Nintendo officially confirmed at Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney, Australia, that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist outside the established series timeline. This revelation significantly alters the established Zelda chronology.
A New Branch in the Zelda Timeline
The presentation unveiled a revised timeline, highlighting that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are independent from previous entries. This contradicts the previously understood branching timelines stemming from Ocarina of Time, which included the "Hero is Defeated" and "Hero is Triumphant" paths, each further subdivided. These established timelines encompass titles such as A Link to the Past, Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, The Wind Waker, and Four Swords Adventures.
Images shown during the presentation clearly depict Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom as a separate entity, detached from the main branches of the Zelda timeline. This places them in a unique position within the franchise's history.
The Blurred Lines of Hyrule's History
The complexity of Hyrule's cyclical history, characterized by recurring periods of prosperity and decline, has long fueled fan speculation regarding the timeline. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion further complicates matters by suggesting the difficulty in distinguishing historical fact from legend within Hyrule's narrative. The book states that the cyclical nature of Hyrule's history obscures the boundaries between verifiable events and fictional tales, making definitive timeline placement challenging. This inherent ambiguity adds another layer to the already intricate tapestry of the Zelda timeline. The placement of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom outside the established timeline adds a new dimension to this ongoing debate.
