During Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney, Nintendo officially announced that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist independently from the franchise's established timeline.
Zelda Timeline Takes an Unexpected Turn
TotK and BotW Break Away From Series Chronology
Nintendo's revelation confirms Breath of the Wild (BotW) and Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) occupy their own distinct space within the Zelda universe, separate from previous titles. The disclosure came during a presentation showcasing "The Legend of Zelda History" timeline at the Sydney event.
While the franchise has followed Link's adventures across multiple timelines since 1987, recent reports from Vooks indicate BotW and TotK's events share no direct connection with earlier games.
The traditional Zelda timeline originates with Skyward Sword and diverges after Ocarina of Time, splitting into two primary branches: the "Hero Falls" timeline leading to classics like A Link to the Past, and the "Hero Prevails" timeline that further divides into the "Child" timeline (including Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess) and the "Adult" timeline (featuring The Wind Waker series).
Notably, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom appear isolated on the timeline diagram, disconnected from these established narrative branches.
This revelation adds complexity to ongoing discussions about the Zelda chronology. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion suggests Hyrule's cyclical history blends fact with legend, making definitive timeline placement increasingly challenging. As the book states: "Hyrule's repeated rises and falls have obscured the line between historical events and mythological tales."
