Nintendo is betting its future on the screen. The company has revealed that Zelda: Ocarina of Time is coming to the Switch 2 as a remake, and Devon Pritchard, the COO of Nintendo of America, says the biggest bet is still the movies.
“We’re at the beginning of Nintendo Switch 2,” Pritchard told Variety. “This is just beginning and we’ve already had some really wonderful experiences, both ours and third-party come to the table and I can’t wait to see what the system is going to do and what our talented developers will bring to the table.”
The Numbers Behind the Confidence
Nintendo has plenty of reason to be confident. The Switch 2 became the fastest-selling video game hardware device in US history, beating the PS4’s record. Later, the company reported that Switch 2 sales reached nearly 20 million units almost one year after release, making it the second-fastest selling console in US history.
Those figures came despite a hardware price rise. Games like Pokopia kept the momentum going, and the company has not slowed down.
The Box Office Push
Pritchard pointed to the company’s recent box office success. “We’re working with Sony Pictures. We are going to have a movie come out in the end of April,” she said, referring to The Legend of Zelda. “We’re very excited about that.”
The last big Nintendo film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, earned $1 billion at the box office. It pulled in $372.6 million in its opening weekend alone.
The Film Partnerships
Pritchard’s excitement is clearly directed at the film side of the business. “But again, those partnerships and touchpoints with companies like Sony and Sony Pictures around how we can bring those experiences more broadly to not only our current players and fans but to new ones,” she said, “I think that’s one of the most exciting things for us over the next few years.”
The next major project is The Legend of Zelda, which is simply titled “The Legend of Zelda” with no subtitle. It was shown off in a dedicated Zelda Direct at the beginning of September.
What We Know About the Zelda Film
The film wrapped filming in New Zealand after starting the shoot in October 2025. There is no trailer yet, but the production is moving forward.
Pritchard’s enthusiasm is clear. She sees the movies as a way to reach new audiences, not just existing fans.
Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Pritchard addressed how Nintendo plans to stand out in a media landscape that is more competitive than ever. “There are more channels for content than ever before,” she said. “Content is available 24/7. So I think what’s unique is that Nintendo is focused instead on building experiences that create relationships that last generations. And I think that’s a different kind of focus for us.”
She added: “But that really is where we put our time and our energy… how do we create those fun experiences? And that becomes the test: is something fun? It sounds simple, of course it’s not.”
The Current Industry Woes
The games industry is facing real trouble right now. An industry crunch, rising hardware prices, and lower consumer spend are hitting companies hard.
Nintendo appears to be weathering the storm. Its sales numbers suggest the company is holding strong, and the film partnerships add another revenue stream.
The Road Ahead
The question is whether the company’s belief in its product and audience lasts through the current industry woes. The combination of an industry crunch, rising hardware prices, and lower consumer spend is having a pretty disastrous effect elsewhere, but it seems Nintendo is so far weathering the storm.
The Switch 2 has proved its staying power, and the film slate suggests the company is not slowing down. Pritchard’s promise of “just the beginning” is backed by real numbers.
Key Facts Box
- Switch 2 sales: Nearly 20 million units, almost one year after release
- Fastest-selling hardware record: Broken, surpassing the PS4
- Box office, Super Mario Galaxy Movie: $1 billion total, $372.6 million opening weekend
- Next Zelda film: Wrapping filming in New Zealand, shot since October 2025
- Movie release: Late April
Nintendo has proven it can sell hardware and make films. The question is whether it can keep doing both while the industry struggles around it. For now, the company is betting on fun, and the numbers back that bet.
See the video the story is built around at Eurogamer.
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