Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Inside the Collaboration Between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is set to become the next major entry in Koei Tecmo’s renowned Warriors series, offering players a fresh perspective on the legendary Zelda timeline.
Developed in close partnership with Nintendo, this title builds upon the collaborative efforts that previously led to the acclaimed Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, available on the Nintendo Switch and through the eShop.
Recent comments from key figures at both Koei Tecmo and Nintendo reveal new details about how this unique collaboration began, highlighting the creative origins behind bringing the Imprisoning War to life as a dynamic musou experience. In a recent interview with 4Gamer, producers Yosuke Hayashi and Ryota Matsushita of Koei Tecmo shared the backstory behind Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s inception.
Contrary to previous expectations, it was not Nintendo that initiated the project, but rather Koei Tecmo who reached out with the concept.
Hayashi recounted that following the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, he was inspired to explore the untold story of the Imprisoning War and envisioned it as an ideal setting for a Warriors title.
"After playing Tears of the Kingdom soon after its release, I felt as though the game itself was encouraging us to create a Warriors game in the era of the Imprisoning War.
That weekend, I spoke with Matsushita and we quickly put together a proposal," Hayashi explained. Matsushita confirmed that he too had been independently developing ideas for a Warriors game focused on the Imprisoning War, stating, "Even before Hayashi approached me, I was already working on concepts.
It felt like there were countless opportunities within Zelda lore for our style of gameplay." On Nintendo’s side, series producer Eiji Aonuma offered his own perspective on the project’s origins.
According to Aonuma, during the development of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, director Hidemaro Fujibayashi fleshed out the historical details of the Imprisoning War.
After completing the critically acclaimed Nintendo Switch title, Fujibayashi suggested reaching out to Koei Tecmo to explore the possibility of a collaborative title.
"I told him to wait and see if Koei Tecmo would propose something first.
It was almost immediately after that when Koei Tecmo contacted us," Aonuma recalled. This mutual interest underscores the strong partnership between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, which has led to several successful Warriors spin-offs, including Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity—a title that exceeded 4 million copies sold worldwide on the Nintendo Switch.
The further expansion of the Zelda universe through musou gameplay continues to enrich the franchise, providing fans with new stories and action-packed battles while leveraging the strengths of both companies’ development teams. As anticipation builds for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, this behind-the-scenes look at the project’s origins demonstrates the passion and creativity fueling new entries in the Warriors series.
Stay tuned for updates on release dates, official announcements via Nintendo Direct, and additional details as Nintendo and Koei Tecmo prepare to bring the Imprisoning War era to life on the Nintendo Switch.
Developed in close partnership with Nintendo, this title builds upon the collaborative efforts that previously led to the acclaimed Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, available on the Nintendo Switch and through the eShop.
Recent comments from key figures at both Koei Tecmo and Nintendo reveal new details about how this unique collaboration began, highlighting the creative origins behind bringing the Imprisoning War to life as a dynamic musou experience. In a recent interview with 4Gamer, producers Yosuke Hayashi and Ryota Matsushita of Koei Tecmo shared the backstory behind Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s inception.
Contrary to previous expectations, it was not Nintendo that initiated the project, but rather Koei Tecmo who reached out with the concept.
Hayashi recounted that following the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, he was inspired to explore the untold story of the Imprisoning War and envisioned it as an ideal setting for a Warriors title.
"After playing Tears of the Kingdom soon after its release, I felt as though the game itself was encouraging us to create a Warriors game in the era of the Imprisoning War.
That weekend, I spoke with Matsushita and we quickly put together a proposal," Hayashi explained. Matsushita confirmed that he too had been independently developing ideas for a Warriors game focused on the Imprisoning War, stating, "Even before Hayashi approached me, I was already working on concepts.
It felt like there were countless opportunities within Zelda lore for our style of gameplay." On Nintendo’s side, series producer Eiji Aonuma offered his own perspective on the project’s origins.
According to Aonuma, during the development of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, director Hidemaro Fujibayashi fleshed out the historical details of the Imprisoning War.
After completing the critically acclaimed Nintendo Switch title, Fujibayashi suggested reaching out to Koei Tecmo to explore the possibility of a collaborative title.
"I told him to wait and see if Koei Tecmo would propose something first.
It was almost immediately after that when Koei Tecmo contacted us," Aonuma recalled. This mutual interest underscores the strong partnership between Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, which has led to several successful Warriors spin-offs, including Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity—a title that exceeded 4 million copies sold worldwide on the Nintendo Switch.
The further expansion of the Zelda universe through musou gameplay continues to enrich the franchise, providing fans with new stories and action-packed battles while leveraging the strengths of both companies’ development teams. As anticipation builds for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, this behind-the-scenes look at the project’s origins demonstrates the passion and creativity fueling new entries in the Warriors series.
Stay tuned for updates on release dates, official announcements via Nintendo Direct, and additional details as Nintendo and Koei Tecmo prepare to bring the Imprisoning War era to life on the Nintendo Switch.
