According to Insider Gaming, the idea emerged in 2023 after the release of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope. Ubisoft Milan proposed a major project to Nintendo under the working title Goliath with a new main character. Nintendo was interested in the concept but suggested making Ganondorf the protagonist.
A small team led by Davide Soliani began work on the prototype. It was planned to be completed by the end of 2023, and in November, it was shown to Nintendo. The Japanese company ultimately rejected the project, and the reasons for the decision remained unknown. Ubisoft did not comment on the information.
After Goliath was canceled, the studio offered Nintendo other ideas, including projects for Star Fox and Mario. In early 2024, communication between the companies gradually ceased.
In July 2024, Soliani, Cristina Nava, and Gian Marco Zanna left Ubisoft Milan. They later cited an ambitious unfinished project among the reasons for their departure. After that, the developers founded Day 4 Night and began working on the platformer Bradley the Badger.