The arrival of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on the Nintendo Switch 2 through the GameCube library does not rule out the possibility of a future port for this fan-favorite adventure. According to Nate Bihldorff, senior vice president of product development at Nintendo of America, in an interview with Kinda Funny's Tim Gettys, the inclusion of a game in Nintendo Switch Online's library does not preclude the developer from considering a remaster or remake. Despite their popularity, neither The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker nor Twilight Princess have yet been ported to the Nintendo Switch or the Switch 2.
Some fans have expressed concern that a full remaster might not happen, especially since The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, which was previously ported to the Wii U in 2013, will soon be accessible through Nintendo's premium subscription service upon the Nintendo Switch 2's release on June 5. However, Bihldorff emphasized that all options remain open, stating, "We got to ask a whole bunch of questions and, in typical Nintendo fashion, we didn't get too many answers to things, but I did ask if having the Wind Waker on [Nintendo Switch Online] precludes [Nintendo Switch 2] from getting the actual Wii U port at some point, and he was very quick to say no. All options are on the table."
Bihldorff further elaborated that while nothing is confirmed, there are precedents of games available on NSO that have also been released in other formats, either as remakes or the same port version. He noted, "Obviously, nothing's confirmed one way or another, but there are many examples of games that are on NSO and [you can] still get them in a different way, whether it's a remake or just the same port version. So, interesting that they didn't say it's not happening, but essentially it was never say never."
During last week's Nintendo Direct presentation, it was revealed that GameCube titles are being added to the Nintendo Switch Online premium library. This significant update will provide subscribers with access to a variety of classic 2000s-era titles, including F-Zero GX and Soulcalibur 2, all available at launch this summer, alongside The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The library is set to expand in the future, with teased titles such as Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Strikers, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more.
Recent news also highlighted delays in Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States due to import tariffs imposed by President Trump, which caused financial market instability. Shortly after, Nintendo Canada confirmed similar pre-order delays.
For more information, you can explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.
