People are always asking, “When is the next Nintendo Direct??” And for the next few days, the appropriate answer is, “Which one?” That’s because Nintendo is going big this September with two Nintendo Direct showcases airing on back-to-back days. Outside of game-specific presentations like the Splatoon Raiders and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Directs, these will be the first Nintendo Directs since the big June 2026 showcase that gave us our first glimpse at The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. We’re expecting to see a lot more of that on Tuesday, as the first show is The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct, followed by a general Nintendo Direct and a Nintendo Treehouse: Live stream on Wednesday.
IGN will host live watch parties for each presentation; here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the September 2026 Nintendo Directs.
When Does the Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Direct Start?
Nintendo is getting things started with The Legend of Zelda on Tuesday, September 8, at 7am PT / 10am ET / 4pm CEST. Nintendo said that the livestream will last roughly 30 minutes, adding, “To celebrate the series’ 40th anniversary, we will deliver a variety of information related to The Legend of Zelda.”
IGN will host a pre-show five minutes before the Direct, starting at 6:55am PT / 9:55am ET / 3:55 pm CEST.
Once the Direct ends, stick around for a live Nintendo Voice Chat post-show featuring Zelda experts and superfans Logan Plant (that’s me!), Brian Altano, and Peer Schneider – who reviewed the original Ocarina of Time back in 1998, you know. They’ll talk for an hour about everything covered in the show.
We’ll also liveblog the Direct as it airs with everything that happens, and cover all of the important news right here on IGN.
When Does the September 2026 Nintendo Direct Start?
The day after Zelda’s birthday bash, Nintendo will stream a second Direct. It will air Wednesday, September 9, at 7am PT / 10am ET / 4pm CEST. This is the more general Nintendo Direct, focusing on, “Nintendo Switch 2 games launching this winter.” But don’t worry, Nintendo’s press releases always use that short-term language, and you can generally bank on a couple of announcements that will go beyond that limited timeframe.
IGN will yet again host a pre-show five minutes before the Direct, starting at 6:55am PT / 9:55am ET / 3:55 pm CEST.
Stick around after the watch party for another Nintendo Voice Chat post-show where we’ll spend an hour breaking down everything that happened in the Nintendo Direct.
How to Watch the September 2026 Nintendo Directs
Both of IGN’s watch parties will be right here on IGN, and across our social channels:
- IGN’s homepage
- IGN’s YouTube channel
- IGN's Twitch channel
- IGN's Facebook
- IGN’s Twitter
- The IGN app (on iOS and Android)
What to Expect From the September 2026 Nintendo Direct and Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct
As usual, Nintendo is keeping its announcements close to the chest before the Directs. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make some reasonable guesses! Starting with Zelda, we’ll almost certainly get our first big look at the Ocarina of Time remake as well as its release date, as it’s slated to come out this year. I’m also expecting a formal reveal of The Legend of Zelda movie, due out next April. It could be more casting news, or a short clip from the film. I’m also hoping we’ll get Twilight Princess added to Switch Online, as it’s currently the only 3D Zelda game not playable on Switch 2 in some way.
In 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 set 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.
And I took quite a few guesses. For more fun speculation, check out 14 predictions for the Nintendo Direct and Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. I think it’s going to be a very, very fun 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.
