A Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller has leaked online, and the reaction from Nintendo fans has been exactly what you'd expect: immediate, loud, and very impatient. Packaging images shared on social media point to a green and gold design featuring the Triforce insignia and a tiny NES-era Link printed on the back near the Nintendo Switch 2 logo. For anyone who plays The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and has a soft spot for Hyrule-themed hardware, this thing looks like exactly the collector's piece the franchise deserves.
The key here is that this controller hasn't been officially announced yet. What exists right now is leaked packaging, which means no confirmed price, no launch date, and no guarantee it ships exactly as shown.
What the original Tears of the Kingdom controller actually offers
While the Switch 2 version remains in rumor territory, the original Tears of the Kingdom Pro Controller is a real, purchasable product right now. Its black chassis has a semi-transparent finish that lets you see the PCB beneath, layered under a Zonai-tech-inspired circular pattern across the faceplate. The black-on-black aesthetic is subtle, but the contrasting grip panels give it enough visual punch to read as a genuine collector's item.
Here's the thing though: it was designed for the original Switch generation, and that creates a specific limitation when pairing it with the Switch 2.
The GameShare 'C' button functionality is also absent, since that's exclusive to Switch 2-native controllers. If those two missing features aren't dealbreakers for you, the controller works fine with the new hardware for actual gameplay.
Stock on the official Nintendo storefront has dried up in both the US and UK, but second-hand listings are still active. Refurbished units have been spotted on Amazon around the $79.99 mark, and eBay listings start from roughly $71.
Old vs new: how the two controllers stack up
The design comparison is where opinions will split. The Tears of the Kingdom pad leans into the darker, more mysterious aesthetic of that specific game. The leaked Switch 2 version goes full franchise celebration mode with the green and gold combo that the brain immediately maps to Link and the Triforce. Both are clearly aimed at collectors, but they're targeting different sensibilities.
The Switch 2 Pro Controller ecosystem right now
For context, the standard Switch 2 Pro Controller retails at $89.99 on Nintendo's US storefront, with the Resident Evil Requiem Edition sitting at $99.99. A Zelda-themed Switch 2 version, if it follows that pricing pattern, would likely land somewhere in the same range or slightly above given the anniversary branding.
What most players miss when looking at the original Tears of the Kingdom pad is that it still holds up visually next to current-gen hardware. The circular patterning on the faceplate echoes the design language of the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch's right Joy-Con, so it doesn't look out of place sitting next to Switch 2 accessories. The functional gaps are real, but the aesthetic coherence is there.
For Zelda fans who want something right now and don't need full Switch 2 feature parity, the original controller remains a solid pickup. For those who can hold out, the leaked 40th Anniversary version looks like it could be the definitive Hyrule-themed gamepad for the current generation. Keep an eye on Nintendo's official channels for any formal announcement, and check out the strategy guides for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild while you wait for more news to drop on the Switch 2 hardware front.
