Ocarina of Time Could Be All Nintendo Needs for Switch 2 This Holiday

Nintendo's holiday lineup for the Switch 2 is shaping up to be considerably smaller than last year's, but that doesn't necessarily mean the company is heading into troubled waters. Nintendo's big release is the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, due out November 5, which could attract both longtime fans and newcomers. The company has fewer games scheduled for the final months of 2026, but the growing hype around the remake indicates that one big release could be enough to keep things humming.

The game has drawn a lot of attention lately, with several trailers, previews, and new footage giving you a clearer idea of what Nintendo has been working on. As more details emerge, the remake is proving far more ambitious than some fans initially anticipated. Changes include dungeons, more areas, more voice acting, more scenes, updated visuals, quality-of-life improvements, and new gameplay mechanics.

With the November 5 release date fast approaching, Nintendo is clearly pulling out all the stops to spread the word. But the more interesting question is whether Ocarina of Time can carry the Switch 2 through the holiday season, given the company's release schedule compared with last year.

Nintendo had several big releases lined up for October, November, and December 2025.

Players got remasters of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, alongside Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Kirby Air Riders, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. That gave Nintendo a varied lineup to appeal to different audiences throughout the holiday period.

The situation looks quite different in 2026. Outside of the Ocarina of Time remake, Nintendo is preparing to release Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, which is scheduled to arrive shortly before the end of October. Beyond those games, the company's confirmed holiday lineup appears considerably lighter than last year's, leaving fewer major releases to attract buyers to the Switch 2.

There had also been expectations that The Duskbloods, the upcoming FromSoftware game being published by Nintendo for the Switch 2, could arrive before the end of the year. However, as of October 17, Nintendo still hasn't announced a specific release date beyond its 2026 window.

With so little time left, the lack of a firm date has fueled speculation that the game could slip into 2027.

A December release isn't impossible, but Nintendo would need a clear launch schedule and to build momentum with little time left. If The Duskbloods does miss its current window, it could become a first-half-of-2027 release instead. That would leave Ocarina of Time and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort as Nintendo's main releases for this year's holiday season.

The smaller lineup also arrives at a difficult time for the company. In September, Nintendo hiked the price of the Switch 2, continuing a trend of rising console prices across the industry. Nintendo isn't the only company raising hardware prices, but it does make buying a new console more expensive for consumers.

If you're thinking about getting a Switch 2 for the holidays, the higher price might make you reconsider, especially if you're not too excited about the games it ships with. A smaller selection of major releases could make that decision even harder for people who want several new games to justify the hardware cost.

Nintendo also has to deal with the enormous attention surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6.

Rockstar's upcoming game has become one of the industry's biggest talking points, and its November release window has influenced how publishers approach their own schedules. With many companies seemingly reluctant to release major games around the same time, September became a particularly busy month for new releases.

Still, the impact of GTA 6 shouldn't necessarily be exaggerated when discussing Nintendo's holiday plans. The game isn't available on Switch 2, meaning Nintendo isn't competing with Rockstar for sales on the same platform. Instead, Nintendo has to figure out ways to get people to buy its hardware and play its games.

It wouldn't make much business sense to avoid major releases just because another game is getting a lot of attention. Nintendo has its own audience, its own franchises, and a suite of games that can appeal to players who may not be interested in Rockstar's open-world crime series.

The company can continue promoting its upcoming releases without worrying that GTA 6 will automatically overshadow everything else.

That's where Ocarina of Time becomes particularly important. The remake isn't just another holiday-season release. It also falls on the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, giving Nintendo a chance to celebrate one of its most iconic franchises while promoting its latest hardware.

The company has also revealed special Zelda-themed Switch 2 hardware and a Pro Controller to mark the anniversary. The special products have caught the eye of fans looking to celebrate the occasion, giving longtime fans yet another reason to consider picking up Nintendo's latest console.

