Nintendo reportedly rejected a prototype for a The Legend of Zelda spin-off developed by Ubisoft Milan in late November 2023. According to insiders, the game initially featured an original protagonist; while Nintendo approved of the concept, it requested that the main character be changed to Ganondorf.
Following the release of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope in 2022, Nintendo and Ubisoft Milan began discussing their next collaboration. Ubisoft Milan aimed to create a new title set in The Legend of Zelda universe rather than continuing the Mario + Rabbids series.
In early 2023, Ubisoft Milan proposed an internal project codenamed "Goliath." The game was planned as a standalone spin-off, with the protagonist shifting from an original character to Ganondorf, Link and Zelda's adversary, during the conceptual phase. The team was required to submit a prototype by the end of 2023 to advance the project to the next stage, but Nintendo rejected the prototype in late November of that year. Insiders did not disclose the reasons for the rejection.
After the project's cancellation, Ubisoft Milan reportedly considered developing other Nintendo-themed titles. Internal rumors mentioned Star Fox, as well as another Mario-related game. However, discussions between Nintendo and Ubisoft gradually stalled from late 2023 to early 2024.
The team involved in the project was subsequently reassigned to other Ubisoft projects. Some developers were left without immediate assignments, while several senior members joined the Beyond Good & Evil 2 team.
In July 2024, project leads Davide Soliani and Cristina Nava, along with Gian Marco Zanna, left Ubisoft and co-founded Day 4 Night with Christian Cantamessa. The studio was officially announced in October of the same year, and its first game was revealed at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025.