Although its been quite some time since the last new Donkey Kong game, an interesting rumor has surfaced hinting at what could be next for Nintendo’s classic character.

According to this rumor, there is a new Donkey Kong game currently in development by Nintendo EPD, the team responsible for creating Super Mario Odyssey. This rumor has been discussed by Youtubers such as LonelyGoomba and AndresRestart, as well as purported leakers such as Zippo, who shared the following comments in a blog post:

It’s the big ape’s 40th anniversary, and while I’m not sure how Nintendo is celebrating the occasion, there is a new 2D DK game being developed by EPD Tokyo. Retro is obviously busy with other things, so Nintendo has taken it upon themselves to bring DK back in as internal series. Don’t expect the “Country” moniker to return, as EPD Tokyo are not interested in making a sequel to games they didn’t make. Diddy, Cranky and the Kremling Krew should all be returning in this installment. It sounds like this game is launching before the end of the year. An E3 announcement seems very likely.

Of course, like with all rumors of this nature, we caution readers to take them with a grain of salt. We will be sure to report back with more concrete details should they become available.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.