming. The original concept put a never-before-seen protagonist at the center of the story, but during the concept phase Nintendo pushed for a change, asking Ubisoft to replace that character with Ganondorf, one of the most recognizable villains in gaming history.

The Prototype Nintendo Rejected

Ubisoft Milan was given until around the end of 2023 to deliver a prototype capable of clearing the project’s next greenlight. That deadline proved fatal. In late November 2023, Nintendo rejected the prototype, according to sources cited by Insider Gaming, though the specific reasons behind the decision were not made clear to those familiar with the project.

In the aftermath, discussions reportedly turned to the possibility of Milan developing a different Nintendo IP altogether. Star Fox and a new Mario project were both floated internally as candidates. Those conversations broke down between late 2023 and early 2024, and the partnership between the two companies effectively collapsed.

The Fallout at Ubisoft Milan

Following Goliath’s cancellation, the Milan team was broken up and redistributed across Ubisoft’s wider portfolio. Some developers were placed on what the company calls availability, meaning they had no assigned project. Others in senior roles were moved onto Beyond Good and Evil 2, a title that has been in troubled development for nearly two decades, per Insider Gaming.

Soliani, along with colleagues Cristina Nava and Gian Marco Zanna, left Ubisoft in July 2024. The three co-founded Day 4 Night alongside Christian Cantamessa, a veteran developer with credits on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Red Dead Redemption, and Forza Horizon. The studio announced its first game, Bradley the Badger, in October 2024, with a full reveal at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025. Several additional Ubisoft Milan developers later joined Day 4 Night following return-to-office mandates and concerns over job security. Ubisoft did not provide comment to Insider Gaming before publication.

Sources: Insider Gaming