There are moments when Nintendo almost seems to want to remind us where it started from before showing us where it intends to go. The last few days are a rather obvious example of this: first The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, dedicated to the forty years of one of the most important sagas in gaming history, then a Nintendo Direct completely aimed at the future of the company and, above all, that of Nintendo Switch 2.
Two different presentations, which arrived just a day apart, but which seem to tell two parts of the same story.
Forty years of adventures
The first appointment could only be dedicated to The Legend of Zelda. A series that since 1986 has crossed generations of players, changing shape several times without losing that particular ability to transform exploration and adventure into something almost magical.Nintendo has chosen to celebrate this important milestone by looking as much to the past as to the future. The absolute protagonist was undoubtedly The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which will return on November 5, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2 with a profoundly renewed look. In fact, the game will not be limited to a simple graphic update: Nintendo has announced completely revised textures, new animations, a renewed audio sector, orchestral music, improved controls and expanded and fully voiced sequences.
Moreover, that's not all. To accompany the fortieth anniversary, a special edition Nintendo Switch 2 console, dedicated accessories, new amiibo, concerts in different parts of the world and a series of initiatives designed to celebrate the history of the saga have also been announced. Ideally closing the circle will then be the live action film of The Legend of Zelda, expected in cinemas on April 30, 2027.
In short, Nintendo does not seem to have any intention of just celebrating Zelda by looking back. On the contrary, he is using the forty years of the series to forcefully bring it back to center stage. And it is precisely here that the second Direct takes on a particular meaning.
From the past to the future
The next day, Nintendo completely changed register. The Direct of September 9, lasting about 45 minutes, was dedicated to the games coming to Nintendo Switch 2 during the coming months. If the first event represented the memory and legacy of Nintendo, the second instead showed what the company wants to build around its new console. And the lineup presented was anything but shy.
Among the most important novelties we find Metroid Ravenous, a new two-dimensional adventure with Samus Aran as the protagonist, and Kirby and the World Beyond, a new three-dimensional experience dedicated to the iconic pink character. To these are added important productions such as Monster Hunter Wilds, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - Definitive Edition, as well as numerous other Nintendo and third party titles. And perhaps it is precisely this variety that is the most interesting aspect of the Direct.
Nintendo Switch 2 is no longer presented only as the console on which to play the new Nintendo titles, but as a platform capable of collecting genres, series and productions from different worlds.
Nintendo is building its future
And it is here that the two events, apparently separate, begin to dialogue with each other. On the one hand we have The Legend of Zelda, a series that perfectly represents the history of the big N. On the other hand we have a new generation of hardware that has yet to fully demonstrate what its role will be in the years to come.
Putting The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo Switch 2 in the year of the fortieth anniversary of the series therefore does not seem only a way to celebrate the past. It is also a way to transport that past into the future. The Kyoto house has a huge heritage of characters, universes and video games that have accompanied entire generations. Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Pokémon and many other intellectual properties continue to represent a fundamental part of the company's identity. The challenge, however, is to be able to use this legacy without living exclusively on nostalgia.
And that's exactly what these two days seem to suggest. Nintendo wants to remind us of what he built, but at the same time he wants to show that those foundations can still support something new.
The real journey has just begun!
Perhaps it is still too early to say what the fate of Nintendo Switch 2 will be. The console has several years ahead of it to build its identity and a library capable of convincing even those who, for the moment, observe the new generation with caution. But if there is one thing that these two digital events have shown, it is that Nintendo seems to have already identified the way forward.
On the one hand, the past, represented by the forty years of The Legend of Zelda. On the other, the future, represented by Nintendo Switch 2. In between, a company that seems to want to use everything it has learned in four decades to face the coming years. And perhaps this is the most interesting message that came from these two presentations: Nintendo does not seem to want to choose between nostalgia and innovation. It wants both. And for those who love the world Nintendo, after these last 48 hours, all that remains is to wait to find out where the next adventure will lead!
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