5 Huge Reveals To Expect From Nintendo’s Zelda Anniversary Direct

The time has finally arrived to ring in four decades of legendary adventures. On Tuesday, September 8, Nintendo is set to broadcast The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. This upcoming 30-minute presentation promises a comprehensive deep-dive into franchise-related updates. While phrased with corporate restraint, that deliberately broad terminology leaves plenty of room for major announcements during the showcase.

To gauge just how ambitious Nintendo can be with these anniversary broadcasts, one need only look back at the jam-packed Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct from 2020. That showcase delivered heavy hitters like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. While this upcoming Zelda presentation may be somewhat easier to anticipate, it should still harbor a few exciting secrets. Here is what you can realistically expect from the broadcast.

5
Ocarina of Time gameplay and release date

Without question, the headline attraction of this event will be The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Nintendo has remained tight-lipped regarding its upcoming Switch 2 remake since the initial teaser, even though a launch is slated for the coming months. Anticipate an extensive showcase featuring a thorough look at the modernized graphics, core mechanics, and a concrete release date. While finer minutiae might be saved for the subsequent Treehouse broadcast, all the foundational milestones should make an appearance here.

4
Our first look at the Zelda movie

The other major pillar of the stream will likely center on the upcoming live-action cinematic adaptation, currently slated for an April 30, 2027 premiere. Aside from a handful of promotional stills, details have been exceptionally sparse, but that dynamic is poised to change on Tuesday. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Shigeru Miyamoto kick off the presentation by unveiling the debut trailer alongside the official cast list. Given how successfully that playbook worked for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, history is bound to repeat itself.

3
The Zelda-themed Switch 2 will be made official

Avid fans may have already caught a glimpse of this hardware reveal last month following a remarkably credible leak. High-fidelity images detailing a Zelda-branded Switch 2 and matching Pro Controller made the rounds online in August. The hardware showcased a dock featuring custom Joy-Cons and a prominent Triforce emblem, while the controller boasted a striking gold-and-green aesthetic. Although unverified, such hardware iterations align perfectly with Nintendo’s tradition of rolling out premium limited-edition collections—especially if they aim to incentivize hardware upgrades following recent price adjustments.

2
It’s Twilight Princess time

Beyond these near-certainties, the rest of the presentation remains shrouded in speculation, though a few educated guesses ring true. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess practically demands a reappearance, given it stands as the final mainline console adventure absent from modern Nintendo hardware. Whether it joins the Switch Online GameCube library or arrives as part of a high-definition duology featuring both Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker, omission feels entirely out of the question if the collection is to feel truly complete.

1
A surprise Zelda game for 2027

While the prospect of an unannounced project might sound far-fetched with an Ocarina of Time remaster looming, credible insider reports suggest otherwise. Back in May, industry leaker Nash Weedle indicated that Nintendo is collaborating with Grezzo—the studio behind The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom—on a brand-new Zelda title. Codenamed Project Bernard, rumors suggest the narrative may put Ganondorf center stage. Given the cinematic release timeline and Nintendo’s historical preference for parallel media launches, the logic holds up. The only point of hesitation stems from development pacing: with Echoes of Wisdom having launched in 2024, a rapid turnaround by 2027 would prove exceptionally swift compared to historical studio output. Even so, in the realm of gaming, rule out nothing!

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Source: Polygon