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.
Zelda Timeline Gets Even More Complex
TotK and BotW Events Unrelated to Previous Titles
Nintendo's presentation revealed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) and Breath of the Wild (BotW) occupy a separate timeline, unconnected to previous entries. This was reported by Vooks.
Since 1987, the Legend of Zelda series has captivated players with its intricate timelines and Link's battles against evil. However, the recently revealed timeline shows BotW and TotK events are independent.
Beginning with Skyward Sword and leading to Ocarina of Time, the timeline branches after the latter. It splits into the "Hero is Defeated" timeline (e.g., A Link to the Past) and the "Hero is Triumphant" timeline, further dividing into the "Child" timeline (Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, Four Swords Adventures) and the "Adult" timeline (The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass).
Noticeably, BotW and TotK stand apart, forming their own timeline, separate from the established series events.
The Zelda timeline has long been a source of fan debate. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion suggests Hyrule's cyclical history blurs the lines between fact and legend, further complicating timeline placement. As the book states: "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."
