The Legend of Zelda is officially 40 years old, and Nintendo isn’t treating the milestone as a one-day birthday.
The original The Legend of Zelda launched for the Famicom Disk System in Japan on February 21, 1986. Four decades later, Nintendo is celebrating the series with new games, hardware, amiibo, concerts, collectibles, events, a live-action movie and more stretching well into 2027.
The biggest wave of announcements arrived during The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8, 2026, but the celebration is still developing. Nintendo has already said additional anniversary initiatives and collaborations are on the way.
This page is our home for the entire celebration. We’ll keep it updated as Nintendo announces new games, merchandise, events and other ways to celebrate 40 years of Zelda.
Table of Contents
Zelda 40th Anniversary at a Glance
Here’s what has been confirmed so far:
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026
- A Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Nintendo Switch 2 launches October 29
- Matching Pro Controllers and carrying case arrive alongside the console
- Official playable and electronic Ocarinas of Time are being released
- New Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo are coming in 2027
- ZELDA NOTES is expanding with Ocarina of Time support and anniversary features
- A worldwide Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert tour begins in 2027
- The Nintendo Museum is hosting special Zelda anniversary activities
- Nintendo Today! has added daily Zelda digital collection cards
- LEGO is releasing an Ocarina of Time – Link & Epona set
- Hasbro is producing an Electronic Master Sword
- The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie opens April 30, 2027
- Nintendo says additional collaborations and anniversary projects are still coming
And that’s only what has been announced so far.
Ocarina of Time Returns on Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo chose one of the most important games in Zelda history to anchor the 40th anniversary.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5, 2026, bringing the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic back with far more than a resolution boost.
Nintendo has rebuilt the game with completely overhauled visuals while keeping the places and characters recognizable to longtime players. Cutscenes are now fully voiced, character dialogue has been expanded, the soundtrack has been re-recorded with a symphonic orchestra, and movement and camera controls have been reworked for modern hardware.
Even some familiar rules of Hyrule have changed. The remake features a continuous day-and-night cycle, and Nintendo has introduced Threads of Time, a system designed to help players follow their current objectives and story progress.
The first physical print run will also receive commemorative packaging with textured foil cover art.
We’ve created a separate hub covering every confirmed detail, trailer, character change, preorder bonus and discovery surrounding the remake:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake – Complete Guide
Zelda Gets Its Own 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2
Collectors don’t have to wait for Ocarina of Time to begin celebrating.
The Nintendo Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda – 40th Anniversary Edition launches on October 29, 2026, exactly one week before Ocarina of Time.
Rather than being themed exclusively around one game, the system celebrates the broader Zelda series. The black-and-gold dock features a large Triforce on the front and additional Zelda symbols and patterns across the hardware. The console itself carries commemorative detailing, while its Joy-Con 2 controllers use a green-and-gold color scheme.
One important detail: the console does not include Ocarina of Time.
In the United States, Nintendo lists the system at $519.99.
Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Accessories
Nintendo is also releasing several matching accessories on October 29:
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller + Display Stand – Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition
A collector-oriented version packaged with a display stand.
Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector – Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition
A matching case designed around the anniversary artwork.
Nintendo’s U.S. pricing currently lists the standard anniversary Pro Controller at $99.99, the controller with display stand at $109.99, and the carrying case and screen protector set at $39.99.
Yes, Nintendo Is Actually Making Ocarinas
Perhaps the most fitting accessory announced for the anniversary is something fans have wanted to hold for decades: an official Ocarina of Time.
Nintendo revealed both a playable ocarina and an electronic model designed to interact with Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2.
The remake can recognize the game’s melodies through the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone. Play (or even hum) a melody Link has learned and the game can detect it.
The Electric OCARINA OF TIME takes that concept even further. It includes a Free Play mode for individual notes and an Auto-Play mode capable of playing 12 songs from the game. It also includes volume controls and a headphone/external-speaker connection.
It isn’t technically a wind instrument; Nintendo describes it as an electronic toy operated with buttons rather than by blowing into it.
The electronic version launches November 5 alongside the game and is listed for $49.99 in the United States.
