The Legend Of Zelda is celebrating a massive anniversary this year, so here’s our predictions for what Nintendo could have in store.
Between its dalliances with alarm clocks and the resurrection of the Virtual Boy, Nintendo continues to be the most unpredictable company in the games industry.
When it comes to celebrating anniversaries for its biggest franchises though, Nintendo has been fairly consistent over recent years. The 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. came with Super Mario Galaxy movie trailers and Switch remasters last year, while the 35th was a surprisingly big affair – with Lego sets, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and a limited edition Game & Watch.
Nintendo’s past celebrations for The Legend Of Zelda haven’t been as stacked, but they still marked the occasion to some degree. The 35th saw a special Zelda-themed Game & Watch (albeit announced after the anniversary), while the 30th came with a new line of amiibo and the release of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Wii U Virtual Console.
This precedent, along with the fact that it’s the big 4-0, implies Nintendo must be cooking up something for The Legend Of Zelda’s 40th anniversary on February 21. This is when the original NES classic launched in 1986 in Japan, spawning some of the most iconic characters, and design principles, in all of video games.
So what could be announced for the 40th? Link’s mid-life crisis could be a massive dose of wish fulfilment, or a long cold stare down an empty fairy bottle. But, for the kicks, here’s what we believe Nintendo could be brewing.
Another Zelda Lego set
This is slightly cheating, because we already know this is coming at some point in 2026. Lego teased a new Legend Of Zelda set in a trailer last year, and while we don’t know what it will be exactly, the footage harkens back to the climactic fight in 1998’s The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. Speaking of…
Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake
This is based on nothing but new year optimism, but some kind of reworked version of the Nintendo 64 classic would certainly be a lovely stop-gap before the successor to Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom – which is likely still a few years off. Nintendo has already done some of the legwork with 2011’s Ocarina Of Time 3D, but a new retouch suitable for the Switch and Switch 2 is perhaps our highest dream for Zelda’s 40th.
The Legend Of Zelda movie teaser trailer
Let’s crash back down to Earth with a far more realistic possibility. We already know filming has started on the upcoming Zelda live-action film, starring Bo Bragason and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, ahead of its release in cinemas on May 7, 2027. While it’s perhaps too early for a full trailer, some kind of teaser, or another cast announcement (Jamie Campbell Bower as Ganondorf, we’ll call it), seems like a shoe-in.
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Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD on Switch
These have been rumoured for years, and while it’s unclear if Switch versions of these two games actually exist, 2026 would be the perfect time to drop them. This could be in the same vein as the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, but considering Nintendo dropped Skyward Sword HD as a standalone package, we wouldn’t bet on it.
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment DLC
This feels like another safe bet, especially as the previous Hyrule Warriors game, Age Of Calamity, received two waves of DLC as part of an expansion pass. Expect new characters, stages, and weapons, if it does come to fruition.
Zelda concert tour
The Legend Of Zelda: Symphony Of The Goddesses toured the globe between 2012 and 2017, and a special refresh for the 40th anniversary feels apt – especially if it incorporates tracks from Tears Of The Kingdom and Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom. Nintendo has leaned into celebrating its music too recently, with vinyl boxsets and the Nintendo Music app.
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