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A special The Legend of Zelda Direct was held on the 8th to celebrate the series' 40th anniversary. Although the only remake game revealed was 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time', alongside announcements for a movie and a concert, the Direct was packed with exciting videos and presentations for fans. This was capped off by the reveal of a specially designed 40th Anniversary Legend of Zelda Nintendo Switch 2.

The event began with a special video offering a look back at the history of the series. Accompanied by a classical medley that naturally brought the franchise to mind, the video walked through every single entry, starting with the very first Legend of Zelda title. The ensemble, which initially began with just five musicians, expanded over time and was joined by a choir, delivering an overwhelmingly grand performance.

In particular, scenes tracing the history of Zelda, Ganon, and Link centered around the Triforce moved fans deeply. The music and gameplay footage alone perfectly conveyed the series' signature emotions and player experience.

Afterward, Representative Director Fellow Shigeru Miyamoto delivered opening remarks and unveiled the 40th anniversary logo, officially kicking off the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. Fellow Miyamoto reflected on how, since the original game was released on the Famicom Disk System in 1986, the series has continuously pushed boundaries with new attempts in every era—such as 3D graphics, touch controls, and motion controls—before returning to its roots and evolving into a vast open world in Breath of the Wild.

Several projects celebrating the 40th anniversary were also announced. First was the live-action film, The Legend of Zelda. Originally slated for release on April 30 next year, the movie's official title was confirmed simply as 'The Legend of Zelda', without any subtitle. Based on the 40 years of lore and world-building built by the series, it will be an original film, with Nintendo developers including Miyamoto himself participating in its production.

There are also changes coming to the Nintendo Museum. Starting September 9, admission tickets will feature a special 40th anniversary design, and a Legend of Zelda history board will be set up inside the museum. Beginning November 5, a new photo spot themed around the Master Sword will be added. This fall, a Super Family Restaurant will open, offering a space where visitors can dine alongside Link and other Nintendo characters.

Additionally, a wide variety of merchandise will be released, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amiibo, musical instruments and electronic devices modeled after the Ocarina of Time, LEGO Link & amiibo sets, Hasbro action figure collections and Master Sword replicas, as well as Hanayama Master Sword and Shield brain teasers.

Next, composer Koji Kondo, who helped shape the series' identity, appeared to talk about the music of the franchise. While the sound of The Legend of Zelda began with just three chiptune voices on the original Famicom, it has since evolved into grand and delicate orchestral background music.

Alongside this, plans for The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert tour were revealed. The concert will cover a wide range of tracks, from classic masterpieces to music from the latest titles. In Japan, a nationwide tour will kick off with a Tokyo concert in January next year, followed by performances in Chicago (North America) in February, London (Europe) in April, and Melbourne (Oceania) in May, with sequential dates across other regions worldwide to follow.

Next, series producer Eiji Aonuma took the stage to present actual gameplay footage and demonstrate the title firsthand. The original game was released on the Nintendo 64 in 1998, introducing 3D graphics to the series for the first time. It featured a unique adventure where players switched between Young Link and Adult Link. It was also a pivotal turning point that established modern series staples, such as targeting enemies in combat and introducing diverse races. Producer Aonuma stated that this new title recreates the original with modern interpretations and tech to align with the series' 40th anniversary.

Aonuma introduced the game through a live gameplay demonstration. He explained that the graphics have been completely redrawn, and Link's visual design was finalized after numerous discussions to capture nostalgia for the original while offering a fresh feel. Indeed, the Young Link seen in the live gameplay footage features a doll-like design, evoking a fairytale atmosphere that sets him apart from Link in recent Nintendo Switch titles. Aonuma added that while the textures of the clothing and equipment have been newly reinterpreted, the focus was placed on preserving Ocarina of Time's distinct charm rather than hyper-realistic depiction.

In contrast, the environments feature highly natural and realistic presentation. On a clear day, fine details such as distant roof tiles are clearly visible, whereas in a foggy Kokiri Forest, a misty haze blurs the surrounding environment.