More importantly, the franchise tends to generate significant interest even when Nintendo's wider release schedule is a bit quiet. Look no further than The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to see why one major Zelda release can sometimes be enough to keep players talking.

In 2016, Nintendo revealed that Breath of the Wild would be the sole game featured during its E3 presentation. The Wii U was struggling, and the 3DS had already been out for several years. Nintendo needed something big to show players what it could do, and Breath of the Wild was just that.

The game would go on to become one of the most important releases in Zelda history and a defining title for Nintendo. That helped define the original Switch's identity in its early days and showed how one big game can shape the perception of an entire console generation.

Nintendo did something similar with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which launched in May 2023.

Among Nintendo fans, it was the talk of the town for weeks, and it remained a major attraction throughout its run. Both examples show that a highly anticipated Zelda title can draw attention even without many other major releases alongside it.

Of course, the Ocarina of Time remake has one major difference: It's not a brand new Zelda adventure. Since many longtime fans have played the original, the remake won't offer the same sense of discovery as a completely new entry from Nintendo's main Zelda team.

That means the next big open-world Zelda game is probably years away, given the scale of the development. When it arrives, it could be a much bigger experience, with enough content to sink dozens of hours into. By comparison, the Ocarina of Time remake will likely be a shorter adventure, especially for those who already know its story and dungeons.

Still, that doesn't mean the remake can't be a major release.

Nintendo seems to be making significant changes rather than just updating the original game's graphics and re-releasing it. New voice acting, new scenes, gameplay tweaks, reworked dungeons, enhanced environments, and other enhancements could make it feel quite different from the version fans remember.

The scale of these changes is also what sets the project apart from Nintendo's previous remakes. Its approach recalls Capcom's Resident Evil remakes, which have reworked familiar games so much they can feel like substantially different experiences. While Ocarina of Time might not match the scale of Nintendo's next completely new Zelda adventure, the remake could still offer enough new material to justify its place as one of the Switch 2's biggest releases this year.

That distinction matters because Nintendo doesn't necessarily need a game that can keep every player occupied for months.

It needs a release people are excited to play, especially as families and longtime fans consider buying a new console. The recognition attached to Ocarina of Time, combined with the changes being introduced, could make it an appealing reason to buy a Switch 2.

Interest in the remake is high, giving Nintendo a great opportunity. Some players already have the console in mind to experience the upgraded classic Zelda adventure. The new features and visual upgrades may also showcase what Nintendo's latest hardware can do.

If the Switch 2 can't keep up its record-breaking holiday sales pace, that doesn't necessarily mean Nintendo has a serious problem. The company has another year of releases to look forward to, and 2027 is already shaping up to be a potentially busy time.

Nintendo's upcoming lineup is reportedly Metroid Ravenous, Xenoblade Genesis, Pokémon Winds and Waves, and Kirby and the World Beyond. Reports also hint that the next 3D Super Mario game is on the way. If these releases do come as they're planned, they could give Switch 2 owners plenty to look forward to after the holiday season wraps up.

Right now, Nintendo's immediate strategy appears simple.

Ocarina of Time will be the big draw, but Nintendo Switch Sports Resort offers an alternative release for gamers looking for something different. The latter also comes from a historically strong franchise, giving Nintendo another way to keep interest in its hardware beyond the Zelda audience.

The last few months of 2026 may not see Nintendo dumping as many big games as it did last year, but a release schedule's size doesn't tell the whole story. One major game can generate more buzz than a handful of smaller games, especially if it's tied to a franchise with decades of history.

The Ocarina of Time remake appears to have that potential. With extensive changes, Zelda anniversary celebrations, and growing excitement around its November launch, Nintendo has a strong release to build its holiday marketing around.

The Switch 2's higher price and the crowded gaming market are hurdles, but the company doesn't necessarily need a full lineup to end the year on a high note. If the remake lives up to its promise, Nintendo might have what it takes to keep players interested as it heads into a much busier 2027.