Highlights from the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Showcase

It’s time for the first of two Nintendo Direct showcases this week. Today, Nintendo hosted a livestream focused on the future of the Legend of Zelda series, which is gearing up to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026. If you missed the live event, you can catch the VOD below or keep reading for the key highlights:

The show kicked off with a beautiful orchestral performance featuring iconic tracks from the Zelda series, leading into the announcement of a live-action movie set to hit theaters on April 30. But wait, are they really just going to flash a logo without showing a trailer? Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that the absence of a subtitle is intentional, and viewers will understand why once they see the film.

Seriously, no trailer? You’ve got to be kidding me.

Nintendo is also enhancing its Nintendo Museum with Zelda-themed fixtures, updating tickets to feature Zelda iconography, and introducing a new photo opportunity starting November 5. Additionally, a Super Family restaurant featuring Nintendo characters and props will open in the museum this fall. It’s starting to feel like this could have been an email.

The company is collaborating with various partners for a range of merchandise, including:

A 40th anniversary concert is in the works, beginning with several dates in Japan, followed by stops in North America, Europe, and Australia. The North American leg kicks off on February 22, 2027, in Chicago, with European dates starting on April 3, and Australia on May 13. More cities will be added, and ticket sales are set to launch later this month.

Next up is the highly anticipated Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. As many speculated, this remake stays true to the original, with Nintendo emphasizing that it differs from more recent Zelda titles like Breath of the Wild, which focus on open-world exploration. It’s amusing to see the company demoing basic elements from the 1998 classic, but they’re likely aware that some players may not have experienced it. Changes from the original, aside from a modern visual upgrade, include:

Overall, it’s still Ocarina of Time. Even some of the more sparse areas from the Nintendo 64 version, like Hyrule Field, remain just as empty. It’s giving off strong Unreal Engine Fan Remake vibes. Nintendo “hired this man.” The game launches on Switch 2 on November 5.

The Switch App add-on, Zelda Notes, which offers features for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, is getting an update to support the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake. It will track stats like enemies defeated and distance traveled, allow you to document your journey with photos, and provide locations to unlock new songs on a mobile app that lets you play an on-screen ocarina.

Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo are set to release in 2027, unlocking in-game masks. Additionally, on October 29, Nintendo will launch a Legend of Zelda-themed Switch 2 system, along with a Pro controller and carrying case. Note that the system will not include the Ocarina of Time remake.

To wrap up the show, a new trailer for the Ocarina of Time remake was revealed, giving us our first glimpse of Link as an adult. Fans will recognize several dungeons and enemies from the original game, as well as the companions he’ll encounter on his journey. And wow, they really showed a lot. Go off, I guess.