Update, September 8, 2026: this gap didn't last long — console pre-orders went live later the same day, at $519.99, then sold out everywhere in about four hours. The Pro Controller ($99.99) and carrying case ($39.99) also went live, with patchier stock than a flat sellout. See our follow-up post for the full breakdown.
After months of leaks, retailer slip-ups, and speculation, Nintendo made it official at today's Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. We finally have dates — but not all the answers.
November 5, 2026 is when The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time arrives on Switch 2, built as a full ground-up remake rather than a touched-up port. Nintendo showed off full voice acting, a dedicated jump button, an open version of Hyrule Castle Town that was fixed-camera in the 1998 original, and a real-world Ocarina peripheral that works with the Switch 2's microphone.
October 29, 2026 is when the special-edition hardware arrives — a week ahead of the game. That's the Switch 2 console with Triforce motifs on the system, dock, and Joy-Con 2, plus a matching Pro Controller and carrying case. A Nintendo Store-exclusive Pro Controller with a display stand launches the same day.
One correction worth making to the expectations a lot of us had: this hardware is branded as a 40th anniversary celebration of the Zelda series overall, not as an Ocarina of Time edition specifically. The leaks that circulated in August were closer to correct than the retailer listings that named it after the remake.
The gap nobody has filled yet
Pre-orders for the game went live on the eShop the moment the Direct ended, limited-edition physical version included. Pre-orders for the hardware did not. Nintendo gave the October 29 date and stopped there — no pre-order date, no US price, no European price. The only official number anywhere is Japan's, where the console is listed at 62,980 yen including tax.
That means anyone planning to buy the anniversary console is currently in the worst spot: a confirmed release date seven weeks out, no way to lock in an order, and no idea what it costs. If past Nintendo limited editions are any guide, the pre-order window will open with little warning and the initial allocation will move fast.
That's exactly what this site exists to watch. We'll update the tracker the moment a hardware pre-order date or a US price appears. For the full leak-to-reveal timeline, see our Direct recap and hardware roundup.