The Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 has given Nintendo an encouraging result before one of its biggest Zelda releases of 2026 could even influence the numbers. New US retail data shows a standout week for hardware revenue, but the timing raises an interesting question: how much further can this anniversary celebration go now that the Ocarina of Time remake is available?
Why the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 arrived at a crucial moment
Nintendo launched its first Switch 2 special edition on October 29, 2026, celebrating four decades of The Legend of Zelda. Just two days later, the tracking week ending October 31 closed with the highest US Switch 2 hardware dollar sales of the year so far.
The figures come from Circana Retail Tracking Service, shared on November 9 by senior director and industry analyst Mat Piscatella on Bluesky. Across all video game consoles, US hardware spending also increased by 81% compared with the equivalent week in 2025.
That is a notable result for a console edition that had only been on shelves for a few days. However, it is important to separate two different findings. Circana identified the strongest Switch 2 hardware revenue week of 2026 to date, while the 81% year-on-year increase applies to the entire US console hardware market, not Nintendo alone.
What the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 figures actually prove
The distinction between revenue and units is essential here. Circana measures hardware dollar sales in this report, meaning money spent rather than the number of consoles purchased. No specific unit total has been disclosed for the anniversary model.
Likewise, the exact proportion of Switch 2 hardware revenue generated by the Zelda edition remains unknown. The figures support the conclusion that its arrival helped deliver an exceptional week, but they do not establish how many collectors bought the console or how much of the result came from the standard model.
Price also matters when interpreting the data. The anniversary system costs $519.99 in the United States, while its Japanese price is 62,980 yen. Consequently, revenue performance cannot be treated as an interchangeable measure of hardware volume. Nintendo has not publicly commented on Circana’s findings.
For perspective, Nintendo’s latest financial results put the platform at 26.35 million units sold worldwide. That global milestone provides useful background, although it measures something different from Circana’s weekly US spending figures. We covered the wider hardware picture in our report on Nintendo Switch 2 reaching 26.35 million worldwide sales.
A collector’s console with no bundled Zelda game
The anniversary edition celebrates a series that began in 1986. Its design uses Triforce motifs across the back of the console, the black-and-gold dock and the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Green and gold details give the hardware a distinct Zelda identity.
There is one particularly important detail for buyers: the $519.99 package does not include a game. Its appeal therefore rests on the special hardware design and the anniversary itself rather than a bundled adventure.
Nintendo also released matching accessories on October 29. The Switch 2 Pro Controller 40th Anniversary Edition costs $99.99, or $109.99 with a display stand. A themed carrying case with a screen protector completes the collection.
These details help explain why the edition is relevant beyond a routine console refresh. It gives longtime Zelda fans a dedicated anniversary product, while the separate accessories offer additional ways to mark the occasion. Still, Circana has not disclosed how many of these products were purchased, so their individual commercial impact cannot be established.
Ocarina of Time could make November the bigger Zelda test
Perhaps the most revealing part of the timeline is what the current report cannot capture. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake launched on November 5, several days after Circana’s October 31 cutoff.
In other words, the reported hardware revenue milestone arrived before the remake entered the market. That makes the next reporting period especially interesting, because it will provide a better opportunity to assess whether enthusiasm surrounding Zelda’s anniversary carried into November.
There is already one encouraging sign for the game itself. The remake debuted at number one in the UK’s physical sales chart. However, a British physical software ranking cannot establish how US console hardware performed, and it should not be interpreted as evidence of additional Switch 2 purchases.
Circana’s full October and November reports will be worth following for that reason. They should offer a clearer picture of whether the strong hardware spending week was an isolated launch effect or part of more sustained momentum.
For now, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 has already contributed to an important US revenue milestone. What remains unanswered is whether the combination of anniversary hardware and a newly released Ocarina of Time remake can maintain that pace beyond the initial launch window.
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