Nintendo says remakes now match new games at Ocarina of Time launch
Nate Bihldorff told Polygon remakes and original games are of equal importance, as the Switch 2 version of Ocarina of Time arrives.
Nintendo has released its remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2, and the company's Nate Bihldorff says remakes now carry the same weight as new games in its software plans. Bihldorff, Nintendo's senior vice president of product development and publishing, spoke to Polygon at the launch event for the remake at Nintendo's flagship New York store.
"Remakes and new games both have a place in Nintendo's lineup," Bihldorff said, describing the two categories as equally important to the company. The Ocarina of Time remake is positioned as Nintendo's tentpole release for 2026.
Zelda producer Hidemaro Fujibayashi said the Switch 2 hardware allowed the development team to do things it could not with the original Ocarina of Time.
A lineup built on both
The Switch 2's first year included titles such as Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Kirby Air Riders and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, while Donkey Kong Bananza launched alongside the console. In June 2026, Nintendo released a major Star Fox remake, and in 2025 Kirby Air Riders revisited the GameCube's Kirby Air Ride.
Quick answers
What is Nintendo's 2026 tentpole game?
Nintendo is positioning its remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2 as its tentpole release for 2026.
What did Nintendo say about remakes versus new games?
Nate Bihldorff, Nintendo's SVP of product development and publishing, said remakes and new games both have a place in the lineup and are of equal importance.