In the video game industry, canceled games, projects, and consoles are inevitable, as sometimes, things don't always work out for a variety of reasons. However, it is always a special treat when scrapped concepts or ideas come to light after they were canceled, just to see what could have been. This most often comes in the form of concept art revealed by pre-production staff members, and now, info has been revealed on a canceled The Legend of Zelda Wii game.
For quite some time now, it's been known that Nintendo often sees a variety of different game studios constantly pitching ideas to them, some of which come to fruition, though many do not. Leaked concept art of a much darker-themed Zelda game pitched by Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios shows off an awful lot of what could have been a different kind of game in the Legend of Zelda series.
Reportedly, Retro Studios was in the process of pitching the darker "bad timeline" Zelda game between 2005 and 2008. This installment wouldn't have followed Link, but instead would have followed the last male Sheikah's journey to stop the rebirth of Ganon following the Hero of Time's hypothetical failure in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
In the concept art, fans can see what looks to be the Sheikah hero, brandishing bandages and clothing markings similar to Sheik from Ocarina of Time. A browse through the artwork on canceled game archiving site Unseen64 shows off what look to be characters from other races within the Legend of Zelda universe, such as a much more axolotl-inspired Zora, and a sinister looking Gerudo. Just at a glance, fans can see that the environment and atmosphere of the Wii game would have been much darker than other entries in the series, perhaps even moreso than Twilight Princess, as Retro Studios' title would have followed the protagonist after a genocidal ethnic cleansing of the Sheikah people.
Any avid Zelda fan may know that the series' long list of games fit into a rather convoluted and sometimes confusing timeline. Canonically, the Legend of Zelda timeline splits off after Ocarina of Time depending on the outcome, where either Link succeeded in defeating Ganon, or was defeated himself, which is where games such as A Link to the Past, Link's Awakening, and the original Legend of Zelda game take place. Supposedly, this Retro Studios game would've fallen into that timeline, though it isn't specified where exactly.
While fans may be disappointed to know that they missed out on a much darker Zelda game, they likely won't have to wait much longer to experience the sequel to Breath of the Wild, which is confirmed to carry a dark tone, like The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Perhaps fans will learn more this year as part of the Zelda series' 35th anniversary.