Not counting the strange diversion caused by Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be the last moment in the series timeline. This is because the split timelines created at the end of Ocarina of Time all merge into one, leading into Breath of the Wild and its sequel. Does this mean that Tears of the Kingdom will close out the series and bring The Legend of Zelda franchise to an end?
Related: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Release Date, Preorders & Trailers
Will Tears Of The Kingdom Be The Final Entry In The Legend Of Zelda Series?
Tears of the Kingdom is shaping up to be a massive game and could very well be the biggest title of 2023, taking on the likes of Final Fantasy XVI and Starfield at the marketplace. Due to this sheer popularity, Tears of the Kingdom is unlikely to be the last entry in The Legend of Zelda series. There has been no word from any higher-ups at Nintendo or any producers associated with the series that they’re planning on this being its final entry.
The fact that The Legend of Zelda series has a strange timeline means that future teams have a lot of leeway in writing new stories. Tears of the Kingdom might be the last point in the timeline, but it’s loose enough that the developers of the next game can just set it a few centuries further or push it in the middle of one of the classic timelines to make the kind of game that they want to make. Continuity has never been one of The Legend of Zelda’s strong suits, so there’s no reason why Tears of the Kingdom has to be the last game.
Will Tears Of The Kingdom Be The Final Legend Of Zelda Game On Nintendo Switch?
This is a little trickier to answer, especially as the Nintendo Switch is likely nearing the end of its lifespan. While there is undoubtedly room for Legend of Zelda spin-off titles, like Cadence of Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom will likely be the last mainline entry on Nintendo Switch. One possible way around this is if a third entry is made, turning Breath of the Wild into a trilogy, with the next game launching on both the Nintendo Switch and its successor. That’s exactly what they did with Breath of the Wild coming to the Switch and the Wii U, but that’s just speculation at this time.
Related: Everything New in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom Final Trailer
There are also still some Legend of Zelda games coming to the Nintendo Switch Online service, with the Oracle games already confirmed, so there are still more retro games on the way. There is also a chance that more Legend of Zelda remakes and remasters will be released on Nintendo Switch, as the HD remasters of Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker are still locked to the Wii U. It’s easy to imagine Nintendo porting them in the future, as late stage releases for the Switch to plug holes in the schedule.
