Nintendo Direct Set for September 9, Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct Lands September 8
Back-to-back presentations in early September give Nintendo a chance to detail the Ocarina of Time remake and set its software slate before the Tokyo Game Show, with the Zelda event marking four decades of the franchise.
Key Facts
- The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct will air on September 8 at 11:00 PM Japan time, running approximately 30 minutes.
- Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9 will air on September 9 at 11:00 PM Japan time, running approximately 45 minutes.
- Nintendo announced both presentations on September 4 through its Nintendo Today app.
- The Zelda anniversary marks 40 years since the original game launched in 1986.
- A remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is expected to appear, with the game previously confirmed for a 2026 release.
Reporting from 6 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark, and 2 more.
Nintendo announced on September 4 via its Nintendo Today app that two presentations will air on consecutive nights in September. The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct will stream on September 8 at 11:00 PM Japan time, running about 30 minutes. The following evening, September 9 at 11:00 PM, Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9 will air for roughly 45 minutes. Both broadcasts come ahead of the Tokyo Game Show, and the Zelda presentation coincides with the franchise's 40th anniversary, which began with the original game in 1986. Nintendo has not detailed what either broadcast will show, but sources expect updates on the recently announced remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. That game was previously confirmed for a 2026 launch. The Zelda Direct is a dedicated anniversary presentation, while the general Nintendo Direct the next day is expected to cover a broader slate of titles.
Nintendo confirmed the two presentations in a September 4 update to its Nintendo Today app, a scheduling move that places the Zelda anniversary broadcast and the general Direct on consecutive evenings. The Zelda presentation will begin at 7:00 a.m. PT on September 8, with the Direct following at 7:00 a.m. PT on September 9.
The Legend of Zelda franchise traces its start to the original 1986 game, and the 40th anniversary broadcast arrives as attention centers on the remake of Ocarina of Time. That title, first released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan in November 1998, was directed by Eiji Aonuma and Yoshiaki Koizumi under producer Shigeru Miyamoto and has sold more than 14 million copies across its original version and the 2011 Nintendo 3DS remake.
Sources note the remake is expected to launch in 2026, though Nintendo has not confirmed what the anniversary broadcast will feature. The general Nintendo Direct the following night leaves room for a wider lineup ahead of the Tokyo Game Show.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 6 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net 9月8日23：00に「ゼルダの伝説40周年 Direct 2026.9.8」，9月9日23：00に「Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9」が配信へ
- Automaton 「Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9」9月9日23時から放送へ。前日には「ゼルダの伝説 Direct」、2日連続で
- Denfaminicogamer 【ニンダイ】「ゼルダの伝説40周年ダイレクト」が9月8日23時からに配信決定！その翌日には「Nitntendo Direct 2026.9.9」も続けて配信へ
- Game Spark 待望の「ニンダイ」が来た！「Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9」9月9日23時より配信決定、前日8日には「ゼルダの伝説40周年 Direct」も
- Inside 待望の「ニンダイ」が来た！「Nintendo Direct 2026.9.9」9月9日23時より配信決定、前日8日には「ゼルダの伝説40周年 Direct」も
- Anime Corner Nintendo Announces Back-to-Back Presentations for The Legend of Zelda and Nintendo Direct on September 8-9