Want the lowdown on a new Zelda game? You're in the right place. Zelda fans are, without a doubt, some of the luckiest in the world. Since its debut, the franchise has churned out frequent instant classics, from Ocarina of Time to the most recent Tears of the Kingdom and Echoes of Wisdom. Alongside Pokémon and Mario, it's one of Nintendo's biggest juggernauts. So, what's next for the franchise?
Here, we uncover all the latest news and speculation about the next Zelda title, including a release date estimate, platform predictions, and gameplay speculation. For more Nintendo news, see our picks for the best Switch games. Or, for a retrospective, read our Tears of the Kingdom review.
Is there a new Zelda game in 2026?
As of yet, Nintendo hasn't announced plans for a new Zelda game in 2026. However, the franchise turns 40 this year. This means we can easily expect a game to be announced - even if it's just a remaster, since it seems highly unlikely that Nintendo has a fully-fledged 3D game ready to go at this stage. Fans have been calling for remasters of Twilight Princess and Wind Waker on the Switch, and now that the Switch 2 is here, we can guess some Zelda games will be making their way to the latest console.
Last year saw a number of games come to the Switch and Switch 2, with Zelda fans getting access to Wind Waker - though it wasn't a port, but rather the GameCube version of the game via the GameCube Collection on Nintendo Switch Online - alongside Switch 2 versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. We also saw Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment's release, a game that takes place during the Imprisoning War that we learn about in TotK.
Nintendo is also working on a live-action Zelda movie. Following in the footsteps of the animated Mario movie (and its Bowser-sized commercial success), the Zelda movie is set to bring the adventures of Link and Zelda to the big screen. Directed by Wes Ball, the project aims to have a tone similar to a Studio Ghibli movie from Hayao Miyazaki, which sounds perfect to us.
New Zelda game gameplay predictions
Nintendo has hinted that the next mainline Zelda game will not be a direct sequel to Tears of the Kingdom. This is a break from recent form, as we've seen Tears of the Kingdom continue on from Breath of the Wild almost exactly in terms of gameplay. So, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the next Zelda game, suggesting that the format could change completely.
Throughout Zelda's long history, the series has transitioned through multiple gameplay styles. We've had top-down games, side-scroller platforming games, 3D open-world games, games with multiplayer elements, and much more. So, where the Zelda franchise goes next is anyone's guess.
Maybe it will continue in the same style as Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, though another 3D project like this would almost certainly be a release for 2027 or beyond. Perhaps it will be another in the same style as the Link's Awakening remake and Echoes of Wisdom - be it a remake or a new game, we're happy with either.
New Zelda game release date speculation
As of yet, we don't have any release date news to share with you, but rest assured, when we know something, you'll hear about it as soon as we do. We'll also let you know about any anniversary celebrations, so keep an eye out for that in the coming year.