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After Star Fox’s Launch and Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s Announcement, Miyamoto Defends Nintendo’s Recent Spate of Remakes and Says They Lead to ‘Future Developments’
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has defended the company's growing reliance on remakes, arguing that reintroducing classic games to a new generation of players can pave the way for entirely new titles. His comments, made to Japanese magazine Famitsu, come shortly after the Switch 2 release of a new Star Fox remake and the announcement of a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, both of which are among Nintendo's biggest releases of the year and have prompted some fans to note how frequently the company revisits its back catalogue.
Miyamoto explained that after around five years many players move on from games, and younger fans often never get the chance to experience titles from a decade earlier, making faithful remakes a way to meet renewed demand. He added that familiarising audiences with the original games can also lead to "future developments", fuelling speculation that a new Star Fox instalment and a Zelda sequel to Tears of the Kingdom could follow. Ocarina of Time's remake, confirmed at last month's Nintendo Direct after months of leaks, is expected to launch later in 2026 and, based on a since-removed product description, will likely stay faithful to the original.
In short
- Miyamoto defends Nintendo's frequent remakes as meeting demand from younger players
- He says remakes can lead to "future developments" like new games
- Ocarina of Time remake confirmed for later 2026, following Star Fox's relaunch
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Remakes allow Nintendo to introduce beloved classics to players who missed them through generational or platform changes, meeting genuine demand from audiences new to these titles. Given that players typically move on after five years, faithful remakes serve both preservation and commercial purposes, funding the company's broader operations whilst also creating a foundation from which entirely new sequels and titles can emerge, as Miyamoto suggests.
The case against
The proliferation of remakes suggests resource allocation driven by commercial caution rather than creative ambition, with substantial investment going toward safe, nostalgia-driven projects rather than original titles. For a company of Nintendo's stature and resources, prioritising remakes over new franchises represents a choice to monetise existing intellectual property rather than push artistic and technical boundaries, particularly when original versions remain playable and accessible to interested audiences.
Explained simply
Nintendo is releasing updated versions of classic video games for modern consoles, a practice known as remakes. Recently the company has announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and released a Star Fox remake, both significant releases. Amongst gaming fans there has been growing discussion about how often Nintendo revisits its existing library of games rather than creating entirely new titles.
Shigeru Miyamoto is one of Nintendo's most celebrated video game designers and holds significant creative influence at the company. He has defended the remake strategy, arguing that it addresses a genuine audience need: many players stop playing games after about five years, whilst younger fans often never get the chance to experience classic titles from earlier decades. By remaking these games, he contends, Nintendo can meet demand from both nostalgic players and newcomers.
Miyamoto also suggested that creating remakes could pave the way for new original games in those franchises, prompting speculation about potential future Star Fox and Zelda releases. This discussion is important because it reflects a genuine debate within gaming: whether publishers should prioritise preserving classic games or developing fresh, original experiences. The question of how game makers should balance their existing library with new creativity remains contested amongst both industry figures and players.
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