“Wilds Era” is useful shorthand for the part of The Legend of Zelda timeline centered on Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom—but the sources reviewed do not establish it as an official English era name. Nintendo’s current Japanese chronology displays the two games in a distinct section associated with a Zonai-era founding of Hyrule, while leaving that section’s exact relationship to the older timeline branches unexplained.
What “Wilds Era” means
In this article, “Wilds Era” means the late-period Hyrule setting associated with Breath of the Wild and its direct sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. It is a convenient label for discussing those games together, not a formal English-era name confirmed by the Nintendo sources reviewed.
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Nintendo’s current Japanese chronology gives this period a distinct place in its display. It presents a Zonai-era founding of Hyrule, then events involving Ganondorf, the Imprisoning War, the Calamity, and the conflicts represented in the two games. The page does not explain exactly how this later founding connects to the older branches.
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Where the games sit—and what Nintendo confirms
Nintendo’s chronology displays the Wilds games in a separate section from the earlier paths that follow Ocarina of Time. Those older paths include the familiar defeat and victory outcomes. The later section’s visual separation is official; what it means for continuity is not spelled out on the page. Nintendo’s Japanese Zelda chronology
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The games’ immediate relationship is clearer. In Nintendo’s 2023 developer interview, series producer Eiji Aonuma says: “This title is set in Hyrule shortly after the end of the previous game.” Nintendo describes Tears of the Kingdom as a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. That confirms their order relative to one another, but does not resolve how their era relates to the older timeline branches. Nintendo’s developer interview
What the chronology does not settle
The separate placement has prompted several continuity explanations: the old branches might converge, Hyrule might be founded again much later, or another model might account for the gap. Nintendo’s chronology does not select among these explanations. In particular, its display alone is not proof that there are definitively “two Hyrules” or that a refounding is the official answer.
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A 2026 GamesRadar+ report reads the separate founding as support for a refounding theory. That is the outlet’s interpretation, rather than an explicit explanation from Nintendo. The narrower supported point is that Nintendo’s current chronology displays a Zonai-era founding separately from the earlier founding. GamesRadar+’s report and interpretation
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In 2018, Aonuma said the team wanted players to imagine the world rather than impose a definitive timeline placement for Breath of the Wild. Nintendo Life reported his comments through a translation of Creating a Champion: “We want players to be able to continue having fun imagining this world even after they are finished with the game, so, this time, we decided that we would avoid making clarifications. I hope that everyone can find their own answer, in their own way.” That is useful context for the earlier uncertainty, not proof that Nintendo has never updated its chronology. Nintendo Life’s report on Aonuma’s 2018 comments
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A September 2024 Nintendo Life timeline guide records the earlier debate and summarizes the three branches after Ocarina of Time. It predates Nintendo’s current chronology display, so it is useful background rather than the latest account of how Nintendo presents the timeline. Nintendo Life’s timeline guide
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How to describe it accurately
- Label: Call “Wilds Era” a shorthand for the Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom period, not a Nintendo-confirmed English era name.
- Official display: Nintendo’s Japanese chronology separates the Zonai-era founding and Wilds games from the older branches.
- Confirmed game order: Tears of the Kingdom follows Breath of the Wild shortly afterward.
- Open question: Nintendo’s displayed chronology does not specify whether the older branches converge, Hyrule is refounded, or another continuity explanation applies.
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