Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release date speculation and what to expect

Following months of leaks and speculation, Nintendo officially announced a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. We’ve taken a look at potential release dates and discussed what fans might be able to expect from the updated game.

Okay, so there’s not a ton of info out yet, just a quick trailer. But that trailer did give us a peek, and honestly, the reaction’s been pretty split. A lot of people are saying the new Link design looks a little… well, a little like Sonic the Hedgehog from the first movie, with that initial design they had. It’s a bit of a weird comparison, but I can kinda see it!

What’s more, with an incredible lopsided video game release schedule, brought about by the behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto 6, it’s not entirely clear which window of opportunity Nintendo will choose to slip the Ocarina of Time remake in, but we’ve gone over the benefits of each further in this article.

But with the release not that far off, you’ll definitely want to get a good Nintendo Switch 2 deal before the price hike later this year, if you haven’t already got one!

On that note, for all things The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, read on!

When could the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake release?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake will release in 2026, as confirmed by Nintendo.

Nintendo revealed this during their Nintendo Direct presentation in June 2026, and also shared the news on social media.

We don’t know exactly when the remake of Ocarina of Time will come out. With the huge anticipation for GTA 6, Nintendo needs to choose the release date carefully to make sure their game gets the attention it deserves.

Nintendo usually releases a new first-party game every month. This June features Star Fox, followed by Splatoon Raiders in July, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave in September, and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort in October.

This leaves only August, November and December.

August would be a decent candidate and would get ahead of what has turned out to be an incredibly busy September. Nintendo only revealed Star Fox a couple of months ahead of its launch, so it’s not out of the question that the Ocarina of Time remake could repeat this trick.

Nintendo benefits from the fact that Grand Theft Auto 6 won’t be released on the Switch 2, allowing them some independence. However, many of Nintendo’s loyal fans will likely be focused on the new Grand Theft Auto game when it comes out.

If any game could seriously compete with Grand Theft Auto 6, it would probably be a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. However, it’s unlikely Nintendo would release it around the original game’s launch date of November 21, 1998.

With GTA 6 not scheduled to launch until November 19, 2026, there’s a significant window of opportunity for another major game like Ocarina of Time to gain attention. This timing also benefits Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, releasing October 23, 2026, by giving it space to succeed. As the first Call of Duty title on a Nintendo console since the Wii U, Nintendo will be hoping for strong sales to establish the Switch 2 as a competitive platform for modern games.

December looks like a promising time to launch the remake of Ocarina of Time. Many parents today grew up playing the original on the Nintendo 64 and might be eager to share it with their kids as a Christmas gift—and maybe treat themselves to a copy too! Plus, younger players likely won’t be focused on games like Grand Theft Auto 6, giving Nintendo a chance to reach a whole new audience.

We predict that the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will likely be released sometime between August and December this year.

What to expect from the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake

Given the technical limitations and age of the original game, we expect the Ocarina of Time remake to be a comprehensive reimagining.

What’s more, Nintendo already remade the original for the 3DS with improved graphics, rendering another such endeavour slightly pointless, though given that Star Fox is ostensibly the same between its many remakes, it’s not entirely out of the question.

We expect the game will mostly follow the original story, but we anticipate significant improvements to the puzzles and levels. The Water Temple, notoriously difficult in the past, is a prime example. We hope any new version of it will be genuinely challenging and enjoyable, rather than frustratingly repetitive.

In terms of the visuals, Nintendo seems to be going for a more ‘realistic’ take — as realistic as a fantasy game can be — as opposed to the cel-shaded visuals of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The trailer is running at 60FPS, which should make for a smooth gameplay experience, which the original absolutely was not.

It’ll be fascinating to see if they make the game world more expansive, perhaps by enlarging Hyrule Field and adding more things to do, like quests and characters. However, Nintendo might be hesitant to change the core gameplay too drastically.

Though this would increase the time and complexity of the project, we don’t know how long the Ocarina of Time remake has been in development for.

We won’t have to wait much longer to find out what happens – the answer will be here soon!

Authors

Cole Luke is a freelance journalist and video producer who contributes to TopMob Gaming. He also has bylines for Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, Network N and more.

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2026-06-11 12:36