Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild are no longer part of the main Legend of Zelda timeline, as Nintendo retcons them as 'standalone' games

GamesActionThe Legend of ZeldaTears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild are no longer part of the main Legend of Zelda timeline, as Nintendo retcons them as ‘standalone’ gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. GamesActionThe Legend of ZeldaTears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild are no longer part of the main Legend of Zelda timeline, as Nintendo retcons them as ‘standalone’ gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Nintendo) Nintendo has tried to convince us for years that The Legend of Zelda games fit into a larger continuity that sometimes splits off into multiple different timelines, but with Breath of the Wild andTears of the Kingdom, the company seems to have given up. Vooksreports that an updated The Legend of Zelda timeline on display at Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney lists both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom as standalone games, disconnected from any existing Zelda timeline, meaning no previous games come before or after the events of the Nintendo Switch releases. The new timeline reportedly has the usual lineup of a somewhat linear course of events leading up to Ocarina of Time, at which point the timeline split off into three different branches where things get a little unruly. But Nintendo’s been known to have tinkered with the timeline over the years, so maybe it just hasn’t made an official decision on where the newer entries land. Either way, I think that’s the greatest indication that we shouldn’t place too much importance on the Zelda timeline. I like the idea that The Legend of Zelda games are connected in a kind of cyclical sense. Zelda, Link, and Ganon - Hyrule’s sort of Holy Trinity - are doomed to a fate of rebirth, only to repeat the same battles for the rest of time. I don’t like the idea that one Zelda game leads directly to the next, largely because the games themselves don’t usually care about such details either, unless they happen to be a rare direct sequel like Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo did recently announce thatThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Master Works, a big art and lore book, would feature a new timeline for fans to scratch their heads over, but it’s only out in Japan so far and we’ve yet to see any proper translations. Nintendo created its own Zelda-themed social media to help it finish Tears of the Kingdom, with rupees instead of likes. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more CATEGORIESNintendoNintendo SwitchPlatformsNintendo CATEGORIES PRODUCTSThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild PRODUCTS More about the legend of zelda2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarThis new indie D&D campaign setting brings Studio Ghibli and Zelda: Breath of the Wild aesthetics and worldbuilding to the tabletop RPG, and I’m already scheming hard as a DMLatest26 years later, Codemasters' Chris Southall talks Colin McRae Rally: “We wanted to do something that was an authentic rally experience for the hardware of the time"See more latest► More about the legend of zelda2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarThis new indie D&D campaign setting brings Studio Ghibli and Zelda: Breath 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of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive 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