Nintendo Announces a Switch 2 Remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Due in 2026
Nintendo revealed a Switch 2 remake of the 1998 Nintendo 64 classic at its June 9 Direct, confirming a 2026 window but no studio, date, or gameplay.
Overview
Nintendo has announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2, with the company describing it as a 2026 release available only on its latest console. The reveal came during a Nintendo Direct presentation, according to Nintendo, which billed the project alongside Kingdom Hearts IV and Xenoblade Genesis as part of its upcoming Switch 2 lineup.
In its own description of the game, Nintendo wrote that “The Nintendo 64 classic returns for a new generation in 2026, reborn exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2,” as quoted by Video Games Chronicle.
What We Know
The original Ocarina of Time launched on the Nintendo 64 in 1998 and was previously remastered for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, according to Video Games Chronicle. The same outlet notes that the original holds a Metacritic score of 99, making it one of the most critically acclaimed games ever released.
The new project is being presented as a remake rather than another remaster, and the Switch 2 version will arrive in 2026, according to Nintendo Everything. Nintendo’s announcement reproduced the same official line — that the game is “reborn exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2” — confirming it as a platform exclusive, per Nintendo Everything.
The reveal was light on specifics. Nintendo “only debuted a short trailer with little shown,” according to Nintendo Everything. Video Games Chronicle reported that the showing amounted to a teaser trailer and a single screenshot.
The Ocarina remake was not the only title Nintendo lined up for the Switch 2. Kingdom Hearts IV “will be available at launch on Nintendo Switch 2,” while a new entry, Xenoblade Genesis, is “coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027,” according to Nintendo.
What We Don’t Know
Several key details remain unconfirmed. Nintendo has not named a release date or narrower launch window beyond 2026, and it has not identified the studio handling the project. “It’s not yet clear which studio is working on the Ocarina of Time remake,” Video Games Chronicle reported.
Because the trailer showed so little, the scope of the remake — how far its visuals, controls, or content depart from the Nintendo 64 original and the 3DS version — has not been detailed. Nintendo has said only that more information will follow.
Analysis
Ocarina of Time is among the most influential titles in Nintendo’s catalog, and a ground-up remake — rather than the kind of remaster the 3DS received in 2011 — marks a more substantial undertaking for the Switch 2. Pairing the announcement with Kingdom Hearts IV at launch and a 2027 Xenoblade Genesis signals that Nintendo intends to lean on both legacy franchises and new entries to build out the console’s software slate. With no studio, date, or gameplay yet confirmed, however, the practical shape of the remake will depend on details Nintendo has so far withheld.