Mark your calendars, Nintendo fans! The wait is almost over. After a flurry of game-specific reveals like the Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave showcases, Nintendo is gearing up for two major Nintendo Direct presentations this September, following the highly anticipated June 2026 showcase that gave us our first look at the The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Get ready for a week packed with announcements!
Zelda’s Big Birthday Bash
IGN will be hosting live watch parties for both presentations, so you can experience the excitement alongside fellow fans. The first show, dedicated to The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary, kicks off on Tuesday at 6:55am PT / 9:55am ET / 3:55 pm CEST. IGN will host a pre-show five minutes before the Direct, so don’t miss it! After the main event, stick around for a live Nintendo Voice Chat post-show featuring Zelda experts Logan Plant (that’s me!), Brian Altano, and Peer Schneider – who reviewed the original Ocarina of Time way back in 1998. They’ll be dissecting everything you just saw for an hour. We’re also liveblogging the Direct as it airs, bringing you all the important news right here on IGN.
The General Nintendo Direct: What to Expect
The following day, Wednesday, September 9th, Nintendo will stream a second Direct. This one is more general, focusing on “Nintendo Switch 2 games launching this winter.” While that timeframe might seem limiting, remember that Nintendo’s press releases often use broad language, so expect a few announcements that extend beyond the immediate future. The show starts at 7am PT / 10am ET / 4pm CEST, with another pre-show hosted by IGN five minutes beforehand. After the watch party, join us for another Nintendo Voice Chat post-show where we’ll break down everything that happened in the Nintendo Direct.
How to Watch: Your Guide to the September 2026 Nintendo Directs
Both of IGN‘s watch parties will be available right here on IGN, and across our social channels. You can catch them on:
- The IGN app (available on iOS”>iOS and Android”>Android)
Speculation Time: What Will Nintendo Announce?
As always, Nintendo is keeping its cards close to its chest before the Directs. But that doesn’t stop us from making some educated guesses! For Zelda’s 40th Anniversary show, we’re almost certainly going to get our first extended look at the Ocarina of Time remake, along with a release date (it’s slated for this year!). I’m also expecting a formal reveal of The Legend of Zelda movie, due out next April. That could mean more casting news or even a short clip from the film. I’m hoping we’ll also see Twilight Princess added to Switch Online, as it’s currently the only 3D Zelda game not playable on Switch 2 in some way.
For the general Direct, I’m expecting updates on the rest of Nintendo’s 2026 slate, which includes Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, and hopefully The Duskbloods, which has been slated for 2026 but hasn’t gotten an official date yet. We’ll also probably get a look at Xenoblade Genesis, the next entry in Monolith Soft’s RPG series due in 2027. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess.
For more fun speculation and predictions, check out 14 predictions for the Nintendo Direct and Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct”>14 predictions for the Nintendo Direct and Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. I think it’s going to be a very, very exciting week!
LOGAN PLANT is the host of Nintendo Voice Chat and IGN‘s Senior Editor, Playlist and DB. The Legend of Zelda is his favorite video game franchise of all time, and he is patiently awaiting the day Nintendo announces a brand new F-Zero. You can find new episodes of NVC every Friday on the IGN Games YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Comments
1 Comment