Because Retro makes games like those... OH WAIT! They don't! :)

Retro's next game is going to be a Metroid game. They don't know this yet but that's what it's going to be.

They always start projects and then stop them for various reasons and then eventually settle on a Metroid game.

Yeah, it's pretty sad that an epic crossover like Mario and Sonic is not only selling well but poised to outsell the entirety of the PS3 library.

Nice try, troll.

I know that this isn't even remotely feasible, but i've always thought a game about what OOTZelda did whilst growing up (as in, her training to be and transition to sheik) would make a good game. When I first heard this rumor, my thought immediately went out to this, as the only possible new character a spinoff could be made of (unless they did a Legends of the Triforce: Ganon's Tale game or soemthing like that).

Unfortunately, chances are somewhere between 99 and 100% that initially, I will be disappointed. Chances are very good I will be impressed by the outcome.

If there is a spinoff it'll probably be based on Twilight Princess while Zelda Wii will be another new Hryule era.

 Reason that willl never happen, Zelda's adventure for CD-i

No, I don't think a Zelda spin-off is in the works by Retro for a few reasons!

1st. Nintendo EAD usually handles the Zelda series inhouse directly overseen or with the involvement of Shigeru Miyamoto.

2nd. Retro Studios said multiple times they wanted to work on something new, that leads me to believe a spin-off is unlikely.

3rd. Zelda isn't the kind of franchise to thrive with Spin-offs

Now that all being said I think RetroStudios is being placed on IP creation duty. I don't think Nintendo aquired RetroStudios to simply having them polish old franchises. Nintendo bought them because the studio had three projects already underway on the GameCube. RetroStudios showed an ability to create new quality content and that is why they were aquired (My own conclusion)!

Nintendo doesn't just pick anybody up. Nintendo Of America's job is to target the North American audience and Metroid Prime was that title. MetroidPrime was a shooter/adventure and RetroStudios showed an ability to create an A-class shooter.

 So what do I think Retro is actually up too, creating a new shooter IP for Nintendo. Nintendo lacks a solid shooter IP and with the Wiimote so fitted for shooters and Nintendo hinting various times that it was build for shooters. It wouldn't make any sense unless Nintendo had some internal plans for their own shooter.

So Retro I'm 80% sure is making the next Halo, Nintendo's Halo! 

 Hahaaha, is that for real? Well I hope they do follow through with their new projects this time, or make a new Metroid game that is more like the 2d ones. I loved the prime series a lot, but I also felt they were missing a lot. And they could have been a lot more moody, darker, and a little creepier.  When I first played Super Metroid years ago, those were 3 destinct feelings I had, and I miss those from this series.

@Avinash: Nintendo will NEVER allow another abomination like that. Besides, they had no control over the cd-i games.

@Topic: How about Zeld-blivion?

@JoelCool - With a name like Retro, maybe Nintendo did buy them to Have them "polish old franchises." I actually wouldn't be schocked if they did a 2.5D Zelda in the style of LttP for WiiWare. They are good enough to be trusted (and the Oracle games and Minish Cap were not developed by Nintendo), obviously, and it'd make for a nice, (relatively) smaller project to give them a bit of a break before their next big one.