The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Locks November 5 Launch on Switch 2 as Nintendo Reveals 40th Anniversary Hardware, amiibo, and Concert Series

Nintendo used the roughly 30-minute The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8 to set the date for one of the most-requested remakes in Switch 2 history. Series producer Eiji Aonuma showed the first gameplay of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 and confirmed a November 5, 2026 launch worldwide, with pre-orders opening later today on Nintendo eShop.

The Switch 2 version is being marketed as a true remake rather than a remaster. Nintendo says every material texture has been rebuilt, the soundtrack has been re-recorded with a full symphonic orchestra, cutscenes are now fully voiced, character dialogue is expanded, and both the camera and movement have been reworked. Load times are shorter, snappier frame pacing is promised, and the first physical run will ship with a textured-foil cover while supplies last. The presentation also confirmed microphone support: players can hum an ocarina melody near the Switch 2's built-in mic and Link will play it in-game.

A new ocarina-centric layer called Zelda Notes is being added to the Nintendo Switch App for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, with a daily quiz of more than 2,000 questions, a virtual ocarina players can play on a touchscreen, hint-image location hunts for in-game rupees, and a "Today's Record" timeline that tracks enemy defeats and other stats across a playthrough.

The 40th Anniversary hardware drops on October 29, one week ahead of the game. Nintendo confirmed the Nintendo Switch 2 - The Legend of Zelda - 40th Anniversary Edition system, a matching Pro Controller (sold with or without a display stand when bought through the Nintendo Store), and a Triforce-design carrying case with screen protector. The console and dock carry a green-and-gold anniversary finish; the included Joy-Con 2 controllers feature 8-bit Legend of Zelda artwork. Two new amiibo figures, Young Link and Young Zelda, are scheduled for 2027 and will unlock retro-style in-game masks in the remake. The already-announced Mineru's Construct amiibo for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lands September 17.

Two physical ocarinas from Nintendo are also on the way later this year: a playable version aimed at fans who want to perform real melodies, and an electric HORI model that plays individual notes or full songs at the press of a button and pairs with the Switch 2 via the same microphone input. Hasbro will release a 27-inch Legend of Zelda Electronic Master Sword with more than 15 touch- and motion-activated sounds in spring 2027, and The LEGO Group will ship the 1,750-piece LEGO The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Link & Epona display set in the same window.

Nintendo is extending the anniversary beyond hardware. The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert series will tour Tokyo in January 2027, Chicago in February, London in April, and Melbourne in May, with tickets and venues posted to zelda.gameconcerts.com later today. The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto will roll out a special anniversary ticket design from September 9, new photo opportunities from November 5, and a Super Family Restaurant opening in fall 2026 that lets visitors eat alongside Link and other Nintendo characters.

Nintendo also reconfirmed the live-action The Legend of Zelda film, now officially titled without a subtitle, for a worldwide theatrical release on April 30, 2027 from Nintendo, Arad Productions Inc., and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film is being framed as an original story drawn from 40 years of game lore rather than a direct adaptation of a single title.

The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct itself is archived on Nintendo's official site, and Nintendo's companion hub at zelda40th.nintendo.com is scheduled to go live later today with the full slate of initiatives. A second, general Nintendo Direct is set for September 9 at 7 a.m. PT, followed by Nintendo Treehouse: Live | September 2026, and Nintendo says to expect more Zelda 40th-anniversary announcements from third-party partners throughout 2026 and 2027.