It's no secret that a lot of people who work in the tech industry are also pretty passionate gamers - the two go hand-in-hand for many people. Taking this into account, it shouldn't come as a massive shock to learn that one of Google's staffers is a big Zelda fan. So big in fact that they used a reference from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask to tease the forthcoming reveal of the Google Pixel smartphones.
Spotted by someone on Reddit, the message "Dawn of the final day, 24 hours remain" appeared on the official Google YouTube livestream page for an event which takes place today. Taken at face value, it's a playful reference to the classic game which neatly tied in with the fact that - you've guessed it - it flashed up 24 hours before the stream was due to begin, but given the nature of the internet several theories have appeared online which speculate that something more interesting is coming.
The Express is reporting on rumours which claim that Google and Nintendo could be announcing something during the Pixel reveal. This would ordinarily be dismissed as outlandish, but would anyone have believed that Shigeru Miyamoto would appear at the Apple iPhone 7 event and show off a new Mario game?
Could Google have a similar time-exclusive deal with Nintendo where another of its proposed mobile titles comes to Android before iOS? Or do you think that this is simply a case of a cheeky Zelda reference being taken way too seriously? As ever, post your thoughts below.
Thanks to remag for the tip!
[source reddit.com]
Comments 61
Show Fire Emblem !
Fire Emblem is for Android users !
I think it's a stretch, but a Zelda game on Android would be pretty cool!
Yup. Playful reference. But if you aren't fantasizing about a Zeldroid app or a tech partnership you're dead inside.
Please leave Zelda alone. It's the one franchise I hope they don't put on mobile.
This is it guys! Breath of the wild is coming out in smartphones! You heard it here first!!! Lol
But seriously I agree with the above comment. Zelda is too iconic and important to get reduced to smartphone fodder!
Unless those (already quashed) Android NX rumours turn out to be true, of course...
@Neurotic_Biotic Completely agree.
NX = Nintendo Pixel and Nintendo Pixel XL
I'll believe it when I see it.
Unless the Google CEO starts dancing on top of the Big Ben Clock Tower, there is no reason to panic
I doubt they'd do exclusives for both Apple and Google, would they? My guess is it's just some random Google employee dropping in a reference. In fact, it's a clever way to drum up internet buzz.
No it's probably just a google employee that's a Zelda fan!
I think this is simply a way to gather attention. And boy, have they!
at least nobody's said that the nx is a smartphone yet.
I knew it - NX is a smart device confirmed!
Nintendo is teaming up with the big boys to reclaim the gaming crown!
...and the reveal is coming within 24hrs!
Nintendo Next - a collaborative effort between Nintendo and the ghost of Steve Jobs
Calm down folks. It's just a throw away reference. Means nothing.
@MitchVogel Majora's Mask Picross for mobile!
@Neurotic_Biotic To be fair Phantom Hourglass worked...
@Jamotello
It does seem strange that Nintendo would release a timed exclusive with Apple, despite obviously being on good terms with Google via Niantic.
And being an Android user myself, I'd be glad to get a Zelda game rather than Super Mario Run... SMR just doesn't seem that interesting to me, but I'll be interested to see how they'd adapt Zelda to smartphones... especially if the Majora's Mask reference is a more specific hint.
My current top ideas would either be a simple puzzle game in the same vein as Pokemon Shuffle, but using the masks instead of Pokemon (although they don't really need another game like that)... or a time-management game.
Either it's just a reference, or Tinkle's Match 3 $ Fest is about to be a thing. Probably (and hopefully) it's the former.
@gcunit I admire the boldness with which you proclaim such predictions. God Speed, Sir.
@HappyMaskedGuy Haha, I'm sure @gcunit was being completely serious. :---)
@Moshugan If we're not allowed to get prematurely over-excited with the wrong end of the stick, what is the point of the internet?
I've been asking for an all-in-one device for about 2 years. I will be quite happy if NX, or anything else, turns out to be an HD 3DS with GPS and sim-card.
Reskinned Pokemon Go with Zelda. Look for treasure instead of monsters. Turned Gym into dungeon.
There won't be any timed exclusives on Android because there is no money to be made from Android users. They pay way less for Apps and in-app than Apple users. They are cheapskates.
An endless Zelda game ála Binding of Isaac might be right at home on android.
