The arrival of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in the Nintendo Switch 2's GameCube library doesn't rule out a dedicated port of this beloved adventure.
Nate Bihldorff, Senior Vice President of Product Development at Nintendo of America, explained to Tim Gettys of Kinda Funny that a game's inclusion in the Nintendo Switch Online library does not prevent the company from considering future remasters or remakes.
Despite their status as fan-favorite entries in the Zelda series, 2003’s The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess have yet to be officially ported to either the original Nintendo Switch or the upcoming Switch 2.
As a result, some fans have expressed concern that a full remaster may never arrive—especially since The Wind Waker, which was ported to Wii U in 2013, will soon be playable via Nintendo’s premium subscription service when the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5.
"We had the chance to ask plenty of questions, and in typical Nintendo fashion, we didn’t get many concrete answers. But I did ask whether putting Wind Waker on [Nintendo Switch Online] means the Wii U port won’t come to [Nintendo Switch 2], and he quickly said no. All possibilities remain open.
"Of course, nothing has been confirmed either way, but there are many examples of games available on NSO that have also been offered in other forms—whether through a remake or a direct port. It’s noteworthy that they didn’t say it won’t happen. Essentially, the message was 'never say never.'"
Last week’s Nintendo Direct revealed that GameCube games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online as part of its premium offerings.
The Best Nintendo Switch Online Gamecube Games
The Best Nintendo Switch Online Gamecube Games
This marks a major expansion of the Nintendo Switch Online catalog, giving subscribers access to a range of early-2000s classics like F-Zero GX and Soulcalibur 2. These titles, along with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, will be available at launch this summer. The library is set to grow in the coming years, with teased additions such as Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Strikers, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more.
Last week, the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date was delayed in the United States following import tariffs imposed by President Trump, which caused disruption in financial markets. The delay soon extended to Canada, with Nintendo Canada also confirming that pre-orders would be postponed.
For more details, see our roundup of everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.
