Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Gets Release Date and New Gameplay Revealed

It's official: The long-awaited remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be released on November 5, 2026, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement came during a dedicated 40th Anniversary Direct for the Zelda series, where Nintendo not only revealed the date but also showcased actual gameplay footage for the first time.

Series producer Eiji Aonuma played a demo himself during the presentation, describing the remake as a “faithful interpretation with modern technology” that is deliberately intended to feel different from titles like Breath of the Wild. Among other things, Young Link was shown in Kokiri Forest, featuring revised character models and new dialogue lines for supporting characters like Saria.

What Changes in the Remake Compared to the N64 Original?

Nintendo isn't just recreating Ocarina of Time in higher resolution; large parts have been technically re-engineered. Confirmed changes so far include:

• Completely rebuilt graphics with high-resolution textures, denser vegetation, and modern real-time lighting
• Full voice acting for supporting characters – Link himself remains silent as usual
• The Ocarina can actually be sung into via the Switch 2's built-in microphone, instead of just being played with the stick
• A new navigation feature called “Threads of Time” that shows players the route to their next objective
• Additional movement options, such as a sprint immediately after a roll
• Loading screens between areas are intentionally retained to preserve the “essence” of the original, according to Nintendo

Nintendo also announced a special Ocarina of Time edition of the Switch 2, which will be released earlier on October 29, 2026 – including a matching Pro Controller and carrying case, but without the game itself.

Why is Nintendo Releasing a Major Zelda Remake in the Same Month as GTA 6?

The timing is noteworthy: The November 5 release date is just two weeks before Grand Theft Auto 6, which is scheduled to launch on November 19. While numerous other publishers have deliberately pushed their games out of November to avoid Rockstar's dominance, Nintendo is taking the opposite approach. This is understandable: the Switch 2 target audience only partially overlaps with the PS5/Xbox audience of GTA 6, and a 40-year Zelda anniversary cannot easily be postponed indefinitely. Historically, this has always been Nintendo's style: previous remakes like Link’s Awakening or the Metroid Prime remaster were deliberately released independently of the rest of the industry and still performed excellently.

Nintendo has not yet officially commented on the exact pricing during the Direct itself – as our report on the leaked price showed, price estimates between roughly 55 and 60 Euros for the physical version were already circulating before the Direct. Official confirmation of these figures is still pending. For those who wanted an early overview of everything Nintendo announced during the 40th Anniversary Direct, details can be found in our preview article for the Zelda Direct.

Source: IGN

What do you think of the remake's design direction – faithful enough to the original, or would you have preferred more innovations? Let us know in the comments!