Zelda Direct 8 Sep 2026: Ocarina gameplay, movie, concerts

Nintendo ran The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on 8 September 2026 around three clear pillars: Ocarina of Time remake gameplay and release date for Switch 2 (5 November 2026), the live-action movie with a cinema date, and a concert tour across several continents. The special ran about 30 minutes; here is the roundup with prices, preorders, and what is still unconfirmed.

Highlights

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2): Out 5 November 2026; $59.99 on the eShop and $69.99 physical (preorders open). Realistic visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, and real-time passage of time. You can play the ocarina with buttons, by humming into the Switch 2 microphone, or with a real ocarina (accessory sold separately), plus the Zelda Notes app.
2. Live-action movie: In cinemas 30 April 2027. Official title: The Legend of Zelda (no subtitle); an original story, not a straight adaptation of one game. Cast confirmed; no trailer in this Direct.
3. 40th anniversary concerts: Tour from Tokyo (23 Jan 2027) across Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia; first stops in Chicago, London, and Melbourne.
4. Zelda Notes app: Play metrics, collectibles, virtual ocarina, QR compositions, quiz minigames, and currency redeemable in-game.
5. Merchandise: 40th anniversary Switch 2 edition (29 Oct), Pro Controller, case, Young Link/Zelda amiibo (2027), real ocarina, LEGO Link and Epona set, and Hasbro figures.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2)

The centrepiece of the Direct was remake gameplay. Nintendo is pitching realistic visuals that step away from the cartoon look of Tears of the Kingdom or the 1998 original: more cinematic lighting, detailed models, and environments that rebuild Hyrule at a different visual scale.

In play, Link has a dedicated jump button, can swim and dive, run across open fields, and moves with modern controls, far from the stiff N64 scheme. Another headline feature: real-time passage of time, so the in-game day/night cycle syncs to the real clock; night now arrives in Hyrule Castle Town too. Cutscenes are fully voiced (Link remains silent). The Threads of Time menu tracks your progress on a tapestry that fills in as you advance. Nintendo keeps loading screens between areas (e.g. Kokiri Forest to Hyrule Field) to preserve the feel of the original. For the ocarina, the remake offers three ways to play melodies: buttons, humming through the Nintendo Switch 2 microphone, or blowing into a real ocarina (accessory sold separately). The Direct walked through Kokiri Forest, the Great Deku Tree, Hyrule Field, and Hyrule Castle Town, now with a free camera. This is not just a reskin: on screen it reads like a reimagining for players coming to the series today, without dropping the classic structure.

• Release date: 5 November 2026
• Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 (exclusive)
• Estimated file size: 27 GB
• Rating: ESRB Everyone 10+ (Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence)

Price and preorders

Nintendo is using the usual Switch 2 tier: $10 less for digital than physical.

First-print physical copies include metallic textured foil cover art (while supplies last). Preorders are open on the Nintendo eShop and at major retailers.

Trailer

Nintendo uploaded a standalone gameplay trailer after the Direct:

The full Direct replay is at the bottom of this article.

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Zelda Notes app

The remake ties into the Zelda Notes app to extend the experience off-console and link it to what you do in Hyrule:

• Play metrics: time played, progress, and other run statistics.
• Collectibles and rewards: the app shows hints for objects or items you then find in-game as collectibles; finding them unlocks rewards.
• Real ocarina: built-in tutorial for the physical accessory.
• Virtual ocarina: practise melodies in the app with a digital instrument.
• Composition and QR: create your own ocarina music and share it via QR code.
• Quizzes: short knowledge tests about the game and a Q&A mode. Money you earn in these minigames can be redeemed in-game.

40th anniversary: beyond the game

Live-action movie

The The Legend of Zelda film adaptation opens exclusively in cinemas on 30 April 2027. Miyamoto confirmed the title is simply The Legend of Zelda (no subtitle) and that it is an original story drawing on ideas from across the series, not a straight adaptation of one game. No trailer aired in the Direct; only the official logo.

Confirmed cast: Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Link), Bo Bragason (Zelda), Uli Latukefu (Ganondorf), Dichen Lachman (Impa), Yvonne Strahovski (queen), Samara Weaving, and the late Sam Neill. Director: Wes Ball (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes). Filming wrapped in April 2026 in New Zealand. Distributor, official site, and trailer: still pending.

Concerts

Nintendo announced The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert, a tour across Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia. It opens in Tokyo (23 January 2027) and continues through Chicago (22 February), London (3 April; second show on 4 April), Melbourne (13 May), and Sydney (9 July), among other cities. The UK has four confirmed dates: two in London, one in Edinburgh (17 Sep), and one in Glasgow (18 Sep). Tickets go on sale throughout September 2026, venue by venue. Dates and info at zelda.gameconcerts.com.

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Merchandise and hardware

Nintendo announced hardware and accessories for the series’ 40th anniversary (not a remake-exclusive edition, though the timing lines up):

• Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary edition: themed console with green Joy-Con and a gold Triforce dock, available 29 October 2026. Price unconfirmed in Europe; ¥62,980 in Japan (no game included). After the Switch 2 price increase on 1 September 2026, it should match the standard model (context in Which console to buy?).
• Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller 40th anniversary edition (same date). Display stand bundle exclusive to Nintendo Stores (online, New York, and San Francisco).
• Carrying case for Switch 2 with the edition design (same date).
• Real ocarina and Hori electric ocarina compatible with the game, sold separately; price unconfirmed.
• Amiibo figures for Young Link and Young Zelda (remake look), due 2027: unlock retro-style masks for Link. Any Legend of Zelda series amiibo grants in-game extras when scanned.
• LEGO Link and Epona set (2027), Hasbro action figures, and Nintendo Museum events (commemorative tickets, Super Family restaurant, history exhibit).

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Prices for the Pro Controller, case, ocarinas, and amiibo, plus hardware preorders, are still unconfirmed in most regions.

Still unconfirmed

Release calendar

Where to watch the Direct

Official broadcast and replay (~30 min):

Also on Nintendo.com.

What’s next

9 September brings a general Nintendo Direct (~45 min, 3:00 p.m. BST / 4:00 p.m. CEST) focused on Switch 2 software for this winter, followed by Nintendo Treehouse: Live. Preview in Nintendo confirms two September Directs.

If you follow the series, see The Legend of Zelda: where to start and what to buy; the Ocarina of Time remake is already on our release calendar.