Though I think it would be something more ingenious.
The NX is a smartphone! 😝
NX! Reveal reveal!
I said this a year or so ago but what if Nintendo NX = NeXus?
Hardware built by Nintendo, with a backend built by Google. Uses the 'Play' network for infrastructure and offers access to all Android TV-compatible software was well as Nintendo's proprietary software.
Launching it at a huge Google conference with the worlds tech press watching would make a ton of sense.
@Vincent294
Ironically, that's my phone.
Folks, I'm a gamer, I can't help it.
It was just a reference.
Obviously just a throw away reference nothing more.
@manu0
Or Apple users are idiots.
Majora's Mask GO, capture masks and train them to take over Gy-, I mean Temples. Gather items with Happy Mask Shops.
@k8sMum nothing wrong with being a cheapskate. I'm a big one myself lol. Just saying that that's how it is.
Im in the 'its just a reference' camp, but Nintendo doing something else like announcing another mobile app would be one more welcome explanation for the radio silence about NX.
@RadioHedgeFund I think it's more likely that it just stands for Nintendo cross... as in it's supposed to be a cross between home and handheld consoles.
That was probably just a playful reference. It's just like how I will always say "it's the final countdown" in that sort of situation.
Probably just for fun but that's not nice of them obviously knowing we are all on the edge of our seats waiting for the dawn of the final day of a potentially huge ninty reveal. If this is nothing it is a somewhat cheap way to gain publicity.
Not saying it can't or won't happen. But it does seem like it'd be an odd choice for Nintendo to release a timed exclusive with Apple and then go release a timed exclusive with Google/Android.
Probably something. Probably nothing. Still, a Zelda game on Android could be cool.
NX being a Android-phone...confirmed! Bye bye Nintendo!
Zelda is one of the franchises that I don't feel should be on mobile devices. I do find the reference entertaining at least.
More like "given the nature of the internet, people post random crap with just assumptions"
"All I want is a traditional controller, with standard power, third party support, a 4TB SSD built in, 4K native, Thunderbolt inputs, 11 games packed in, 32GB RAM, all for £129 or else it's dead in the water."
I'll be completely shocked if there's any significance behind that beyond a simple geeky joke. That's been a thing forever.
@Vincent294 Ah yes, the Sony Xperia Play. It was featured quite prominently in the recent movie Eye in the Sky, in which it was used by the guy who antagonized captain Phillips to control some kind of miniature drone.
@WiltonRoots That should be doable, but I don't know about standard power. How about Nintendo power, would that be okay?
I wouldn't read too much into this - it's very likely just someone having a laugh.
Nothing happened
@LemonSlice lol!
Errr....how about traditional power then? Nintendo can barely get a text based adventure to run on their consoles...
@Great_Gonzalez If Mario isn't too iconic to be reduced to phone "fodder," then neither is Zelda.
Maybe it's a Nintendo Phone powered by Android OS and launching with its own mobile Zelda game!
@Piersen Outside of the conspiracy theorists, those who want to be eternally mad at something and have decided that thing is Nintendo, or those whose mental health seemingly depends on their arbitrary and nostalgic image of the company staying intact, nobody's been panicking about any of the Nintendo smartphone news.
Unfortunately, that's less than I wish it was.
@Super_Conzo Or you're just not into mobile gaming, like I am.
@YoshiTails they should soooo make a tails and yoshi adventure game! Omg awesome!
@CrazedCavalier It was referring to Google using dark magic to pull the moon into the Earth, to which panic would be the appropriate response
@WiltonRoots Then look forward to Colossal Cave Adventure 4K, with next generation font rendering!
@kokirii Not sure it really has anything to do with iconic or not. Mario's simplicity from a gameplay and control perspective makes it an ideal option for a mobile spin-off. But LoZ (particularly 3D variants) would be trickier to invest enough time to give it that epic feel in a mobile game without removing the game's accessibility to anyone experiencing LoZ for the first time (a key component when it comes to mobile stuff selling well). I'm not saying it can't be done, but I doubt that it would be done well enough.
...Now if they ever decided to port the original LoZ to mobile, I would buy that in a heartbeat. I tend to think that would probably work pretty well. Then throw in some new bonus dungeons for purchase and you've got something pretty productive.
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