Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Bundle Leaked Ahead of Gamescom

The leak that has Zelda fans reaching for their wallets

Packaging photographs for what appears to be a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 bundle and a matching Pro Controller surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) on 11 August 2026. The images were shared by Necro Felipe, owner and editor-in-chief of Brazilian gaming outlet Universo Nintendo, who added that the packaging was "exactly as I saw it previously" — suggesting he had been shown the products before the photos emerged online.

The leak has quickly gained traction across the gaming community, and while Nintendo has made no official statement, the images appear credible enough to have prompted widespread speculation about the console's first ever special edition release.

What the packaging appears to show

Based on the leaked images, the bundle would feature two distinct products:

• A Nintendo Switch 2 console with a custom dock carrying a black and gold Triforce design on the side, and a set of Joy-Con 2 controllers finished in black and teal, each bearing their own Triforce patterns.
• A separately packaged Pro Controller with black and green grips and a gold Triforce motif in the centre.

A 40th anniversary logo is also visible on the packaging. An insider on X posted a decoded product reference code — "00840z::b,g,g" — which was interpreted as: BEE-008 (the Switch 2 Pro Controller model number), 40z (Zelda 40th), and b,g,g (black, gold, green). Taken together with the visual evidence, the code broadly corroborates what the photos appear to show.

One detail worth noting: the packaging carries no mention of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time anywhere on it. Nintendo confirmed the Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2 earlier this year, committing to a 2026 release window, but this hardware appears to be positioned as a broader anniversary celebration rather than a game-specific bundle.

The anniversary context

The franchise's milestone credentials are genuine. The Legend of Zelda originally launched on the Famicom Disk System in Japan on 21 February 1986, making 2026 the series' 40th anniversary year. Nintendo has not officially acknowledged that milestone in any hardware or software announcement so far, which makes a dedicated anniversary console both commercially logical and somewhat overdue.

2026 is shaping up to be a particularly Zelda-heavy year beyond just the hardware. The Ocarina of Time remake is due at some point this year, and a live-action Zelda film is also in the picture — meaning a broader anniversary hardware approach, rather than one tied to a single game, makes strategic sense. Nintendo has form here: previous Zelda-themed hardware has included the Wind Waker HD Wii U and the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch.

Release date and price: treat with caution

Some users on X have circulated claims that the hardware "will be coming out on November 12, 2026," but fans should treat that date as social media speculation until Nintendo says otherwise. There is circumstantial supporting evidence — a Nintendo UK amiibo listing for 11–12 November, an ESRB rating that appeared in late July, and Nintendo investor statements — but none of it amounts to a confirmed release date.

Nintendo has not confirmed a price for the Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 or Pro Controller. What is confirmed, however, is that the standard Switch 2 price is going up. Nintendo UK has announced that from 1 September 2026, the console's price will rise from £395.99 to £419.99 on the Nintendo Store — a £24 increase. That UK figure was the last piece of a broader revision Nintendo set out on 8 May 2026, which also raised the US price by $50 to $499.99, Canada by $50 CAD to $679.99, and Europe by €30 to €499.99. Japan saw its own increase — from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980, roughly 20% — which took effect on 25 May 2026.

Nintendo's official explanation, as restated by Nintendo of America, described the changes as a response to "various changes in market conditions, which are expected to extend over the medium to long term" — framing the new prices as the console's new baseline rather than a temporary adjustment.

Gamescom and what comes next

Gamescom 2026 runs from 26 to 30 August in Cologne, and would seem a natural venue for Nintendo to show its hand. Nintendo's confirmed Gamescom lineup includes titles such as Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, Pokémon Pokopia, and Splatoon Raiders, among others — but notably does not include Ocarina of Time. Nintendo's announcement did, however, include the phrase "and more," which has prompted speculation about what else might appear at the booth or in an accompanying Nintendo Direct.

Whether the Zelda anniversary hardware gets an official reveal this week remains to be seen. For now, the packaging leak is the best evidence available — and for UK buyers eyeing a Triforce-coated Switch 2, the clock is ticking before the price floor rises on 1 September.