New Photo Leak Suggests A Limited Edition Switch 2 For Zelda's 40th Anniversary Is Coming

If you've been waiting to grab a Nintendo Switch 2 until the perfect special-edition design is revealed, your time to buy might be sooner than you think. If a post from Centro Leaks on X is to be believed, a special-edition Switch 2 celebrating "The Legend of Zelda's" 40th anniversary is on the way. These leaked images show packaging for a Zelda-themed green and gold Switch 2 and Pro Controller, and while Nintendo has not yet confirmed the products shown in the leaks, the packaging looks detailed enough to make this feel like a very real possibility.

Both boxes bear 40th anniversary branding for "The Legend of Zelda," first released in 1986. The packaging also includes the kind of fine print and product information normally found on Nintendo hardware boxes, which, while not impossible to fake, nevertheless make the images feel even more legit. Of course, in the era of AI-generated images, nothing is guaranteed.

And another thing: This alleged Switch 2 would be the first official version of the console to get special-edition visual changes (at least according to a post from Daniel Reen on Bluesky). Rare, limited-edition consoles are something Nintendo did quite often for the first Switch, so it's about time the Switch 2 got one. That at least makes this rumored hardware seem somewhat believable. 

Considering fans have been waiting for Nintendo to drop some special-edition hardware, this Switch 2 leak certainly has some folks ready to invest. Reactions from fans on Reddit are pretty positive, with many saying they've specifically been waiting for a Zelda-themed system before purchasing the console. Others who already own a Switch 2 like the design, as well, but they wish Nintendo would put out the special-edition dock separately so they can get in on it too without having to buy a whole second console. (Other less-than-fortunate fans also expressed their frustration at having bought a Switch 2 mere weeks before these pics leaked.)

The timing would also make sense for more reasons than the franchise's 40th anniversary year. Nintendo already announced a remake of "Ocarina of Time" expected later this year, and the company has been known to drop specially themed consoles like this around tentpoles, like the "Splatoon 3" special edition, for example. Alas, the leaks don't say anything about when the rumored hardware would be announced, how much it would cost, or whether it would be bundled with the "Ocarina of Time" remake... so take all this with a grain or two of rock salt.