The camera can now be rotated 360 degrees, resolving a limitation caused by having only a single analog stick on the original hardware. Additionally, Saria of the Kokiri appears early in the playthrough and in the trailer shown later in the Direct. The designs of key characters stand apart from the spiky NPC aesthetics of previous games, opting instead for a more fairytale-like, doll-style look.

For new actions, manual jumping via button input has been added. While jumping was triggered automatically near edges in the original game, players can now control jumps directly, significantly expanding the depth of action. Actions like swimming and diving are also seamlessly implemented.

In dungeons, Link's fairy companion Navi provides tactical hints about enemies, while Z-targeting lock-on allows players to move and fight relative to the enemy. A counterattack mechanic was also shown, where timing an attack against an enemy's strike briefly staggers them. The Fairy Slingshot acquired during the demo can be easily aimed using motion controls or Z-targeting.

Aonuma emphasized that unlocking new areas and expanding available actions by acquiring new items is the core appeal of Ocarina of Time. He also revealed that loading screens when moving between areas were intentionally retained to preserve the feel of the original title.

Next, overworld areas such as Hyrule Field and Hyrule Castle Town were showcased. The field and town boast realistic graphics and visual quality superior to previous Zelda titles. In addition, a new Journey Log feature allows players to check their current progress and next objective at any time, with a tapestry illustration filling in as the adventure progresses. As Aonuma traversed the expansive plain, he explained that holding down a button enables dashing, making long-distance traversal much smoother.

While Hyrule Castle Town previously had fixed camera angles, it has been remade in this game to allow players to freely roam and explore details like side alleys. Furthermore, whereas time stood still inside the town in the original game, time now flows naturally regardless of where the player is.

Features leveraging the capabilities of Switch 2 were also added for playing the Ocarina. By humming into the microphone, Link will play along to the tune. Additionally, players will be able to play using an actual Ocarina accessory set to release on the Nintendo Store.

A demonstration showing Link playing Sun's Song to turn night into day was presented, and Aonuma noted that certain events only occur at specific times of day. Cutscenes feature full voice acting, and the overall sound design has been remade from scratch. The track played on the title screen during the event will be added to Nintendo Music following the broadcast.

The release date was also finally announced. 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' will launch on November 5—meaning players will be able to get their hands on the game in roughly two months.

Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi appeared in the video to introduce new features for Zelda Notes, the smartphone companion service. Ocarina of Time will be newly supported on Zelda Notes. Key features presented include a chronological timeline to review a day's gameplay, auto-captured gameplay photos, and stats tracking such as enemy defeat counts.

A Quest feature was also detailed. In this mode, players use photos displayed on their smartphone as clues to locate specific spots in-game. Completing quests earns points that can be exchanged for Ocarina sheet music. The sheet music can be used in the companion app's touch-screen Ocarina feature, allowing users to play along with guides or listen to auto-plays. Custom sheet music can even be converted into QR codes to share on social media.

A new content mode, the Ocarina of Time Trial, is a trivia quiz challenge where players answer consecutive questions about the game. It contains over 2,000 total questions covering lore, trivia, and photo recognition. Players can attempt it for free once per day, with additional attempts unlocked using in-game Rupees. Two new amiibo figures—Link and Young Zelda—were also revealed, granting special masks when scanned in-game.

Crucially, a Nintendo Switch 2 Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Special Edition console featuring Triforce motifs was revealed alongside a Pro Controller and carrying case. The Joy-Cons feature a deep green color scheme, with Link holding the Triforce on the front and Zelda on the back. The back of the console features an elegant gold finish, while the dock prominently displays the Triforce.

The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Special Edition Nintendo Switch 2 console and accessories will launch on October 29.

Director Fujibayashi added that through Nintendo Classics and backward compatibility with Nintendo Switch 1, players will be able to play every entry in The Legend of Zelda series from the very first title on Nintendo Switch 2.

Appearing together, Producer Aonuma and Director Fujibayashi thanked viewers and wrapped up the Direct by debuting a new trailer for Ocarina of Time. The trailer featured scenes not shown during Aonuma's gameplay demo, including Link riding Epona, Adult Link, dynamic combat action, and appearances by characters such as Sheik, Zelda, Gorons, and Ganondorf.