A full remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is reportedly headed to Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, timed to coincide with the franchise’s 40th anniversary. The claim comes from prominent Nintendo insider NateTheHate, whose information has been independently corroborated by VGC’s own sources.
If accurate, the Ocarina of Time remake would serve as Nintendo’s marquee holiday release for 2026, filling a gap left by the absence of a new 3D Mario game. The news has sent Zelda fans into overdrive, and for good reason: Ocarina of Time remains the highest-rated game of all time on Metacritic, and a ground-up remake on modern hardware is something the community has been requesting for years.
What We Know So Far
Speaking on his podcast, NateTheHate outlined Nintendo’s broader plans for the second half of 2026. On the Ocarina of Time remake specifically, he stated that the game would arrive “in the second half of 2026, approaching the holidays if not the holidays.” He added that he did not yet have clarity on the project’s scope, suggesting it could range from a faithful 1:1 reconstruction in the vein of Bluepoint’s Demon’s Souls remake to something that takes more creative liberties with the source material.
VGC reported that NateTheHate’s information matches what its own sources have shared, lending additional weight to the claims. NateTheHate has a strong track record with Nintendo leaks, having accurately predicted the Switch 2’s reveal date last year alongside other details about the console.
The original Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time launched on Nintendo 64 in 1998 and received a remastered version on the Nintendo 3DS in 2011. As VGC pointed out, the gap between the 3DS version and today is now longer than the gap between the N64 original and the 3DS remake at the time of its release.
No New 3D Mario Until 2027
Perhaps just as notable is what reportedly will not be arriving this year. According to NateTheHate, Nintendo’s long-awaited follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey will not launch until 2027, making it nearly a decade between mainline 3D Mario entries. While some members of that development team worked on last year’s Donkey Kong Bananza, the rest have apparently been building Mario’s next outing behind the scenes.
Keeping Mario for 2027 also conveniently avoids a clash with the arrival of GTA 6, though there is no suggestion from insiders that this factored into the decision.
Read More: GTA 6 Delayed Again, Now Set for November 2026 Launch
Read More: 3.78 Million Units And Counting, Nintendo Switch 2 Becomes Japan’s Fastest-Selling Console Ever
Read More: Pokemon Winds And Waves Revealed For Nintendo Switch 2, Launches In 2027
A Packed Summer For Switch 2
The Ocarina of Time remake is not the only major reveal reportedly in Nintendo’s pipeline. NateTheHate also claimed that a new Star Fox game is planned for Switch 2 this summer, marking the franchise’s first major release in a decade. The last entry, Star Fox Zero on Wii U, launched to mixed reviews in 2016 and never received a Switch port.
The new Star Fox is described as a “classic style” game with strong visuals and online multiplayer. Its announcement was reportedly planned for April, timed to capitalise on Fox McCloud’s confirmed appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Beyond Star Fox, the summer window is expected to include the debuts of several previously announced Switch 2 titles: Splatoon Raiders, Rhythm Heaven: Groove, and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. Switch 2 Edition re-releases of Pikmin 4 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 are also reportedly in the works, alongside FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods later in the year.
NateTheHate added that Nintendo is unlikely to hold a general Nintendo Direct broadcast until June, though smaller announcements could surface on social media in the interim.
Zelda’s 40th Anniversary Finally Gets Its Moment
The Zelda series officially turned 40 in February, but Nintendo let the milestone pass without any major announcements. That silence now makes more sense if the company has been holding back a tentpole release for the holiday season. A Christmas launch for an Ocarina of Time remake would also serve as a natural lead-in to the live-action Legend of Zelda movie, directed by Wes Ball and due in cinemas on 7 May 2027.
Separate rumours from insider Shpeshal Nick have suggested that Nintendo may also be preparing a limited edition Zelda-themed Switch 2 console to accompany the remake’s launch, though this claim currently lacks corroboration beyond a single source.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa declined to comment on anniversary plans when asked earlier this year, which is consistent with the company’s typical approach of keeping major reveals tightly controlled until it is ready to make them official. None of the information shared by NateTheHate or VGC’s sources has been confirmed by Nintendo, so everything here should be treated as unverified until an official announcement is made.
Still, if the leaks prove accurate, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the strongest years in Switch 2’s early life, with a generational Zelda remake anchoring the holiday lineup.