Nintendo never blatantly said 2016, true, but please give the official delay announcement another watch: https://youtu.be/7y1VKSVeGD0

He says that they don't want to try to meet a certain time window, sure, but he never says "we have absolutely no idea when it will be done". He is just certain enough that it won't release in 2015 that he explicitly states it won't release in 2015. This implies that they thought the game could be done this year just last December. That doesn't bring to mind the idea that they can't be absolutely certain that a 2016 release date is going to happen though. Clearly development is far enough along that they could commit to at least a full year release window.

Even then, a 2016 release window is incredibly ambigious. Even if the game released December 31st, 2016, they would still have met that window. It doesn't make sense that they're acting like the game is still some big mystery like this.

It's been TBD ever since but I think it will be a 2016 release and hoping it is..

Nintendo doesn't even want to make a serious Metroid game.  They might find someone to farm it out to again but I can't imagine them ever positioning it as an important franchise.  They should just go ahead and make it a Mario game where he takes up the armor to rescue Samus, who is being held captive.  It could be something like Mario X Megaman.  I think Nintendo would be much happier with that.

The next Nintendo home console definitely needs that BIG HUGE UBER-MARKETABLE Mario 3D game, though, and early enough that they can have a sequel in the same gen.  Splatoon 2, where they go all out on features and advertising, is absolutely vital.  They need to be working on that right now.

LOL, how did you get through every console Zelda release since Ocarina of Time (besides Majora's Mask)?

I think a lot of people took to the news like a traditional delay which is a mistake. He doesn't state the usual " we need more time to polish", which typically means 3-6months.

He states that they have entirely new ideas and possibilities they want to implement into the game. For me the delay never looked like it was going to be less than 12months. The fact that they didn't want to reassure people that its coming 2016 after their dissapointment is clear that they don't truly know when it will be finished. Alternatively its so far away they didn't want to upset people by saying holiday 2016 or 2017. To an extent it worked as many people went assuming that we'll see the game in summer or spring 2016, I think its only now with the NX news that people are doubting that.

You're right. Nintendo never said 2016. They just said that they needed more time. Technically, they never even said it wouldn't come this year. Just that it would come later than expected.

We all just assume 2016. I still assume 2016.

It's been TBD for months now.

*sigh*

I guess it's going to launch with the next system. I just hope a full Mario 64 style Mario game launches with the console as well. We haven't had a Nintendo console launch with one since the N64.

It will launch late next year and on both consoles (not saying the NX will definitely come out next year though but possibly could).
Much like how Twilight Princess was on both consoles.

I can understand the concerns of being delayed beyond 2016, but no fear, It will come next year for the 30th anniversary celebration, like Skyward Sword for the 25th. They are not going to skip the opportunity to use the game to generate more sales for the Zelda console editions that they must be planning at this point.

The most probable answer: the game doesn't has a release date for the NX version, and both will be announced at the same time.

Our real concern is if Nintendo will be lazy to only release a big Zelda adventure game every 5 years...