Well, so much for waiting until next week to find out whether all those Nintendo Direct rumors were true.
Nintendo has lined up two presentations for next week, and the first one is a big one for Zelda fans: a special The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct is set for September 8, followed by a broader Nintendo Direct on September 9.
For anyone keeping score, that means we’re getting two straight days of Nintendo news — and Zelda gets the first day all to itself.
Zelda’s 40th Anniversary Is Finally Getting the Spotlight
The original The Legend of Zelda launched for the Famicom Disk System in Japan on February 21, 1986, meaning the series officially turned 40 earlier this year.
Nintendo has been relatively quiet about the anniversary so far, which naturally led to plenty of speculation over whether the company was saving its plans for later in the year.
Apparently, it was.
A dedicated Zelda Direct immediately raises the question of just how much Nintendo has planned for the anniversary. A presentation devoted specifically to the franchise gives Nintendo considerably more room than a five-minute segment tucked into a normal Direct.
And there’s already one very obvious game waiting in the wings.
Ocarina of Time Seems Like a Safe Bet
Nintendo officially revealed a new version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 during its June Nintendo Direct.
The N64 classic is being rebuilt for a new generation and is currently scheduled to arrive sometime in 2026. We still don’t have a firm release date, however, making September 8 an obvious place for Nintendo to finally fill in the blanks.
There have been plenty of rumors and retailer listings surrounding the game over the past few weeks, but with an actual Zelda presentation now on the calendar, we thankfully won’t have to spend much longer dissecting store pages and supposed leaks.
At minimum, we’d expect another look at Ocarina of Time. A release date, extended gameplay footage and more details about exactly how Nintendo is approaching the remake would make plenty of sense.
The bigger question is what else Nintendo has planned.
What Else Could Nintendo Announce?
This is where things get interesting.
A 40th anniversary celebration opens the door to considerably more than a single game. Nintendo could use the presentation to announce anniversary merchandise, Nintendo Switch Online additions, concerts, collaborations, amiibo or other projects tied to Zelda’s four-decade history.
And, yes, we know what many of you are thinking.
Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.
Switch versions of The Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD have been rumored for what feels like roughly half of Zelda Central’s lifespan at this point. Neither game has been announced for Switch or Switch 2, so we’re not going to pretend they’re suddenly confirmed because a Zelda Direct exists.
But if there were ever a presentation where those two games would make sense, a 40th Anniversary Direct would certainly be it.
There is also the possibility Nintendo reaches further back into Zelda’s history. With Ocarina of Time already receiving the remake treatment, the anniversary gives Nintendo an excuse to revisit virtually any corner of the franchise.
For now, though, anything beyond the announced Ocarina of Time remake belongs firmly in the speculation pile.
And There’s Another Nintendo Direct the Next Day
Nintendo isn’t finished after the Zelda celebration.
A regular Nintendo Direct is scheduled for September 9, giving Nintendo a separate opportunity to lay out more of its upcoming Switch 2 and Switch lineup.
That distinction is worth paying attention to. Rather than squeezing Zelda’s anniversary into its normal September presentation, Nintendo is giving the franchise its own event before moving on to the rest of its lineup the following day.
It should make for a pretty packed couple of days.
For Zelda fans, though, September 8 is the date circled on the calendar.
After months of wondering exactly what Nintendo planned to do for the series’ 40th birthday, we’re finally about to find out.
And if Tingle somehow gets 20 minutes of the presentation, we’ll consider the anniversary a complete success.
What are you hoping to see during the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct? More Ocarina of Time? Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD? Something completely unexpected? Let us know.
