Highlights
- The Legend of Zelda franchise may be moving on from its current iteration with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but there is potential for these games to become part of a true trilogy in the future.
- The Zelda franchise has a history of multiple sequels and can establish a solid line of games within its own era, as seen with examples like Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.
- There are still many details and plot hooks left to explore in the Breath of the Wild universe, such as the origins of the Master Sword, the Zonai tribe, and the implications of the Goddess Hylia and the Triforce. Additionally, a future Zelda game could explore an urban setting or incorporate more secrets and dungeons for a fresh experience.
After having been with players since the Nintendo Switch’s launch in 2017, the saga that started with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild may finally be over. With a spin-off in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as a sequel, the current iteration of Zelda seems to have run its course. Nintendo has stated that although open-world Zelda is still the franchise’s current direction, Tears of the Kingdom shows the extent of the ideas Nintendo had for this particular Zelda world.
There's no telling where the franchise will go next, as it's been unusual for a single Zelda setting to last as long as this one has. With what may be over ten cumulative years of development, it's not surprising that Nintendo would like to move on to a different Hyrule, whether it’s a classic top-down adventure or a modern-day Legend of Zelda. However, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom’s story doesn’t have to be over yet, so Nintendo shouldn't cross out the possibility of making these games into a true trilogy someday.
There’s Precedent For Zelda Games With Multiple Sequels
The Zelda franchise is no stranger to having several games serve as explicit sequels and even use the same Link. Consulting the Hyrule Historia reveals the most notable example to be Ocarina of Time proceeding into Majora's Mask, followed by the same Link’s shade appearing in Twilight Princess. Each timeline branch has multiple games leading into each other, so even with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom apparently taking place far in the future, there's still room for their own era to build up a solid line of games.
Comparing the Breath of the Wild family to the established timeline reveals they form a brief timeline chart all on their own, with all the space for more installments that entails. Breath of the Wild covers a time period after a vague but long Era of Myth, and parts of Tears of the Kingdom jump into or before said Era to establish how its Hyrule was founded. Meanwhile, Age of Calamity represents a major timeline split before Breath of the Wild. There’s ample unexplored history in and around all the entries in Breath of the Wild’s setting, and they aren’t short on plot hooks to explore.
How A Tears of the Kingdom Sequel Could Work
One of the best reasons to give Breath of the Wild another sequel is how many details are still left to tug on. How the Master Sword was forged in this timeline is now suspect thanks to TotK’s time traveling despite the apparent presence of Skyward Sword’s Fi, as is the whereabouts of the Zonai tribe apart from Rauru and Mineru. There have also been several references to the Goddess Hylia and the Triforce, but it’s once again unclear if Skyward Sword’s explanations for them still apply. Add all that to Calamity Ganon's multiple apparent revivals and there's plenty more to do with this Hyrule.
Alternatively, an urban Legend of Zelda could take place after Tears of the Kingdom. Besides Spirit Tracks, Tears of the Kingdom has the highest level of public technology in the franchise, potentially leading to the rise of a more modern civilization within a couple of generations. That would excuse the Guardians returning as guards and service machines, as well as explain the use of a new Ultrahand equivalent in a future Zelda game. Throw in more secrets or dungeons in the Depths or the skies, and a Zelda title set after Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom could feel just as fresh as a wholly new entry.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now for the Nintendo Switch.
