By the time it comes out next year, Zelda U, like Skyward Sword before it, will be releasing 5 years after its predecessor.

If Nintendo continue this pattern with the following entry, we won't get it until 2021. 

Can Nintendo afford a 5 year cycle for home console Zelda games? Will the long breaks in between build anticipation and hype, or will people just get tired of waiting?

I'm OK with it as long as good handheld Zeldas still come out in the meantime.

Five years is too many. Yes, taking some extra time has paid off for Nintendo in the past, but five years is just TOO MANY. It's less indicative of an obsessive level of polish and design and more of a lack of proper resources and time management skills. Other companies frequently put out phenomenal, polished, complex products after a two- or three-year development time, especially when they're working with an established engine and style (which Zelda needs to start doing rather than scrapping the whole thing every time).

But I could go on. XP

Zelda U better be a lengthy game, that's all I gotta say. I can't do the 5 year wait thing with years of filler again. Although ALBW was quite a nice game.

You mean fire? Or retire?

The only way of being more regular is to either reduce the polish, the ambition, or get a second studio devloping addional zeldas at the same time.

Well, they do release filler games in between to close the gap, but I guess it will depend on when the NX will be released, and how low it's life cycle is

This is a huge reason why Zelda U needs to be cross-gen.

I've come to accept that 5 years is the new norm between home console Zeldas. I do wish they made more, but I don't know, in some ways it is kind of nice that it takes so long. It makes each game seem that much more memorable and impactful. I would hate a day when they made a new Zelda ever 2 years or so and they all sort of blended together. That wouldn't be cool.

It's true, you're right. But maybe they'll get this one faster, like... in 2020?! :P