Age of Imprisonment (inferred prequel)

The ancient Imprisoning War itself — Zelda stranded in Hyrule's founding era, fighting the war TOTK only remembers.

Fork point: Not chart-placed — marketed as preceding TOTK's Imprisoning War/Zonai era

The Story Arc

Shipped November 6, 2025 for Switch 2, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment dramatizes the era Tears of the Kingdom only shows in fragments: the founding age of Hyrule, Rauru and Sonia's kingdom, the Zonai, and the Imprisoning War against Ganondorf — with the time-displaced Zelda of TOTK stranded in the middle of it. Nintendo calls its story a 'canonical tale,' and it shipped over a million copies by January 2026.

Still, no official chart places it. Its 'prequel' status is inferred from its subject matter, not printed anywhere — which is why this site marks it speculative. Aonuma has even suggested this era could inspire the next mainline Zelda, meaning this corner of the timeline is live creative territory, not settled history.

Games, in chronological order

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

November 6, 2025 · Switch 2

Set during the ancient Imprisoning War, this Switch 2 musou title depicts the Zonai-era conflict that seals Ganondorf and precedes Tears of the Kingdom — filling in roughly three hours of voice-acted backstory Nintendo has called a 'canonical tale,' though never formally chart-placed relative to TOTK.

Speculative Placement

Threads running through this branch

Ganon's Incarnations Zelda's Incarnations The Imprisoning War(s)