While fans have largely embraced Breath of the Wild‘s open world gameplay, there have been some questions about where the title falls within the franchise’s complicated timeline. Now, two Zelda producers have offered their explanation about Breath of the Wild‘s place in Hyrule history, but their response only invites more questions.
Via Kotaku, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma and Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi were asked about the timeline by Japanese magazine Famitsu. In response, Aonuma said that Breath of the Wild is at the end of the timeline, but declined to state which timeline. Fujibayashi simply suggested that it would be up to the players to determine which of the two timelines it brought to a close.
The issue at hand is that there the two Zelda timelines were split, thanks to the events of Ocarina of Time. In the world where Link was defeated by Ganondorf, the next game in the series was A Link To the Past. Link’s victory in Ocarina of Time led to Majora’s Mask and The Wind Waker. Many fans had already guessed that Breath of the Wild was likely the furthest game in the chronology. That’s why Nintendo’s latest word on the subject is neither surprising nore a definitive answer.
Of course, the overarching storyline of the series is largely a retcon, since the early Zelda games weren’t designed to withstand scrutiny about how they fit together within a timeline. They were simply made with the gameplay experience in mind. Still, it’s fun to imagine that every Legend of Zelda game has been leading to Breath of the Wild. But there are always new adventures that lie ahead.
Images: Nintendo
