Nintendo confirms that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist outside the established Zelda timeline. This announcement was made at Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney, Australia.
A Separate Branch in Zelda History
The revelation significantly alters the established Zelda timeline, which previously branched into three distinct paths following Ocarina of Time: "Adult," "Child," and "Hero is Defeated." Nintendo's presentation explicitly positions Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom as separate entities, unconnected to these established timelines.
This new information, reported by Vooks, adds another layer of complexity to the already intricate Zelda lore. The series' history, spanning back to 1987, has always involved Link's battles against evil across multiple, interconnected timelines. However, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom now stand apart, representing a unique narrative arc.
The original timeline, starting with Skyward Sword and branching after Ocarina of Time, is depicted below:
The ambiguity surrounding Hyrule's history, as alluded to in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion, further complicates the matter. The book suggests the cyclical nature of Hyrule's rise and fall makes distinguishing legend from historical fact nearly impossible. This inherent uncertainty allows for the independent placement of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom within the larger Zelda universe.
