Aonuma on why Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a turning point for the series

A portion of a Le Monde interview with Eiji Aonuma, as translated by NE

LM: Nintendo has been repeating for several months that this new Zelda entry marks a major turning point in the series. In what sense?

EA: Before, the obvious choice in terms of game design was to have areas linked together by small paths, which you would only pass through. Many people reproached us for lacking freedom. Even here, a lot of designers thought fun lay in following an existing path. But this time, the player is dropped into the world of Breath of the Wild and they can go anywhere, whenever they want, kind of like the first Zelda. I think Breath of the Wild will be a key moment in the history of the series.