Young Link and Young Zelda Get New amiibo
The remake is also giving two of its characters new amiibo figures.
Young Link and Young Princess Zelda amiibo based on their updated Ocarina of Time appearances will arrive in 2027.
Scanning them in the remake unlocks special masks that give Link a retro-inspired graphical appearance, offering a visual nod to Zelda’s earlier eras.
Nintendo’s U.S. store currently lists both figures at $24.99 each.
We’ll add exact release-date and availability information here when Nintendo announces it.
ZELDA NOTES Is Expanding for Ocarina of Time
The Zelda companion features inside the Nintendo Switch App are also becoming part of the anniversary.
ZELDA NOTES already supports the Nintendo Switch 2 editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Ocarina of Time will receive its own support with several new ideas designed specifically around the remake.
Nintendo has announced features that can help players track their adventure, search for locations using hint images and play with a virtual ocarina.
There is also an appropriately excessive trivia feature: Nintendo says the daily quiz contains more than 2,000 Zelda questions.
For a franchise with four decades of obscure characters, items, enemies and timeline arguments behind it, that should keep fans occupied for a while.
Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert Tour
Live Zelda music is making a major return in 2027.
The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert will tour internationally with orchestral performances covering music from across the franchise, from its earliest adventures to its modern soundtracks.
The Japanese tour begins in Tokyo on January 23, 2027. The international tour begins in Chicago on February 22, followed by London on April 3 and Melbourne on May 13.
Additional stops confirmed so far include Stockholm, Sydney, Seattle, Houston, Vienna, Edinburgh, Glasgow and San Francisco, with Nintendo saying more cities and countries will be announced.
Confirmed International Zelda Concert Stops
| City | Dates |
|---|---|
| Chicago | February 22–23, 2027 |
| London | April 3–4, 2027 |
| Melbourne | May 13–16, 2027 |
| Stockholm | June 18–19, 2027 |
| Sydney | July 9–10, 2027 |
| Seattle | July 16–18, 2027 |
| Houston | July 23–24, 2027 |
| Vienna, Virginia | July 30, 2027 |
| Edinburgh | September 17, 2027 |
| Glasgow | September 18, 2027 |
| San Francisco | October 2027 |
Japan has its own run beginning in Tokyo and continuing through Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Kyoto and Kanagawa.
Ticket dates vary by venue, so this is one section we’ll be updating frequently as the tour gets closer.
The Nintendo Museum Joins the Celebration
Zelda’s 40th anniversary isn’t limited to stores and game consoles.
The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto introduced a special Zelda 40th Anniversary Play Ticket design beginning September 9, 2026. The design is scheduled to remain available for approximately one year.
Additional Zelda photo opportunities arrive at the museum on November 5, and Nintendo’s new Super Family Restaurant is scheduled to open during fall 2026 with Link and other Nintendo characters incorporated into the experience.
Nintendo says the museum’s anniversary activities will continue for a full year.
Daily Zelda Collection Cards in Nintendo Today!
Nintendo Today! is also participating in the anniversary with digital collectibles.
Beginning September 9, the app started offering The Legend of Zelda Collection Cards, with a new card available each day.
The cards pull characters, items and imagery from throughout the series rather than focusing on one game, making them something of a digital tour through Zelda history.
Nintendo has also changed the Zelda calendar theme in Nintendo Today! with animations representing games from across the franchise.
LEGO Ocarina of Time – Link & Epona
The existing Great Deku Tree set won’t be the end of LEGO Zelda.
Nintendo has confirmed LEGO The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Link & Epona, a 1,750-piece display set aimed at adult collectors.
As the name suggests, the set returns to Ocarina of Time, pairing Link with Epona in a model built specifically around one of the defining Zelda games of the anniversary.
The set is scheduled for 2027.
We’ll update this section once LEGO reveals the complete model, pricing, preorder information and final release date.
Hasbro’s Electronic Master Sword
Hasbro is getting one of the other most recognizable objects in gaming history.
The Legend of Zelda Electronic Master Sword measures approximately 27 inches long and includes more than 15 touch- and motion-activated sounds.
