It’s almost time for The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, and IGN will be reporting live with all the news, trailers, and whatever else Nintendo has in store for us right here.
The action kicks off today, September 8, at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm UK time with a Direct that will celebrate the Zelda series’ 40th anniversary. Nintendo said to expect “a variety of information related to The Legend of Zelda” from the Direct, which will last roughly 30 minutes. You can read up on how to watch both Nintendo Direct presentations here.
We’ve got a The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct prediction article already live on IGN with plenty of speculation, but my money’s on a first look at gameplay for the Ocarina of Time remake. The price seemingly leaked online earlier today, so I expect we’ll get confirmation alongside a release date, too (we know it’s due out this year but we don’t know when exactly).
But the first gameplay is the big news here. We still don’t know what to expect from this remake — is it a full blown remake or more of a remaster? What are the changes to the original, if any? And what does it actually look like?
I’m hoping for answers to all those questions, as well as a first trailer for the live-action The Legend of Zelda movie, which is due out April 30, 2027. It’s time for us to finally find out if Link actually speaks in this film, and, assuming he does, what does he actually sound like? I’m also expecting a cast reveal after months of reports on who’s playing who.
Beyond that? I’m sure Nintendo has a Zelda Switch 2 bundle up its sleeve (images of a The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 console and Pro Controller appeared online last month), and maybe an Ocarina of Time amiibo for fans to fuss over. Could Nintendo be ready to tease the next mainline The Legend of Zelda game? It feels like it might steal the Ocarina of Time remake’s thunder somewhat, but this is Nintendo — you never really know what you’re going to get.
Check back below where we’ll have live updates from The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. And be sure to set a reminder for tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct, which will focus on Nintendo Switch 2 games launching this winter.
Ocarina of Time remake gameplay and details
Eiji Anouma, producer of The Legend of Zelda series, talked about the Ocarina of Time and its upcoming remake. Anouma played the remake, showing off gameplay for the first time. The gameplay began in Kokiri Forest, and revealed a much more realistic visual style compared to the N64 original. Link meets up with Saria, his childhood friend. There’s plenty of new dialogue so the characters’ personalities “shine much more.”
Link can now jump at the press of a button, even in places with gaps (you couldn’t do this in the original Ocarina of Time, which would make Link automatically jump when you approached the edge of a platform). Link can swim now, too.
In the shop, Link can buy Deku Nuts, as in the original game. Delving deeper into the forest, Link comes up to the Great Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of Kokiri Forest (fans of Ocarina of Time will know what happens here). Inside we see familiar gameplay, including target-based combat. Link throws a Deku Nut to stun an enemy before hitting with the sword, just as he could do in the original.
Deeper in the dungeon, we see a treasure chest with the Fairy Slingshot inside. All the sounds and audio effects are as they were in the original game. You can swap between items with a single button in the remake, and you can aim quickly. Remember shooting the eye with the slingshot to drop the ladder? Yep, it’s still here, in the remake.
There’s a loading screen when you move between areas, which Anouma said Nintendo intentionally kept to preserve the feel of the original. Not sure about that one, Nintendo…
Outside in Hyrule Field is the Threads of Time feature, which is brand new. This tells you your progress in the story and your current objective. It also includes a tapestry which you fill in as you go. Off Link goes to Hyrule Castle to see Princess Zelda. In the original, Link rolled around to move faster. Now, you can hold to roll and dash, which is recommended for traveling long distances. So, yes, Link can sprint!
Hyrule Castle Town is now in third-person (in the original the camera was fixed in a top-down perspective). You can chat with all the familiar characters and their dialogue looks pretty much the same. New details were added (some that were just in the background in the original game). In the original, time stopped when you were in a town, but in the remake it continues, so you’ll see the sun going down.
The Ocarina is also used to change the time of day, but in the remake you can hum a song Link has learned and he’ll play it in the game. Yes, you, the player, can hum audio, which is turned into the song in the game.
Anouma said the characters Link meets are fully voiced in in-game cutscenes, which is a big change. It doesn’t sound like Link talks though.
Koji Kondo took to the stage to announce Zelda concerts
Koji Kondo appeared during the Direct to talk about the music of The Legend of Zelda. The composer described how the technology behind the series’ music has evolved over the years. The opening arrangment we heard at the start of the Direct was made specifically for the 40th anniversary, and includes a medley of various songs.
Concerts to mark the 40th anniversary are on the way, starting in Japan in January before heading west later in the year.
The Legend of Zelda movie name confirmed
The title of the movie is, simply, The Legend of Zelda. It doesn’t have a subtitle; Miyamoto said when you see it next year you’ll understand why. It sounds like it’ll tell an original story that reflects the entire series, rather than a particular video game story. “It’s become an artistic work worthy of The Legend of Zelda series,” Miyamoto said. The Triforce will play a role in the film, he added. No trailer unfortunately, but we did get a logo.
It’s Miyamoto!
Developer legend Shugeru Miyamoto talked about the launch of The Legend of Zelda back in 1986, and how it evolved over time. He namechecked Breath of the Wild, which ventured into “open-air exploration.” He ended his message by thanking fans for their support, and to set up a reveal of the live-action Zelda movie…
Here we go!
The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct has begun with a nostalgic look back at past Zelda games alongside a fresh recording of the series’ wonderful music performed by an orchestra. 40 years of Zelda… All in the feels!
10 minutes to go!
We’re only 10 minutes away from Nintendo’s Zelda Direct. Hold tight, and stick with us for live reporting and reaction.
30 minutes to go!
This is your 30 minute warning! We’re close to kick-off time for all things The Legend of Zelda, and excitement is certainly building. If I had a Master Sword at home, I’d hold it aloft! What are you hoping to see from Nintendo today?