The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has expressed that he doesn’t care about the chronology of the series.
In a recent IGN interview, Aonuma was asked about how the latest installment fits into the complex timelines of the Zelda universe. The producer emphasized that these games are more like legends surrounding iconic characters rather than strictly adhering to a fixed canon.
Aonuma further agreed that delving too deeply into the convoluted Zelda chronology might impose restrictions on the creative freedom and vision of the development team. The franchise’s chronology originates from Skyward Sword and branches into three alternative timelines after Ocarina of Time.
Eiji Aonuma explained,
“I think just as you say, this is a series that really lends itself well to each person playing, then thinking back and interpreting the story elements in their own way. We have these major players in each game, with Zelda, and Ganon, and Link, and they each surface and play their roles in potentially slightly different ways in each title.”
Aonuma conveyed that he didn’t like placing too much importance on the chronological order of the series. He highlighted the potential drawback from a design perspective, noting that a rigid chronology could constrain the narrative’s evolution across future games in the series.
Allowing fans to interpret the timeline on their own terms fosters a more engaging and flexible experience, according to the Zelda producer.
Tears of the Kingdom is regarded as one of the best games released in 2023. This bit of news from the game’s producer gives fans some idea of how the next Zelda game will shape up with the Switch 2 release on the horizon.
