TotK, BotW Timeline Distinct from Series

Nintendo has officially confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist outside of the established timeline for the series. This significant revelation was made during the Nintendo Live 2024 event held in Sydney, Australia, where the company presented a detailed look into "The Legend of Zelda History."

Zelda Timeline Gets Even Crazier

TotK and BotW Events Said to be Unrelated to Previous Titles

As announced by Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) and Breath of the Wild (BotW) are positioned outside the series' intricate timeline. This was highlighted during Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney, with slides illustrating the timeline of "The Legend of Zelda History."

Since its debut in 1987, The Legend of Zelda series has captivated fans with Link's timeless battle against evil across multiple timelines. According to a report by Vooks, a reputable gaming news site, the events in both BotW and TotK do not directly connect to the narratives of the earlier games.

The timeline traditionally begins with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and progresses to Ocarina of Time, which famously splits into three distinct paths. The "Hero is Defeated" timeline leads to games like A Link to the Past. Meanwhile, the "Hero is Triumphant" timeline diverges into the "Child" timeline, which includes Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and Four Swords Adventure, and the "Adult" timeline, featuring The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

However, BotW and TotK are depicted as standalone entries, detached from the core timeline that weaves together the rest of the Zelda universe.

The Zelda franchise’s timeline has long been a subject of fascination and debate among fans, given its complex and branching nature. The book The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion adds another layer to this discussion by suggesting that Hyrule’s history is cyclical, making it challenging to distinguish between historical fact and legend. As noted in the book, "Hyrule’s recurring periods of prosperity and decline have made it impossible to tell which legends are historical fact and which are mere fairy tale."