One of the biggest sources of discussion within the Zelda community has always been the timeline- what it is, and where each game in the series fits with respect to the other. It’s harder than you might think, because while Zelda is a storied series, the games oftentimes make only vague references to previously released games, making it very difficult to settle where they should be put in the timeline. Add in multiple timeline branches and splits, and you have a timeline that constantly keeps its fans and players in discourse.
Naturally, when Breath of the Wild was first revealed, everyone was curious about its place in the Zelda timeline, too. A lot of theories were suggested- maybe it is a direct sequel to Skyward Sword, or maybe it follows after Wind Waker. Some people took it even further down the line than that, placing it after Spirit Tracks, while some bold souls suggested that it may even be set after Zelda II.
Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Zelda series, has so far refrained from commenting too much on the game’s place in the timeline, stating that discovering where the game is is going to be a major part of the story. However, in an interview with Game Informer, he confirmed at least one small detail- that the game will be set after the Zelda game that was released back in 1998 on the Nintendo 64.
So this isn’t much of a spoiler- the larger question of where in the timeline after that game, given that the timeline splits into three after this game, stands, and is as prominent as ever. I’m still going to go with my ‘after Wind Waker‘ theory. The Koroks and Rito being in the game should be a dead giveaway.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch and Wii U on March 3.