Nintendo confirms Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom exist outside the established Zelda timeline. This announcement, made at Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney, Australia, significantly alters fan understanding of the series' chronology.

A Separate Branch in Zelda History

The presentation revealed that Tears of the Kingdom (TotK) and Breath of the Wild (BotW) events are unconnected to previous Zelda titles. This contrasts with the established timeline, branching from Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time, then further dividing into the "Hero is Defeated" and "Hero is Triumphant" branches (the latter further splitting into "Child" and "Adult" timelines).

The established timeline includes games like A Link to the Past, Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, Four Swords Adventures, The Wind Waker, and Phantom Hourglass. However, BotW and TotK are depicted as a separate entity, detached from this intricate web of interconnected narratives.

Blurring the Lines of Hyrule's History

The complexity of Hyrule's cyclical history, as hinted at in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Creating a Champion, contributes to the ambiguity. The book suggests that the recurring cycles of prosperity and decline make it difficult to distinguish between historical fact and legend, further complicating the placement of these titles within the overall series narrative. The quote, "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," underscores this inherent uncertainty. This new information adds another layer to the already complex and much-debated Zelda timeline.