Nintendo’s Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Looks Expensive

Nintendo is giving The Legend of Zelda a major hardware celebration for its 40th anniversary, with a special edition Nintendo Switch 2 set to launch on October 29, 2026.

Credit: Nintendo

It is just one week ahead of the November 5 release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2, giving Zelda fans another reason to upgrade or pick up the console.

The Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition features a black and gold dock with the Triforce on the front, Zelda inspired patterns on the system and dock, plus green and gold Joy-Con 2 controllers. Nintendo says the package includes the Switch 2 console, both themed Joy-Con 2 controllers, the dock, AC adapter, charging cable, grip, straps and HDMI cable. The console has 256GB of internal storage.

There is one detail that may disappoint some buyers: the anniversary console does not include a game. Nintendo's product listing specifically says the game is sold separately.

The $499.99 looks expensive!! 

The regular Nintendo Switch 2 is listed by Nintendo at $499.99 in the United States but some retailers confirm that for this addition the price would be $519.99.

Nintendo has not yet displayed a separate retail price for the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on its official product page, so $499.99 should not be treated as the confirmed price of the themed console itself.

Still, the price of the Switch 2 is going to make the anniversary edition feel expensive for plenty of players, especially since the console does not come with Ocarina of Time.

We doubt that this will matter much to the Zelda crowd.

A standard black Switch 2 can do the same job for someone who only wants the hardware. The Zelda edition is aimed at people who actually care about owning a piece of the franchise's 40th anniversary. The green and gold Joy-Con 2 design, Triforce dock and Zelda artwork give it something the regular system cannot offer.

Nintendo is also releasing matching accessories on October 29, including a Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 Pro Controller and a carrying case with a screen protector.

Ocarina of Time arrives a week later

Credit: Nintendo

The anniversary hardware rollout is closely tied to Nintendo's new version of Ocarina of Time.

The game launches on November 5 with rebuilt visuals, faster performance, revamped controls, expanded dialogue and fully voiced cutscenes. Nintendo is also adding features such as a continuing day and night cycle in towns, improved camera control and new ocarina functionality that can respond to a player's humming through the Switch 2 microphone.

Nintendo says the game will cost $59.99. The first physical print run will also have special packaging with textured foil cover art, available while supplies last.

That creates a fairly obvious spending path for collectors: the Zelda themed Switch 2, the game, and possibly the matching controller. The total can climb quickly.

Nintendo is turning 40 into a full Zelda celebration

The special console is only one part of Nintendo's anniversary plans.

The company has announced Zelda 40th Anniversary concerts across Japan, North America, Europe and Australia in 2027. Nintendo is also bringing Young Link and Young Zelda amiibo to market next year, while new Zelda products from partners including LEGO and Hasbro are planned for 2027.

The live action The Legend of Zelda movie is also scheduled to reach theaters worldwide on April 30, 2027.

For Nintendo, this is a much bigger anniversary campaign than simply putting a logo on a console.

For fans, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 may be hard to justify on price alone. Yet collectors rarely make that decision on hardware specifications alone. The design, the connection to the franchise and the fact that it celebrates four decades of Zelda are likely to carry a lot of weight.

At $499.99 for the regular Switch 2 and $519.99 for this new addition, this already looks like an expensive celebration. A higher anniversary price could make it even harder to swallow. Even so, for longtime Zelda players, this is the kind of Nintendo release that could sell on nostalgia as much as it sells on hardware.