A fan-made remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that has been in careful development for a decade is officially coming to an end. The bittersweet decision follows a massive announcement from Nintendo that an official, ground-up remake of the beloved 1998 Nintendo 64 masterpiece is coming to the Switch 2 console.
Independent developer CryZENx . In a heartfelt Patreon post, independent developer CryZENx announced. “I would like to tell you that Ocarina of Time Project is stopped,” the developer shared. CryZENx has been passionately building the Unreal Engine recreation of the iconic title since 2016, documenting the game’s stunning visual progress through highly watched updates on YouTube. Before the cancellation, development on the project had been slow but steady, highlighted by a fresh, playable demo made accessible to the public.
A Longing for Modern Hardware
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is widely considered to be one of the greatest, most influential video games ever created. Ever since its debut on the Nintendo 64, gamers have used it as the definitive gold standard to measure every successive action-adventure title. Naturally, the global appetite for a true home-console remake has existed almost as long as the original game itself.
Fans received a brilliant, highly regarded portable upgrade back in 2011 with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, which introduced updated graphics and vital quality-of-life adjustments. However, it never quite satisfied the craving for a high-fidelity, ground-up rebuild designed for the big screen. The total absence of a modern console remake allowed CryZENx’s project to explode in popularity, as it beautifully visualized exactly what the gaming community had been begging Nintendo to create for years.
Stepping Aside for the Nintendo Ninjas
With Nintendo officially confirming during its recent Direct showcase that a true Ocarina of Time remake is headed exclusively to the Switch 2, CryZENx gracefully conceded that the fan project no longer has a distinct purpose. Responding to community comments on the announcement, the developer wrote, “I’m actually very confident that their remake looks 200% better than mine. I’m very impressed with their realistic art style. I think we, the community, won!!!”
The creator also lightheartedly poked fun at Nintendo’s legendary reputation for being incredibly protective and litigious with its intellectual properties. “It’s better to just stop the project for now, or I would have disappeared because of Nintendo ninjas,” CryZENx joked. Ultimately, the conclusion of the ten-year passion project is far from a total loss for the creator and the fanbase; its cancellation directly heralds the arrival of a breathtaking, official modernization.
As for what lies ahead, CryZENx is handing the reins over to the fans by hosting an active community poll to determine the next Unreal Engine remake project. The vote features other classic Zelda masterpieces like Twilight Princess and The Minish Cap. However, the developer noted that a Majora’s Mask project is highly unlikely, confidently guessing that the dark N64 sequel will likely be the next logical title to receive the official remake treatment from Nintendo.
