A new report from Insider Gaming, written by Tom Henderson, claims Ubisoft Milan — the studio behind the Mario + Rabbids series — pitched a Zelda spin-off codenamed "Goliath" to Nintendo.
The story, presented as the result of over a year of reporting, describes how a team at Ubisoft Milan explored a large-scale Zelda concept following the studio's work on Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (released October 20, 2022) for the Nintendo Switch.
Ubisoft Milan background and recent work
Ubisoft Milan is best known for its collaborations with Nintendo on the Mario + Rabbids franchise: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle launched in August 2017 and Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope released on October 20, 2022, both exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
Davide Soliani is credited as a creative lead on the Mario + Rabbids projects and has been publicly associated with the franchise.
What Insider Gaming reports
According to the Insider Gaming report, the proposal for a Zelda spin-off emerged in late 2022, and the project carried the internal codename "Goliath" to reflect its intended scale.
Henderson says his reporting was based on more than 18 months of investigation and that some of the account was independently corroborated by multiple sources.
The report states Ubisoft Milan spent the winter months developing a pitch and a prototype, with a target to deliver a compelling prototype by the end of 2023.
Henderson writes that Nintendo ultimately rejected the prototype in November 2023 and that the project was subsequently shut down.
The report notes that the specific reasons for Nintendo’s decision were not disclosed.
Paraphrased statements from sources
Henderson summarized the investigation by saying his team spent an extended period corroborating details and that the pitch was presented as a significant departure from another Mario + Rabbids entry.
Sources described the team as working intensively over several months to refine the concept and deliver a prototype for Nintendo’s consideration.
The report also says that, after the project's cancellation, some internal discussions at Ubisoft Milan considered proposals for other Nintendo IPs.
Context and precedent
Reports of cancelled or reshaped Nintendo collaborations are not unprecedented.
Retro Studios, the developer behind Metroid Prime, has appeared in past reporting about shelved or evolving projects in the industry.
It is important to note that the details in Henderson’s article are presented as sourced reporting rather than official announcements from Nintendo or Ubisoft.
Verified facts included in this article are limited to publicly known release dates, platform details, and developer credits.
The claims about "Goliath," internal timelines, and personnel movements are sourced to the Insider Gaming report and should be treated as reported allegations until confirmed by Nintendo or Ubisoft.
The story, presented as the result of over a year of reporting, describes how a team at Ubisoft Milan explored a large-scale Zelda concept following the studio's work on Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (released October 20, 2022) for the Nintendo Switch.
Ubisoft Milan background and recent work
Ubisoft Milan is best known for its collaborations with Nintendo on the Mario + Rabbids franchise: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle launched in August 2017 and Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope released on October 20, 2022, both exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
Davide Soliani is credited as a creative lead on the Mario + Rabbids projects and has been publicly associated with the franchise.
What Insider Gaming reports
According to the Insider Gaming report, the proposal for a Zelda spin-off emerged in late 2022, and the project carried the internal codename "Goliath" to reflect its intended scale.
Henderson says his reporting was based on more than 18 months of investigation and that some of the account was independently corroborated by multiple sources.
The report states Ubisoft Milan spent the winter months developing a pitch and a prototype, with a target to deliver a compelling prototype by the end of 2023.
Henderson writes that Nintendo ultimately rejected the prototype in November 2023 and that the project was subsequently shut down.
The report notes that the specific reasons for Nintendo’s decision were not disclosed.
Paraphrased statements from sources
Henderson summarized the investigation by saying his team spent an extended period corroborating details and that the pitch was presented as a significant departure from another Mario + Rabbids entry.
Sources described the team as working intensively over several months to refine the concept and deliver a prototype for Nintendo’s consideration.
The report also says that, after the project's cancellation, some internal discussions at Ubisoft Milan considered proposals for other Nintendo IPs.
Context and precedent
Reports of cancelled or reshaped Nintendo collaborations are not unprecedented.
Retro Studios, the developer behind Metroid Prime, has appeared in past reporting about shelved or evolving projects in the industry.
It is important to note that the details in Henderson’s article are presented as sourced reporting rather than official announcements from Nintendo or Ubisoft.
Verified facts included in this article are limited to publicly known release dates, platform details, and developer credits.
The claims about "Goliath," internal timelines, and personnel movements are sourced to the Insider Gaming report and should be treated as reported allegations until confirmed by Nintendo or Ubisoft.
