Saturday Night Live has weighed in on the highly anticipated showdown between Grand Theft Auto 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, debuting a new Weekend Update skit that features live-action versions of video game protagonists Jason Duval and Link. The six-minute bit aired as part of Season 52’s latest episode, pitting November’s two biggest gaming releases against each other through the lens of SNL’s signature satirical news format.
The sketch starred Marcello Hernández as GTA 6’s Jason and Mikey Day as Nintendo’s Link, with the two iconic characters arguing at the Weekend Update desk about who owns the better game. Anchored by hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che, the segment leaned heavily on references to stealing cars, buying RPGs, and solving puzzles throughout the kingdom of Hyrule.
A Rare Full-On Gaming Appearance
The SNL episode was hosted by The Righteous Gemstones star Dakota Johnson with musical guest Turnstile, and even featured a surprise cameo from pop music superstar Taylor Swift. While the long-running comedy show has never been shy about gaming references over its decades on air, full-on appearances from Link and Jason were hardly expected by viewers.
The protagonists from The Legend of Zelda and GTA 6 stopping by the Update desk quickly spread across social media as fans digested the bit. However, the reception among gaming enthusiasts has been decidedly mixed to negative, with many critics arguing that the sketch relied on tired tropes rather than fresh material.
“Now, I don’t know much about gaming because I’ve had sex,” Jost opened the bit, joking, “but I’m told that people are calling your releases the ‘Barbenheimer of video games.'”
Colin Jost, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update
The Costumes: One Lands, One Misses
Among the most discussed elements of the sketch were the costumes worn by Hernández and Day. GTA 6 fans were quick to criticize Hernández’s portrayal, noting that his references to Grand Theft Auto seemed limited to waving around an RPG and stealing car after car. His outfit was described as little more than a bloody bandage paired with a tropical button-up shirt.
Day’s Link costume, by contrast, earned praise for being shockingly accurate to the character’s specific Ocarina of Time remake tunic. The ensemble included elf ears and a convincing wig, capturing the look that many fans had grown familiar with. Yet despite the strong visual effort, some argued the jokes attached to the character didn’t land as effectively.
The Link material mostly revolved around the character yelling about puzzles and insisting his tunic is not a dress—gags that left portions of the online audience unimpressed by their freshness.
Fans Question the Sketch’s Freshness
Gaming fans were quick to voice their opinions once the segment aired, with several arguing that the jokes felt recycled. “I’m somebody who still watches SNL most weeks but this sketch was pretty rough,” one viewer wrote online. “Basically all of the jokes here were ones I’ve already been hearing for like 20 years.” Another commenter added: “Aren’t these the same jokes we’ve heard about Zelda since 2000?”
The reaction highlighted a broader frustration among fans who felt the show was leaning on nostalgia rather than engaging with what makes these releases notable today. One of the more positive takes noted the oddity of parodying a character audiences barely know yet, given that GTA 6 has not even released.
A November Defined by Competition
The SNL skit emerged against a backdrop that gaming fans have been anticipating for months. Numerous games, big and small, have cleared out their launch windows to avoid competing directly with Grand Theft Auto 6, leaving Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake as one of the few major exceptions.
Because GTA 6 won’t be available on the console that Zelda is exclusive to, there will be less direct competition than some might expect. Still, gamers face tough decisions in just a little more than 30 days as both titles prepare for their respective debuts, cementing November 2026 as one of the most heavily anticipated months in recent gaming history.
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