This is my theory and it looks like it hasn't been stated yet so here I go!
In order to discover when and where Zelda Wii U fits in the timeline, I first think it necessary to find out as much as we can about this “new” Link.
I propose this “new” Link in Legend of Zelda Wii U isn’t new at all, in fact I think he may be a Link from quite a ways back. The Link in Zelda Wii U is actually the Link from A Link to the Past, Oracle of Season, Oracle of Ages, and Link’s Awakening, The Hero of Legend. Now let me tell you why.
The last we see the Hero of Legend; he is drifting in the middle of the ocean on a piece of drift wood. That’s it, no closure as to what happens to him after. Who’s to say he didn’t in fact wash upon a new land?
My first piece of “evidence” is his hair. It is extremely long in both cases their hair makes it down to their shoulders. From my knowledge no other link has this distinctive long hair. It would make sense since his hair would realistically grow long if he was drifting in the open sea. The same would go for his clearly tanner skin, this is very different compared to Link’s usual pale skin; and again would make sense if he was drifting in the open ocean.
My second piece of evidence draws on the work of many faithful theorists. When we first got a glimpse of this new Link, we picked apart every single detail. From the resemblance of his shirt to Wind Waker, to the designs on his gauntlets and cloak; and what we found was this Link is chalk full of little references, and aspects from many different games. Now let’s look at The Hero of Legend, he has traversed a total of three games, more than any other Link. It would make sense that he would have picked up many different trinkets and mismatched armor. Such as a shiekah cloak, and or guado arm bands.
Being in all of these games would also explain for this Link’s “skill” no other Link can jump off of Epona and shoot arrows. A Link who has done as much as The Hero of Legend would understandably be more skilled, and from the most recent gameplay trailer it is seen Link can do this from very early on in the game.
Finally the map,
I wouldn’t be surprised if Link starts our washed ashore on the island on the bottom right of the map, and makes his way inland. Link will probably start out simply looking for natives to help him, and suddenly spiral into helping them fight against evil. Since Link tends to fall into danger, rather than choose to fight it. While many people say it is reminiscent of the original map from the first game, or that it is, I wouldn’t go that far. Nintendo has stated that they want to try new ideas and challenge certain typical Zelda conventions it seems like an obvious choice would be a new map, where the developers wouldn’t have to worry as much on the lore of the land.
Overall I think the New legend of Zelda title will be in the Hero Dies timeline after LA. So what do you guys think? I haven't found any holes in my theory other than the fact we have only seen two "trailers" and I am grasping at minute details that could mean anything.
)(Not to mention the series is named after the fairy tale esque Princess Zelda), but you are right, recently it has changed a bit (with spirit tracks and skyward sword mostly, wind waker at least allowed the players to return to Hyrule at the later parts of the game and it's setting was medieval as ever). However some of these changes have gone too far. The whole high tech theme of lanayru was unfitting to the series. Zelda's fantasy world isn't like Mario's fantasy world where literally anything goes. The Zelda Universe has clearly been more streamlined to the medieval fantasy spectrum with elves (hylians, korkiri), wizzards (wizrobes), fairies, orcs (bulblins/moblins), knights (darknuts, hylian soldiers), castles (hyrule castle), princesses (princess Zelda), medieval steeds (epona), ect. For Nintendo to make a game like Zelda Galaxy with Link flying through space and fighting aliens would make no sense. The series does indeed have it's restrictions.