It is currently planned for 2027.
Between the Master Sword, official ocarinas, amiibo and LEGO, Nintendo is clearly going considerably further with physical anniversary merchandise than simply putting a 40th anniversary logo on shirts and calling it a day.
The Legend of Zelda Movie Arrives in 2027
Perhaps the biggest Zelda project of all doesn’t involve a controller.
Nintendo’s first live-action The Legend of Zelda movie will open in theaters worldwide on April 30, 2027.
The film is officially titled simply The Legend of Zelda.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth stars as Link, while Bo Bragason plays Princess Zelda. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball is directing, with Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad producing.
Nintendo and Arad Productions are producing the movie, with Sony Pictures Entertainment co-financing and handling worldwide theatrical distribution. Nintendo is providing more than half of the film’s financing.
Rather than adapting one Zelda title directly, the project is drawing from the stories, ideas and imagery established throughout the series’ history.
We’ve separated the movie into its own continually updated guide:
The Legend of Zelda Live-Action Movie – Cast, Release Date, Story & News
Other Ways Nintendo Is Celebrating Zelda
Nintendo’s anniversary plans extend beyond the headline announcements.
Fans can already explore a substantial portion of Zelda history across Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom both have Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, while games such as Echoes of Wisdom remain available natively on Switch.
Nintendo Switch Online’s classic libraries also make a large portion of the older series available on modern hardware, while Nintendo Music includes Zelda soundtracks for subscribers.
Nintendo has also begun holding smaller anniversary events. Nintendo NEW YORK, for example, scheduled a September 26 celebration featuring guided demos of classic Zelda games and photo opportunities with the Master Sword.
More events like this wouldn’t be surprising as the celebration continues through 2027.
What Else Is Coming for Zelda’s 40th Anniversary?
Probably more than we currently know.
Nintendo specifically said to watch for additional anniversary initiatives and partner collaborations, which is important because the celebration already extends well beyond the September Direct.
There are still plenty of unanswered questions.
Additional merchandise is almost certain to surface. More concert cities are coming. The LEGO and Hasbro products still need complete release details. The Young Link and Zelda amiibo need firm dates. And the closer we get to April 2027, the live-action movie will bring trailers, posters and promotional products of its own.
That’s why we’re treating this as a hub rather than a one-and-done news story.
Zelda 40th Anniversary Timeline
February 21, 2026
The Legend of Zelda officially turns 40 years old.
September 8, 2026
Nintendo airs The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct and reveals the main anniversary lineup.
September 9, 2026
Zelda Collection Cards begin appearing in Nintendo Today!, and the Nintendo Museum introduces its anniversary Play Ticket.
September 26, 2026
Nintendo NEW YORK holds a Zelda anniversary event.
October 29, 2026
Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Nintendo Switch 2, Pro Controllers and carrying case launch.
November 5, 2026
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launches for Nintendo Switch 2. Anniversary Nintendo Museum photo opportunities also begin.
January 23, 2027
The Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert tour begins in Tokyo.
February 22, 2027
The international concert tour begins in Chicago.
April 30, 2027
The Legend of Zelda live-action movie opens worldwide.
2027
Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo, the LEGO Ocarina of Time – Link & Epona set, Hasbro’s Electronic Master Sword and additional anniversary projects arrive.
Forty Years of The Legend of Zelda
What started in 1986 with a boy, a sword and an unusually open world has grown into one of Nintendo’s defining franchises.
The series has moved from 2D Hyrule to Ocarina of Time’s pioneering 3D world, from the flooded Great Sea to the skies above Skyloft, and eventually into the enormous open-air versions of Hyrule seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo could have marked the 40th anniversary with a logo and a few pieces of commemorative merchandise.
Instead, Zelda’s anniversary is becoming a bridge between virtually every version of the franchise: the original games through Nintendo Classics, a complete return to Ocarina of Time, new hardware, live orchestral music, collectibles and, finally, Zelda’s leap into live-action film.
And the celebration isn’t finished yet.
We’ll continue updating this page as Nintendo reveals additional Zelda 40th Anniversary games, products, concerts, events and collaborations.