The Legend of Zelda on Wii U did not feature at E3 2015 because Nintendo wanted to avoid disappointing fans with stunning in-game footage. At this time, the release date for the upcoming videogame title is unknown.

Earlier in 2015, Nintendo announced that the 2015 launch schedule has been cancelled due to the need for further development. The company also decided to not showcase The Legend of Zelda at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

Nintendo Afraid of Disappointing Fans with 'Wonderful Footage'

Nintendo USA's president, Reggie Fils-Aime, spoke about the company's last-minute decision to exclude Zelda from their E3 presentation.

"We had just announced the delay of Zelda, right - that it won't be launching in 2015," Fils-Aime said in an interview with GameSpot. "And so we were concerned that by showing wonderful footage of the game, it would lead to further disappointment on the behalf of the fans."

However, the Nintendo executive promised that Zelda footage will appear at a future date.

"There'll be plenty of opportunity for us to showcase the game," Fils-Aime reassured. "No fears, it's gonna be wonderful!"

The Legend of Zelda on Wii U first appeared at Nintendo's E3 2014 presentation, which also featured a short trailer. Afterwards, fan boys and girls got a glimpse of their favorite character Link in a gameplay demonstration at the Videogames Awards of 2014. Since then, Nintendo has refrained from giving out more details about The Legend of Zelda.

Reason for the Release Date Delay

On March 27, the game's producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed that The Legend of Zelda will not have a 2015 release date as fans earlier hoped.

"In these last three months, as the team has experienced firsthand the freedom of exploration that hasn't existed in any Zelda game to date, we have discovered several new possibilities for this game," Aonuma said in a video posted on YouTube. "As we have worked to turn these possibilities into reality, new ideas have continued to spring forth, it now feels like we have the potential to create something that exceeds even my own expectations."

On the same day, Nintendo USA tweeted that The Legend of Zelda will not be featured during their presentation at the 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. The company urged fans to be patient. Fan reaction ranged from sympathy to annoyance.

Is Nintendo Holding Back Zelda for NX?

In late March, Hardcore Gamer proposed the theory that the new Zelda is being delayed until the release of the next-gen console NX.

It is worth noting that NX is a codename that can be changed at any time. The publication also pointed out that the Wii U did not sell as successfully as the Xbox One and PS4. This is despite the fact Nintendo reported selling more than 10 million Wii U units.

If the NX-related rumor is true, there is no telling when Nintendo intends to release the next Zelda installment.