Nintendo Sets Two Directs and a Treehouse Broadcast as Ocarina of Time Remake Could Finally Get Its Release Date
Nintendo is preparing 2 Direct presentations and a Nintendo Treehouse: Live broadcast across September 8 and 9, beginning with The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8, followed by a broader Nintendo Direct on September 9 and Nintendo Treehouse: Live immediately afterward. The timing immediately puts The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time back under the spotlight, with the highly anticipated remake still carrying only a 2026 release window as Nintendo moves deeper into an increasingly crowded holiday calendar.
The Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct begins September 8 at 7:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM ET, and 10:00 PM Taipei time and will run for approximately 30 minutes. Nintendo has not revealed exactly what will appear during the presentation, making any Ocarina of Time announcement speculative for now. However, with the remake already officially announced for Nintendo Switch 2 and still lacking a precise launch date, it is naturally one of the strongest candidates for a major anniversary update. Nintendo previously revealed the project during its June Direct, describing the Nintendo 64 classic as being reborn for Switch 2.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake received an ESRB rating while remaining scheduled for 2026. That classification strengthened expectations that Nintendo was moving closer to revealing its final launch plans, but a rating alone does not confirm a November release. Nintendo still has not announced the exact date.
The second Nintendo Direct follows exactly 24 hours later on September 9 at 7:00 AM PT, 10:00 AM ET, and 10:00 PM Taipei time. Nintendo says the approximately 45 minute presentation will focus on games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this winter, providing another opportunity for updates on its first party lineup and the increasingly strong collection of third party games heading to the platform.
Nintendo Treehouse: Live follows the September 9 Direct and will feature extended gameplay from selected titles shown during the presentation. Nintendo has not yet identified which games will receive deeper demonstrations, so it remains unclear whether Ocarina of Time will appear during Treehouse even if new footage is shown during the anniversary Direct.
| Presentation | Date | PT | ET | Taipei Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct | September 8, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
| Nintendo Direct | September 9, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
| Nintendo Treehouse: Live | September 9, 2026 | After Nintendo Direct | After Nintendo Direct | After Nintendo Direct |
The potential Ocarina of Time timing has attracted particular attention because Grand Theft Auto VI launches November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. If Nintendo ultimately places Zelda in November, 2 of the most recognizable names in gaming could be competing for attention during the same holiday period.
That possibility should not yet be treated as a confirmed direct showdown. Nintendo currently lists The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake only for 2026, and no November date has been announced. Previous speculation intensified after retailer information surrounding Kirby Air Riders amiibo briefly pointed toward November 11, but that does not establish an Ocarina of Time release date.
Even if Zelda does arrive close to GTA VI, the competition would be unusual rather than completely direct. Ocarina of Time is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, while Rockstar's game is currently confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The audiences also overlap differently, but both games would still be competing for player attention, media coverage, social visibility, and holiday spending during the same period.
Nintendo has substantial reasons to give Ocarina of Time a prominent holiday position. The company revealed the remake during a June Direct that also included Xenoblade Genesis, Kingdom Hearts IV, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, and extensive third party support. However, the absence of a new mainline 3D Mario also raised questions about Nintendo's primary first party system seller for the 2026 holiday season, making Zelda increasingly important to the Switch 2 lineup. We previously examined how Nintendo's stock fell following the June Direct as investors focused on the missing 3D Mario announcement.
The 2 Directs and subsequent Treehouse broadcast should therefore provide a much clearer picture of Nintendo's strategy heading into the final months of 2026. The Zelda anniversary broadcast offers an obvious opportunity to finally show extended Ocarina of Time gameplay and clarify how extensively Nintendo has rebuilt the original, while the general Direct can establish the broader Switch 2 winter lineup and Treehouse can provide a deeper look at selected games immediately afterward.
Nintendo scheduling 2 Directs across consecutive days, followed by Treehouse gameplay coverage, suggests the company wants Zelda's 40th anniversary to have its own dedicated spotlight without sacrificing the broader Switch 2 roadmap.
Ocarina of Time is the obvious game to watch. Nintendo has already announced it, rated it, and committed it to 2026, yet players have still seen very little of the remake. A dedicated Zelda presentation is therefore the ideal moment to show how far the project goes beyond the Nintendo 64 original and 3DS remaster.
The GTA VI comparison is more interesting strategically than technically. Nintendo does not need Zelda to outsell Rockstar's game across the entire market. It needs Ocarina of Time to give Switch 2 owners a major exclusive reason to remain inside Nintendo's ecosystem during the biggest gaming window of the year.
If Nintendo confirms a November date next week, the holiday season could become much more competitive.
Do you think Nintendo will finally reveal the Ocarina of Time Remake release date during its September Directs, and would you play it first if it launches close to GTA VI?
