Nintendo confirms Zelda 40th Anniversary Directs

For Japan fans and Japanese learners, this is also a neat little vocabulary moment: direct is written as disu, anniversary as アニバーサリー (anibasarii), and livestreams are now a big part of how Nintendo handles major reveals in Japan. If you follow game news in English and Japanese side by side, this is the kind of event where both markets line up quickly. But that’s not all.

Nintendo has confirmed two Directs in a row

Nintendo’s officially confirmed two Direct presentations, one dedicated to The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary and a second general Nintendo Direct. According to Video Games Chronicle, the Zelda-focused show is set for next week, with the company splitting its big news into two separate livestreams instead of packing everything into one event.

That’s a smart move. Zelda is one of Nintendo's most important series, and a special anniversary broadcast gives the franchise room to breathe. Then the general Direct can cover the wider slate, from first-party games to whatever surprises Nintendo wants to keep for the main stage. Convinced yet?

Zelda gets the anniversary spotlight first

The first presentation is all about The Legend of Zelda and its 40-year history. The series began in 1986, so this anniversary lands in a major milestone year, and Nintendo clearly wants to treat it like a proper celebration rather than a quick segment in a larger show. For fans, that raises expectations around remasters, legacy releases, or maybe even a new look at the series' future.

Let’s be honest: Zelda anniversaries have a way of making the fandom watch every frame. No wonder, because Nintendo often uses these moments to connect old and new players, and that’s especially appealing for Japanese learners who recognise recurring words in the franchise's marketing, like 記念 (kinen) for commemoration or 特別 (tokubetsu) for special. You don’t need perfect Japanese to spot the pattern, and that makes these events a fun way to build vocabulary. Personally...

The second Nintendo Direct should cover the wider lineup

And it gets better: the second event is a regular Nintendo Direct, which means it should be broader and more practical for people tracking the rest of Nintendo's schedule. Based on the reporting, this second broadcast is expected the day after the Zelda show, giving Nintendo a clean 24-hour-style burst of attention across both events.

A great example: Nintendo’s long liked separating themed presentations from general ones when a major franchise deserves its own moment. That keeps the messaging tidy, and it helps the company control pacing. One day is for heritage, the next is for the bigger business. Sounds weird, but it’s true. If you follow Japanese game coverage, you’ll often see the same structure described with words like direct and ライブストリーミング (raibu sutoriimingu, livestreaming), especially around big seasonal announcements.

Why this matters for Japan fans and learners

Here’s the kicker: this isn't just news for players waiting on trailers. It’s also a nice reminder of how Nintendo frames its biggest reveals in Japan, where livestream events, anniversary branding, and short, punchy promotional phrases matter a lot. If you read Japanese game news, you’ll see terms like kiinen, 配信 (haishin, distribution; streaming), and 放送 (hosen, broadcast) used constantly, and this kind of event gives those words real context.

My tip: if you’re learning Japanese through games, compare the English coverage with Japanese headlines after the Directs air. Even when the details differ, the structure is usually easy to follow, and you can pick up useful event vocabulary fast. That makes a story like this more than just a date announcement, it becomes a small study opportunity too. But that’s not all.

For now, the key takeaway is simple. Nintendo has locked in two Directs, the Zelda 40th Anniversary event comes first, and a second general Nintendo Direct follows right after. That should give fans plenty to watch next week, especially if they’re hoping for updates tied to Zelda's past, present, and future. more Japan news on jpnerd.com

In pictures

Sources

1. Video Games Chronicle
2. games.gg
3. games.gg