Fans of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are dissecting the recently updated ESRB rating for its upcoming remake, speculating that Nintendo may be altering the design of the game's Great Fairies. The remake, announced last month with a brief teaser, is slated for release on Switch 2 later this year, but details remain scarce.
On July 29, Nintendo updated the official store page for the Ocarina of Time remake, assigning it an E10+ rating. The rating cites "Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence" as content descriptors, elements unsurprising for a game featuring combat. However, this differs from previous versions of the game.
The 3DS remaster of Ocarina of Time also received an E10+ rating but included an additional descriptor: "Suggestive Themes." The original N64 release, rated E, predated the E10+ category. The omission of "Suggestive Themes" in the remake's current rating has led some fans to theorize that the Great Fairies, known for their revealing attire in the original game, might receive a redesign to align with modern sensibilities.
ESRB rating descriptions for the 3DS remaster indicate that the "Suggestive Themes" warning was partially attributed to certain female characters, noting they were "depicted from low camera angles and dressed in outfits that display moderate amounts of cleavage." This has fueled speculation that the remake might tone down the fairies' appearance.
However, some players point out that the Wii Virtual Console re-release of Ocarina of Time was rated E without the "Suggestive Themes" warning and without any apparent alterations to the Great Fairies. Furthermore, the designs of the fairies in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which were more revealing and inspired considerable fan art, suggest Nintendo's approach to character design in the series has evolved. This leads to the possibility that the remake's fairies might adopt a style closer to those seen in Breath of the Wild, a prospect many fans reportedly welcome.
For now, these changes remain speculative until Nintendo provides more information or releases further gameplay details for the Ocarina of Time remake.