Highlights

  • Fans have long clamored for a Zelda game starring Princess Zelda, and leaks suggest it could finally be in the works.
  • Despite being a key figure, Zelda has never been the main playable character in any of the games.
  • Leaker PapaGenos hints at a potential new Zelda game with a playable Zelda, leaving fans excited but cautious until more details emerge.

A well-known Nintendo leaker has claimed that a new Legend of Zelda game starring Princess Zelda as its main character is currently in the works. Despite Princess Zelda's name being in the title of the franchise, the Hyrulian royal has rarely been a playable character, outside of spin-offs. In many of the mainline games, Link has firmly been the series' hero and playable character, with some wiggle room depending on the game. It's likely no surprise that many fans want to see a Legend of Zelda game headlined by the titular princess of the franchise.

The desire to see a playable Princess Zelda in a future game was very strong during the lead-up to 2023's Tears of the Kingdom. There were several theories about how Nintendo would break the mold by having Zelda be playable in the game. As such, some fans were disappointed to see Zelda once again as a non-playable character, despite how important Tears of the Kingdom's incarnation of Zelda was built up as. Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma even commented in a post-launch interview that an opportunity for a playable Zelda could be possible in a future game. It appears there may be something in the works that stars the titular princess, according to a well-known leaker.

A screenshot of Link holding a glowing Master Sword in a forest in The Legend of Zelda.
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In a recent tweet posted by PapaGenos, he teased fans with a cryptic message that featured concept art of Zelda's hairstyles in Tears of the Kingdom, saying it was one of the best Princess Zelda designs, and that fans are "overdue" for a game starring her. The way that PapaGenos spells his tweet out, however, has a hidden message. All the capital letters in his tweet spell out "This is a hint," meaning that it's possible the next Zelda game could feature a playable Princess Zelda as a main character.

New Zelda Game Starring Princess Zelda Possible

This possibility isn't totally out of the question, as Nintendo released a new game starring Princess Peach earlier this year. Princess Peach Showtime stars the titular princess in a theater-themed adventure, donning a variety of costumes to gain several new powers to defeat Grape and the Sour Bunch. PapaGenos doesn't specify what game he's hinting at, so it could be a smaller non-canon Zelda spin-off or the next mainline game.

PapaGenos is a rather well-known leaker in the community. Some of his correct leaks in the past include Metroid Prime Remastered being shadowdropped, the Super Mario RPG remake, and the Mario vs. Donkey Kong Nintendo Switch remake. That said, rumors are still rumors, so fans should still take this Zelda-related rumor with a pinch of salt until more information about this game is revealed.