• Welcome to ZD Forums! You must create an account and log in to see and participate in the Shoutbox chat on this main index page.

Hyrule Warriors Is this canon or not?

Joined
May 11, 2011
What is the official word on AOC's canon-status? Has there even been an official word?

I'm guessing it's not canon to BOTW itself. However, I suppose it could be canon to the Zelda timeline as a whole, in the sense that it creates an alternate timeline, like OOT did.
 

RamboBambiBambo

RamboBambiBamboBingoBongoBoiyo
Joined
Oct 19, 2021
Location
The Silent Realm
Gender
Male
It is considered to be loose canon. As its events that transpire, even before Terrako's timeskip that alter the timeline, do not match up with the backstory established in BotW.

For example... Link finds the Master Sword at the start of his teen years. But in HWAoC he finds it as a young knight in his late teens.
 

Azure Sage

March onward forever...
Staff member
ZD Legend
Comm. Coordinator
It's a different timeline and a different world that was created by the time-travelling guardian. Hence the mismatched histories. It can certainly be considered canon and there isn't anything that conflicts with that, plot-wise. As for official word, there hasn't been any. The Zelda team oversaw it very closely though and iirc Aonuma and Fujibayashi conceived the story, so like... it might as well be canon.
 

Uwu_Oocoo2

Joy is in video games and colored pencils
ZD Legend
Forum Volunteer
I tend to count this game as loosely canon, although I know a lot of people just think of it as a spin-off. I almost picture this as Nintendo trying to drag themselves put of a very narrow situation they put themselves in. By putting so many connections to different timelines into botw and placing it at "the end", they seem to be making it some form of timeline reunification (not to dredge up a timeline debate or anything). So that means from here on out they have very little room to maneuver, since there's only one timeline/thread they can put new games onto. By making AoC they way they did that singular timeline splits into two, giving them two new different Hyrules to set future games in.
 

Bowsette Plus-Ultra

wah
ZD Legend
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Location
Iowa
Gender
Lizard
It isn't confirmed to be canon and I'm unsure if it ever will. Personally I'd rather it not be made canon because then you'd have to canonize the "new champions" having visited that alternate timeline.

It isn't the biggest leap of logic the Zelda timeline has made. Still feels like chump change compared to the "downfall timeline".
 

Bowsette Plus-Ultra

wah
ZD Legend
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Location
Iowa
Gender
Lizard
But realistically making it canon serves no purpose I think, I really doubt they'd use it to add games to.

I mean, none of the games ultimately serve a purpose in the current canon. It's the Zelda pessimist in me, but Age of Calamity is so far the only game to mix up the status quo with its plot. You could pull other games out of the current timeline and lose nothing, because none of them have longterm ramifications.
 
Last edited:

Spiritual Mask Salesman

CHIMer Dragonborn
Staff member
Comm. Coordinator
Site Staff
I mean, none of the games ultimate serve a purpose in the current canon. It's the Zelda pessimist in me, but Age of Calamity is so far the only game to mix up the status quo with its plot. You could pull other games out of the current timeline and lose nothing, because none of them have longterm ramifications.
I disagree, a lot of the games do tie together, even if it's just loosely. I could go in depth but I feel like I've explained it so many times at this point.
 
As far as I know there hasn't been an official statement on the canon status of the game. Its being a spin-off makes the default assumption that it is not canon, until Nintendo says otherwise. But I understand that the Zelda team's involvement in its development is considered enough to some fans, so perhaps the term to be used at the moment is "fanon."

I personally don't think it should be canon, beyond the depictions of the characters as probably being the best look at how they were, which probably was part of the reason the Zelda team was involved in writing. Arguments about the Zelda timeline being a mess doesn't change the fact that canonizing Age of Calamity would prematurely retcon BotW2 before it even is out, or ruin its continuity to BotW as a direct sequel, which would be mind-bogglingly stupid.
 

Bowsette Plus-Ultra

wah
ZD Legend
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Location
Iowa
Gender
Lizard
I disagree, a lot of the games do tie together, even if it's just loosely. I could go in depth but I feel like I've explained it so many times at this point.

Loosely, but nothing as so immediate as Age of Calamity. It makes definitive, irreversable changes to the status quo (at least within its own timeline) without much wiggle room. I feel like that's the biggest reason fans have been so hesitant to accept it as "canon". If it becomes canon, it actually changes stuff.
 

Spiritual Mask Salesman

CHIMer Dragonborn
Staff member
Comm. Coordinator
Site Staff
Loosely, but nothing as so immediate as Age of Calamity. It makes definitive, irreversable changes to the status quo (at least within its own timeline) without much wiggle room. I feel like that's the biggest reason fans have been so hesitant to accept it as "canon". If it becomes canon, it actually changes stuff.
It doesn't really change anything because it is an alternate timeline. They advertised it like it was going to be a prequel to BotW but it really isn't. Other games fit together, but Age of Calamity is the one that can be tossed out or added in and it actually makes no difference.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom