Nintendo gave gamers a truly unexpected gift at the end of 2011. In a move that topped off a great celebration of The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary, the notoriously secretive company finally revealed the timeline that fans have been craving for years. Many gamers have long been argued that there are actually two Zelda timelines, with the split taking place with Ocarina of Time. While this theory addressed many issues, it still didn't fully explain the specific placement of each game. There’s a good reason for that: Ocarina of Time actually created three separate time streams, according to Nintendo itself (who has, up until now, remained completley silent on the matter). While it may sound odd at first, this actually makes perfect sense. Especially when looking at the release history of the Legend of Zelda series as a whole.

The two NES titles were easy to place: Nintendo came right out and said that Zelda II picked up soon after the original. The same is true for A Link to the Past, which Nintendo indicated was a prequel to both the NES games and Link’s Awakening. The timeline didn’t become truly muddled until the release of the Nintendo 64 classic, Ocarina of Time. It seemed simple at first with its sequel, Majora’s Mask, immediately following Young Link’s further adventures, but things quickly got muddled with the subsequent releases of Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Wind Waker, and Four Swords.

With each new game, things got progressively more complex, with each offering only a few clues to tie them together. But thanks to the new timeline, things have become much clearer. The oldest games all take place in a timeline dubbed Link’s failure; Majora’s Mask and Twilight Princess occur in Young Link’s timeline, and Wind Waker and the DS games in the Adult Link’s departure timeline. The remainders are all set before Ocarina and lay the history of Hyrule. It’s simple, yet ingenious.

There’s only one problem. Where does Nintendo go from here?

When the chronology was open to debate, Nintendo could place a new Zelda game wherever they wanted without having to worry about the fanbase. Now with each release, they’ll have to clearly detail when it takes place. The main problem with this is that certain expectations will undoubtedly arise when a specific time-frame is given. Questions are expected to be answered and Nintendo will have to please fans in an entirely different way. Story, which has typically been one of the series’ weaker elements, will be pushed to the forefront...a concern if Nintendo’s story-heavy Metroid: Other M is any indication. However, I see this as a huge opportunity for the company to expand their storytelling prowess and make a solid step to reach the heights of other modern games.

The chronology has natural gaps that just beg to be expanded, perhaps none more so than the split that occurs when Young Link leaves his original time-stream in the “failure” timeline, which seems confusing at first. Our theory is that Ganondorf wins when Link takes hold of the Master Sword for the first time in Ocarina; the future that Link eventually arrives at is a different timeline that splits from the “failure” one as soon as he arrives, since Link wasn’t around to defeat Ganondorf. Much like the Back to the Future 2 explanation of time shifts, Link is on a completely different time plane. This happens a third time when he returns to the past and turns in Ganondorf, though his return does not erase the other two timelines from history.

It’s confusing stuff, but here is a story ripe for expansion. I’ve heard fans beg for years for a Zelda story where Ganondorf has already won. Here it is. We know he’s eventually sealed away by seven wise men before the events of A Link to the Past, but surely it’s not as simple as these seven coming together on their own to vanquish Ganondorf. A Link to the Past even mentions that the wise men were aided by the Hylian Knights. It's simple to imagine that an ancestor of Link's was among those knights. There’s so much potential there that Nintendo would be foolish to not utilize it.

Another potential Zelda could expand on the world of Spirit Tracks. That game was the first time gamers ever saw Link use more modern technology, which is another request that some fans have been making for years. How awesome would it be to see Link in a steampunk setting? The villain could literally be anything and the dungeons would feel brand new with the introduction of more modern or fantastical items and weapons. Thanks to the multiple timelines, it all fits and Link can easily return to his fantasy setting if Nintendo so desires.

Of course Nintendo could continue what they’ve been doing all these years and continue to make new games and plug it into the timeline where they see fit. The time between most of the games is vague enough that it could all still work. It would be a bit of a waste in my opinion, but ultimately it's up to Nintendo to decide where Zelda goes from here. 

While some may think the revelation of Zelda’s chronology will limit the series, I believe it will realize a new kind of potential. With more structure given, Nintendo can craft a story that not only expands the series’ mythos but keep the gameplay fresh and new. Finally seeing the Zelda timeline only makes me that much more excited for the next 25 years of Link’s adventures.