Unlike other games of the series, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor hold the unique status of being set at the culmination of all three Zelda timelines, which ultimately now leaves Nintendo with the ideal opportunity for an instrumental prequel. Besides being a fan favorite, Ocarina of Time is well-known for setting in motion Zelda's three branching timelines that have become integral to its canonical history. But Breath of the Wild struck a similar chord when Nintendo confirmed that both it and Tears of the Kingdom were set after all three timelines had finally reunited.

Now after Tears of the Kingdom followed on from the events of Breath of the Wild, the Zelda series is at a crossroads when it comes to positioning its next game within the broader timeline. While the next game could be set after Tears of the Kingdom with Nintendo treating this as a soft reboot for Zelda's increasingly convoluted timelines, there is just as much chance that the next game could also be set before this. More specifically, a prequel to Breath of the Wild could take advantage of its unique timeline and allow players to experience the moment all three timelines rejoined as one.

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Time Travel Primes BotW For A Prequel

Beyond Zelda's long-standing history it has with time travel which led Ocarina of Time to famously create the series' split timelines, Tears of the Kingdom's story heavily revolved around the use of time between Princess Zelda and the Master Sword. Combined with Breath of the Wild's plot point of Link's century-long coma and both games taking place when all three timelines reunite, they have brought Zelda's use of time travel back to the forefront of the series. As such, it seems that Nintendo was carefully considering the direction of the series whereby Tears of the Kingdom has finished what Ocarina of Time began.

But while this gives both The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and its predecessor a special status within the Zelda timeline, it also leaves open another point in time that neither addresses. With Breath of the Wild and its sequel set so far into Hyrule's future when the timelines have already converged, that means that somewhere prior to both games is a moment when this convergence actually happened. So just as Ocarina of Time became integral to splitting the timelines, a prequel to Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom would be equally important for unifying these split timelines at that point in time.

Zelda's Era of the Wild Needs A Prequel

Though Breath of the Wild received a non-canon prequel with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Tears of the Kingdom could receive the same Hyrule Warriors treatment with The Imprisoning War, a prequel set during the timeline unification wouldn't need to be directly tied to these games. But a prequel for the Era of the Wilds is still just as significant to the Zelda timeline as the likes of Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time were. This particular prequel could provide players with a vital explanation that Nintendo would likely have to eventually give anyway as to how all three timelines rejoined.

Alongside the prospect of time travel that Tears of the Kingdom reintroduced, the prequel could offer Nintendo the opportunity to capitalize on a soft reboot of the Zelda timeline while simultaneously paying tribute to the series' history. With games like A Link to the Past, Twilight Princess, and Wind Waker all taking place in separate timelines, an Era of the Wilds' prequel could bring these games and more into its story as it lays the groundwork that will lead to Breath of the Wild and its sequel. This prequel could even go further and reboot Zelda as one universe of many, moving beyond time travel and into the multiverse.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is available now on Nintendo Switch.

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