Zelda 40th Anniversary Rumors Hint at Oracle of Ages and Seasons Remakes

People are starting to talk about The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary, and new industry chatter suggests that more may be going on behind the scenes than was first thought. Many people think Nintendo is quietly working on something big for the big year, even though nothing has been officially revealed.

This idea stems from many past conversations, predictions, and leaks. There might not be a single big reveal, but rather several Zelda-related announcements spread out over the course of the year. These could be part of larger plans for the franchise's future.

Nintendo has always marked Zelda's birthdays, though they aren't always as big a deal as Mario's.

With recent Mario anniversary efforts that did well and the clear benefits of cross-promotion, it makes sense for Nintendo to try to use a similar approach here. When you think about the upcoming live-action Zelda movie and when the next version of hardware will come out, that chance goes up. The franchise is set to be a big part of the future, and there are already signs that things are getting ready, like the Ocarina of Time LEGO set that was officially revealed.

Since Nintendo usually markets in a certain way, it doesn't look like all of Zelda's 40th-anniversary plans will be released at once. Announcements might happen at different times of the year instead. Even if there is a general presentation first, there won't be much Zelda-related material shown then. The main push will happen later. This slow rollout would be different from how Mario's anniversary material was mostly crammed into one show.

A recent podcast with a well-known business insider as the guest discussed broad expectations for 2026 and predictions for this year. This has become a major topic of discussion. There was no hint that these predictions were leaks; they were just educated guesses based on patterns and business logic. They were quickly seen as strong options by the community, though.

One of them was the idea that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 could get an improved version, which is likely based on the evidence we already have and Nintendo's track record of releasing new games. But the announcement of remakes of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations drew significant attention.

People were surprised by this because both games are already in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy library. Players often think remakes are less likely because the game is so easy to get, but history shows that this is not the case. Nintendo has shown over and over that adding a game to its classic library does not prevent it from receiving an upgrade or remake later.

The cancelled third Oracle game concept opens the door for a new Courage-themed Zelda experience.

This makes sense, and Nintendo executives have said in the past that a game being available in classic form doesn't mean it won't be re-released in an improved form in the future. The time doesn't seem too off when you think about how Oracle of Ages and Seasons has been on the service for a while now. A lot of Zelda fans have been wanting new versions of these games for a long time, and they are still among the few major games that haven't been remade.

This talk is more interesting because it concerns a leak from early 2025. A leaker known for giving vague but usually correct information posted a string of names that, when viewed together, seemed to be code names for Zelda projects. The first one matched the version of Link's Awakening, the second matched Echoes of Wisdom, and the third, called "Bernard," has not been shown yet.

Grezzo made both Link's Awakening and Echoes of Wisdom, and they both have their own unique look. Since the third project is related to the first two, it makes sense for it to use the same design theory. That's exactly what would happen with a remake of Oracle of Ages and Seasons. If there is news about Zelda this year that includes the code name Bernard, long-term plans have likely been in the works for a while.

That made you think... could this instead be a sign for a whole new top-down Zelda game? It's not impossible, but the time frame makes it seem less likely. Nintendo has traditionally taken a lot longer breaks between new 2D Zelda games. Echoes of Wisdom came out in 2024. It would be very rare for a brand-new top-down Zelda to come out just two years later, unless it was a smaller test project. A remake, on the other hand, would naturally take less time to produce and better align with anniversary standards.

The availability of Oracle games on Nintendo Switch Online does not rule out modern remakes.

Other games, like A Link to the Past or Minish Cap, could also be remade in theory. Oracle of Ages and Seasons, on the other hand, stand out because they share a structure, both came from Capcom, and fans have long wanted them. Also, they give Nintendo a one-of-a-kind chance to do something they've never fully explored before.

At first, the Oracle games were meant to be a trio with three parts: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Two of those ideas were explored in Ages and Seasons, but the third game was eventually canceled. This makes room for an interesting option. Instead of just redoing two games, Nintendo could bring back the idea of a third Oracle game, offering a completely new experience alongside the remade versions of the first two.

Imagine playing Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons again and having your progress affect the creation of a third game based on Link and Courage. Connected designs like that would fit in well with the Oracle series' history and bring something truly new to the anniversary party. Remakes often add new content, and this method would take them beyond mere visual improvements.

We can also look at the brand's overall plan. 

With more attention being paid to the original green tunic version of Link, especially before the movie, this kind of release would help to cement that image. As a link between memories and the present day, it would bring back a version of Link that wasn't as important during the Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom era.

This won't be the only thing going on this year that has to do with Zelda. More and more people think that Nintendo might also be hinting at the next big 3D Zelda project, which could be the long-rumored remake of Ocarina of Time. If that happens, it won't come out until after the movie, but a teaser would be enough to tie the event together. When you add in merchandise, possible ports like Twilight Princess, and smaller titles, the picture looks full.

All of this is still just a guess for now. It's still too early to say for sure, so forecasts should be taken as such. Still, it's harder to dismiss the idea that something big is about to happen when a lot of different threads start to come together, like insider predictions, past leaks, internal code names, and Nintendo's own historical trends. There's no doubt that Zelda's 40th anniversary will be more than just a quiet event. Bernard could be Oracle of Ages and Seasons, a remade third Oracle game, or something completely different.