Nintendo Devotes an Entire Direct to Zelda for the Series' 40th Anniversary

Nintendo has fired up the Nintendo Direct machine once again. As reported by Eurogamer Spain, the Japanese company aired a new edition of its digital showcase on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, this time devoted entirely to The Legend of Zelda to mark the series' 40th anniversary. This wasn't a general Direct with a bit of everything, but a dedicated broadcast reserved for a single franchise, something Nintendo only does when it believes it has more than enough material to fill it.

Why does this matter to us at Underworld Lordz? Because an event like this shapes the calendar. For a community spread across the Americas and Europe, with competitive players and creators who live off the conversation of the moment, a Zelda-themed Direct is exactly the kind of event that generates reaction streams, Discord debates and content for weeks. Here we go over what the source confirms, add some context and make our position clear.

What you need to know

• Confirmed date: the Direct aired on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, according to Eurogamer Spain.
• Single focus: the broadcast revolved around The Legend of Zelda, without mixing in any of the company's other franchises.
• The reason: the celebration of the 40th anniversary of a series born four decades ago that remains one of Nintendo's pillars.
• Full coverage: Eurogamer Spain rounds up every announcement from the broadcast in its original article; in this piece we focus on the context and what it means for the community, without getting ahead of details we haven't been able to verify.

Four decades of Hyrule

Few series can claim forty years of life without losing relevance. The Legend of Zelda has been through practically every era of video game history: from 2D adventures to open worlds, from home consoles to handhelds and back again. Every Nintendo generation has had its defining Zelda, and in many cases that title has been the main reason to buy the hardware.

The fact that Nintendo chose to celebrate the anniversary with its own Direct says a lot about how it views the brand. It isn't just a product, it's a calling card. And when the company decides to give it an exclusive broadcast, it's usually after two things: reinforcing the nostalgia of those who grew up with the series and winning over a new generation that may only know the most recent entries.

What a single-franchise Direct means

Themed Directs work differently from general ones. In a broadcast focused on a single franchise, the pace is slower, there's room to develop each announcement and the audience arrives with specific expectations. That has an upside, depth, and a less friendly side: any absence stands out twice as much. If something the community was expecting doesn't show up, the conversation afterwards revolves as much around what was missing as around what was actually shown.

For the content creators on our team, this format is gold. A Zelda Direct makes it possible to prepare specific material, from live reactions to follow-up analysis, without having to split attention across ten different games. And for the Spanish-speaking audience, who often follow these events at awkward hours depending on the continent, a single topic makes it easier to catch up on the broadcast later without feeling like you missed half of it.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz editorial desk, we're glad to see Nintendo treat Zelda with the gravitas it deserves. Forty years doesn't come around every day, and an exclusive Direct is the right way to acknowledge it. That said, we're also aware that these events lean heavily on emotion. Nostalgia sells, and Nintendo knows that better than anyone. Our advice is the same as always: enjoy the moment, but wait to see the games in people's hands before taking anything for granted.

From a competitive standpoint, Zelda has never been an esports series, and it doesn't need to be. But it is a huge source of content: speedruns, community challenges, glitches, creative exploration. If the anniversary leads Nintendo to look after the speedrunning and creator community, with tools or with re-releases that keep the classic entries alive, it will be a real celebration and not just a marketing exercise.

What we would like to see, and here we're being critical, is Nintendo using these milestones to improve access to its back catalogue in every region, with reasonable prices and without the artificial restrictions that sometimes come with its services. A forty-year-old series should be playable from start to finish without obstacles, and that matters as much as any new announcement.

What do you think?

The Direct has aired and the conversation is open. We want to know what you were expecting from this celebration, what won you over and what you think was missing. Drop by the team chat or our Discord and tell us: which Zelda left the biggest mark on you, and what would you ask of Nintendo for the series' next forty years?