 |
| A wide view of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild, reflecting the scale of modern Zelda’s open world. |
By Jon Scarr
For a long time, Monolith Soft has quietly played a major role in shaping The Legend of Zelda. That contribution usually stays behind the scenes, tucked into credits or mentioned in passing. A new interview published by Monolith Soft changes that, offering a clear look at how its partnership with Nintendo has grown over the last 15 years.
The discussion reflects on Monolith Soft’s involvement across several Zelda titles, starting with Skyward Sword and continuing through Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Rather than zeroing in on individual features or moments, the interview looks at how the relationship itself evolved. What began as a cautious collaboration gradually turned into a deep creative partnership built on shared responsibility, constant communication, and a willingness to adapt.
With Zelda also expanding beyond games, Nintendo has been more open lately about how the series is changing. That includes sharing behind-the-scenes insight like this Monolith Soft interview, as well as offering our first official look at the live-action Legend of Zelda movie, which gives another perspective on how the world of Hyrule is being interpreted today.
For anyone who has spent time wandering Hyrule in recent years, this context helps explain why modern Zelda feels different. Not just bigger, but built through a more open and collaborative process.
A 15-Year Partnership Built Inside Zelda
Monolith Soft’s first involvement with Zelda came during the development of Skyward Sword. At the time, Nintendo brought in Monolith Soft designers and planners to help manage the scale and workload of the project. It marked the first time Nintendo had entrusted Zelda design and planning work to an external studio.
Both sides describe the early days as a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Zelda carried enormous expectations, and neither team knew exactly how their workflows would align. Regular communication quickly became essential, with frequent calls and video meetings used to keep both teams closely connected.
That early collaboration laid the groundwork for trust. By the end of Skyward Sword’s development, Monolith Soft had gained confidence working within Nintendo’s creative environment, while Nintendo saw clear value in what Monolith Soft brought to the table.
Starting With Skyward Sword
On Skyward Sword, Monolith Soft’s role focused on supporting Nintendo’s established vision. Designers and planners worked from concepts already defined by Nintendo, contributing assets and ideas that fit within an existing structure.
Even in that limited scope, the collaboration required close alignment. Nintendo’s internal approach emphasized constant iteration and refinement, while Monolith Soft was more accustomed to structured pipelines built around larger teams. Learning how to bridge those styles became part of the experience.
By the end of the project, both teams felt the collaboration had worked. It was not just about finishing the game, but about understanding how to work together effectively.
 |
| Link in Skyward Sword, the first Zelda title Monolith Soft contributed to during development. |
Breath of the Wild Changed Everything
The shift became much more pronounced with Breath of the Wild. Anticipating a far larger development scale, Nintendo brought Monolith Soft into the project much earlier. This time, Monolith Soft was involved not only in execution, but also in shaping ideas.
Instead of following a finished blueprint, Monolith Soft planners and designers worked alongside Nintendo to help develop the open world itself. That included contributing to level design, environmental layout, and how ideas translated into playable spaces.
Monolith Soft also stayed fully engaged through the final stages of development. Rather than shifting staff away near the end, the entire team remained involved through debugging. Both sides describe this as a key factor in maintaining consistency and momentum during the final stretch.
Two Studios, Two Development Styles
One recurring theme in the interview is how different the two studios’ working styles were. Nintendo leaned heavily on rapid iteration, with designers, programmers, and planners exchanging ideas freely and testing changes quickly. Monolith Soft, on the other hand, excelled at managing large teams and handling significant production volume.
Rather than forcing one approach to dominate, both studios gradually adapted. Over time, Nintendo’s iterative mindset blended with Monolith Soft’s organizational strengths. That balance allowed the team to handle the scope of Breath of the Wild without sacrificing cohesion.
Tears of the Kingdom Raised the Bar Again
That foundation carried directly into Tears of the Kingdom. Many of the same team members transitioned from Breath of the Wild downloadable content work straight into the sequel, allowing the collaboration to start from a place of shared experience.
Monolith Soft now had planners, designers, and programmers involved from the very beginning. This made it possible to participate fully in idea generation and implementation, rather than stepping in later. Despite returning to the same world, the team quickly realized the challenge would be substantial.
New mechanics, expanded vertical spaces, and entirely new layers of the world meant that much of the design work had to be reconsidered from scratch. Even with prior experience, both studios describe the process as demanding.
 |
| Link looks out over the sky islands in Tears of the Kingdom, which expanded Hyrule vertically and increased development scope. |
Why Horizontal Collaboration Mattered
A key concept discussed throughout the interview is what the teams call horizontal collaboration. Instead of working strictly within defined roles, developers were encouraged to stay aware of what other teams were doing and to share information openly.
This approach helped surface problems earlier and allowed ideas to evolve more efficiently. Sound teams, testers, environment designers, and planners were all part of the conversation. According to Monolith Soft, building this shared foundation early made it easier to navigate the busiest phases of development.
What Monolith Soft Took Forward
Looking back, Monolith Soft describes the Zelda projects as formative experiences. The studio learned how to balance large-scale production with rapid creative iteration. More importantly, it gained confidence in proposing ideas and taking on broader responsibility.
Nintendo, for its part, openly expresses a desire for Monolith Soft to continue stepping into more central roles. The interview makes it clear that Nintendo views Monolith Soft not just as support, but as a trusted creative partner capable of handling major portions of development.
How Modern Zelda Took Shape
Spending time with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, it’s always felt like these games were built to let you experiment first and figure things out later. You climb something just to see if you can. You try a strange idea because the game doesn’t tell you not to. Reading through this interview, it’s easier to see where that feeling comes from.
The way Nintendo and Monolith Soft describe their collaboration explains a lot about that flexibility. Ideas weren’t just planned, handed off, and locked in. They were tested, reworked, and sometimes thrown out entirely. That kind of process shows up everywhere in modern Zelda, from how the world is laid out to how different mechanics interact in ways you might not expect.
I’ve always felt that modern Zelda rewards curiosity more than precision. You don’t need to approach situations the “right” way, just a way that works. Knowing that multiple teams were constantly sharing feedback and adjusting ideas together makes that design philosophy feel intentional, not accidental.
Monolith Soft’s growing role also helps explain the sheer scale of these games. The worlds feel cohesive, but never rigid. There’s room to wander, to fail, and to stumble into solutions that feel like your own. That balance between structure and freedom doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of years of collaboration and trust built across multiple projects.
Looking at modern Zelda through this lens doesn’t change how the games play, but it does give more context to why they feel the way they do. They aren’t just bigger or more complex. They feel more open because they were built that way, step by step, over a long time.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.