BODY: Four decades after Link first set out across Hyrule, Nintendo is giving The Legend of Zelda a hardware milestone to match its legacy.
During the "Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct 2026.9.8," broadcast on September 8, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch 2 Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition, arriving October 29. The commemorative console pays tribute to a franchise that began with the Famicom Disk System original in 1986 and has since become one of gaming's most revered series.
Nintendo isn't stopping at the console itself. A specially designed Pro Controller and a matching carrying case will launch on the same day, giving collectors a coordinated set of anniversary hardware. While full pricing and design details continue to roll out from the Direct, the simultaneous release suggests Nintendo is positioning the bundle as a premium keepsake for longtime fans heading into the holiday season.
The timing is notable. The Switch 2 has been Nintendo's flagship platform since its 2025 debut, and anchoring a Zelda anniversary edition to it signals confidence in the hardware's momentum. Landing in late October, the edition slots neatly ahead of year-end gift-buying — a window Nintendo has historically used to move its most desirable limited runs.
For a series that has defined genres across generations, from the top-down adventures of the 1980s to the open-air reinvention of recent entries, a 40th anniversary is no small occasion.
The insider take
From Tokyo, anniversary hardware like this tends to sell out almost instantly, and resale prices on the secondhand market here can climb steeply within days. Nintendo rarely restocks these commemorative editions, so domestic fans are already bracing for lottery-style sales at major retailers like Yodobashi and Amazon Japan. Expect the special Pro Controller, in particular, to be the item enthusiasts scramble for — peripheral tie-ins to milestone releases have a track record of outlasting the consoles themselves in collector demand.
Originally reported by 4Gamer.net − 最新記事 (Japanese).