Nintendo used its Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct presentation to do what fans had been waiting for: show the first gameplay of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2 and set a Nov. 5 launch date. Eiji Aonuma introduced the footage himself, tying the game’s return to a broader anniversary rollout that begins this year and stretches into 2027.
That date matters because it gives Nintendo Switch 2 players a fixed target for one of the series’ most recognizable titles, and because the company paired it with a long list of products, events and services that turn a single anniversary show into a multi-year campaign. The physical version’s first print run will ship with special packaging and textured foil cover art, while the game itself will arrive with completely overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded character dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, reworked camera and movement controls, and more.
Nintendo also said the anniversary hardware wave starts first. The Nintendo Switch 2 – The Legend of Zelda – 40th Anniversary Edition system arrives on Oct. 29, along with anniversary Pro Controller editions, one with a display stand and one without, plus a Nintendo Switch 2 carrying case with screen protector. All of it carries a Triforce design, a visual signal that Nintendo is treating the milestone as both a software push and a collectible hardware moment.
There is a catch in the celebration. The anniversary does not end with the calendar year that gave it its name. Nintendo said the activities continue into 2027, with new Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo set for that year and museum and concert plans also running well past the initial burst. That means the company is not marking 40 years with a single commemorative week; it is building a release schedule that keeps the series in motion long after the birthday year has passed.
For now, the next concrete date is Oct. 29 for the hardware, followed by Nov. 5 for the game that led the presentation. What Nintendo has not said is how much the physical Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will cost when it lands, and that missing price is the last piece readers will be watching before launch.
