Tech News · 05 September 2026

Nintendo Sets Zelda 40th Anniversary and September Directs

Nintendo will broadcast a Zelda anniversary presentation on 8 September before a separate general Nintendo Direct the following day.

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Marcus Reeve
By Marcus Reeve Gaming & Handhelds EditorPublished

What you need to know

  • The Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct airs at 3pm BST on Tuesday 8 September and will run for about 30 minutes.
  • A separate 45-minute Nintendo Direct follows at 3pm BST on Wednesday 9 September.
  • Nintendo has not confirmed any new Zelda game, anniversary Switch 2 hardware, prices or UK release dates.

Nintendo has confirmed a 40th Anniversary Direct for The Legend of Zelda, scheduled for 3pm BST on Tuesday 8 September. The presentation will run for approximately 30 minutes.

The company will follow it with a separate Nintendo Direct at 3pm BST on Wednesday 9 September. That broadcast, titled Nintendo Direct 9.9.2026, is expected to last around 45 minutes, with Nintendo Treehouse: Live set to follow with gameplay from selected featured titles.

Two Directs, two days

Nintendo UK says the Zelda broadcast will “contain a variety of The Legend of Zelda-related information about the series’ 40th anniversary.” The original game launched for Japan’s Family Computer Disk System on 21 February 1986, according to Nintendo’s official series history.

Nintendo has not said which games, platforms or hardware will appear during the 9 September Direct. It has also not confirmed a new Zelda game, Zelda-themed Switch 2 console, controller, accessories, prices or UK release dates for the anniversary presentation.

  • Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct: 3pm BST, Tuesday 8 September, approximately 30 minutes.
  • Nintendo Direct 9.9.2026: 3pm BST, Wednesday 9 September, approximately 45 minutes.
  • Nintendo Treehouse: Live will follow the 9 September Direct, though its duration has not been confirmed.

What could be on the agenda?

One existing Zelda release remains on Nintendo’s 2026 slate: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, described by the company as a return of the Nintendo 64 classic, is planned exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has not provided a specific release date, UK price or full technical details, and the anniversary Direct does not promise an update.

The two-day arrangement differs from Nintendo’s September 2025 presentation, which combined Super Mario Bros.’ 40th anniversary with a wider software showcase. Nintendo has not explained why it has split the Zelda and general Directs into separate broadcasts this year.

How to watch in the UK

The presentations will be available through Nintendo’s regional video channels. Nintendo also says viewers may be able to watch through its Nintendo Today! smart-device app, depending on account, device and country availability.

For now, rumours of Switch 2 bundles, special editions or anniversary accessories should not be treated as buying information. Nintendo’s confirmed details amount to the broadcast times, lengths and the broad Zelda anniversary focus; the announcements themselves are still to come.

Why it matters

UK buyers have two consecutive afternoons of Nintendo news to watch, but there is no confirmed Zelda hardware or special edition to plan a purchase around yet. The clearest existing Zelda release information remains the Switch 2-exclusive return of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, due sometime in 2026 without a date or UK price. Separating the anniversary show from the broader Direct gives Nintendo more room for Zelda, but does not reveal what will be announced.

Sources: Nintendo UK · Nintendo · Nintendo · Nintendo
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