A new Zelda rumor claims Nintendo may already have another top-down entry lined up after the recent run of remake and anniversary chatter, and the most eye-catching detail is that Ganondorf could be the playable lead.
According to leaker Nash Weedle, Nintendo is working on a new 2D Zelda game targeted for 2027. After teasing 2027 Zelda plans in a late-April X post, Weedle reportedly said the project is being co-developed with Grezzo, the studio behind The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and the 2019 Link's Awakening remake, and that it carries the codename Bernard. The same claim says Ganondorf may be the protagonist, though that part was framed as a possibility rather than a locked detail.
That is a big enough twist to stand out even in a series that has become more willing to bend its own rules. Echoes of Wisdom already gave Princess Zelda the lead role in a mainline adventure, so a game centered on Ganondorf would be another sharp break from the usual Link-led formula if Nintendo actually goes that route.
Why the rumor has traction, and why it still needs caution
The rumor is getting attention because it is more specific than a vague "Nintendo is making another Zelda" claim. It names a release year, a development partner and an internal codename. The reported Grezzo connection also lines up with Nintendo's recent 2D Zelda output, especially after Echoes of Wisdom earned strong reviews and gave the series a clear modern template for top-down entries.
Still, none of this is official. Nintendo has not announced a new 2D Zelda, a Ganondorf-led spinoff or a 2027 release window. Weedle has landed some Nintendo-related calls in the past, but not every claim has held up, so this sits firmly in rumor territory for now.
Nintendo has only offered broad hints about where Zelda goes next. In late 2025, series producer Eiji Aonuma said the team's collaboration with Koei Tecmo on Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment may influence the next Zelda game. That does not directly support this specific rumor, but it does show Nintendo is still talking publicly about the franchise's future while fans wait for something more concrete.
If the Bernard report is real, Nintendo could end up with a very busy Zelda pipeline. The series is already at the center of ongoing Ocarina of Time remake speculation, and a second rumored project would suggest Nintendo is treating Zelda's anniversary era as more than a one-game moment. Until Nintendo says something itself, fans should treat this as a detailed rumor, not a confirmed release slate.