The next Legend of Zelda title flips gender roles, lets you play as the princess

In a surprising announcement during today’s Nintendo Direct, a new installment in the Zelda franchise was revealed. In Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Hyrule’s fate rests in the hands of Princess Zelda herself, marking a significant departure from the series’ long-standing tradition of featuring Link as the main character.

The title features a “new gameplay style that breaks conventions of past Legend of Zelda games,” said Eiji Aonuma, the longtime producer of the series, while introducing the game. The live presentation featured a trailer that introduced Link’s mysterious disappearance, leaving Zelda to save Hyrule with the help of a new companion, the mysterious fairy Tri. Armed with a powerful new weapon, the Tri Staff, Zelda embarks on an epic quest to rescue her kingdom.