Nintendo is preparing for a huge week of announcements, confirming two Nintendo Direct presentations on back-to-back days, including a special broadcast celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda.
The first presentation, officially titled The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, will air on September 8 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET. Nintendo says the showcase will run for approximately 30 minutes, giving Zelda fans an entire presentation dedicated to one of the company’s most important franchises.
Nintendo isn’t stopping there.
Just one day later, on September 9 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, the company will host a traditional Nintendo Direct lasting approximately 45 minutes. That presentation is expected to provide a broader look at upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch releases.
Zelda’s 40th Anniversary Gets the Spotlight
The Zelda-focused presentation immediately stands out because Nintendo rarely dedicates that much time to a franchise anniversary.
It also arrives during an especially interesting period for the series.
Earlier this year, Nintendo officially revealed a new version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2, describing the Nintendo 64 classic as being “reborn” for a new generation.
That makes Ocarina of Time an obvious candidate for additional footage or information during the anniversary broadcast.
Fans are also likely to be watching for surprises involving Nintendo’s enormous Zelda back catalog. Games such as The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess continue to generate demand among players hoping to see more classic Zelda adventures receive modern releases.
However, Nintendo has not confirmed that either game will appear during the presentation.
There is also the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie looming over the franchise, making the 40th anniversary Direct potentially bigger than a traditional game-focused showcase.
Whatever Nintendo has planned, 30 minutes gives the company plenty of room to celebrate Zelda’s history while showing where the franchise is heading next.
What About the Second Nintendo Direct?
The September 9 presentation could be just as important.
Nintendo Switch 2 is now firmly established as Nintendo’s primary hardware platform, and the company will need to continue filling its upcoming release calendar with major first-party games, third-party titles and surprises.
Nintendo’s June 2026 Direct already delivered major announcements including Ocarina of Time, Kingdom Hearts IV, Xenoblade Genesis, Splatoon Raiders and the return of Star Fox.
The September showcase now has an opportunity to reveal what comes next.
Naturally, speculation will surround franchises such as Mario, Metroid, Pokémon and Animal Crossing, but fans should treat any unconfirmed appearances as exactly that—speculation.
What isn’t speculation is that Nintendo has created an unusually packed two-day schedule.
First comes a celebration of 40 years of The Legend of Zelda. Then, less than 24 hours later, Nintendo will shift its attention toward the broader future of its platforms.
For Nintendo fans, September 8 and September 9 could deliver two of the biggest gaming news days of the fall.
