Besides confirming that the spin-off series is still alive and well, the reveal ofHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentcould also point to a new trend within Nintendo’sThe Legend of Zeldafranchise that’s giving one central character a break. Among the exhaustive announcements made during April’s Nintendo Direct ahead of the Switch 2’s launch was the reveal of a thirdHyrule Warriorsgame based onThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Like its predecessor,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentis set to be another spin-off prequel going back in time to follow Princess Zelda during the Imprisoning War.
WithTears of the Kingdom’s story in mind though, the biggest and arguably most important question facingAge of Imprisonmentis whether this means Link will not be returning in the upcoming prequel despite beingZelda’s long-standing protagonist. Unless Omega Force is planning to repeatAge of Calamity’snon-canonical rewrite ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,Age of Imprisonmentcould be the firstHyrule Warriorsgame to go without Link as a playable character. However, if so, thenAge of Imprisonmentwouldn’t be the only recentZeldagame to sidestep Link, suggesting that significant changes are in store for the series' future.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Will Have To Make Do Without Link
After the commercial success ofAge of Calamity, it was likely inevitable thatHyrule Warriorswould move on toTears of the Kingdomfor another spin-off to recapture the magic with this direct sequel as it had done withBreath of the Wild. But based on its Nintendo Direct trailer with no surprise appearance from Link, it seems thatAge of Imprisonmentis sticking toTears of the Kingdom’s canonical story for now. While this does mean thatAge of Imprisonmentcan explore all-new playable characters, including Rauru, Sonia, and Mineru, it could beHyrule Warriors' first game to not feature Link.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Put Link on the Back Burner
However, despite its significance asan all-newHyrule Warriorsgame,Age of Imprisonmentwould actually be the second recentZeldagame to swap Link as the protagonist for other characters like Princess Zelda herself. Though previously only playable in the ill-reputedThe Legend of Zelda: Wand of Gamelonand otherZeldaspin-offs,The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdommarked the first mainline game where the titular princess led as the game’s protagonist. WhileEchoes of Wisdomcould have been a one-off game intended to appease demands for Princess Zelda as a protagonist,Age of Imprisonmentcould indicate this might not be the case.
Nintendo Could Be Gearing Up For Future Link-lite Zelda Games
As the saying goes, if once is an accident and twice is a coincidence, then Nintendo and theZeldaseries are just one princess-led game away from establishing a new trend within the flagship franchise. Considering that the future of theZeldaseries remains uncertain as Nintendo moves on fromBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, it shouldn’t be ignored that two ofZelda’s newest games released in succession have been Link-lites. While Link may never be completely replaced or retired asZelda’s primary protagonist,Echoes of WisdomandAge of Imprisonmentcould be examples ofNintendo exploring new ideas post-Tears of the Kingdom.
Ultimately, this could be a good change for theZeldafranchise, as the positive response toEchoes of Wisdomsuggests there is a demand for similar games, while Nintendo appears keen to move away fromZelda’s oversaturated timelines and refresh the overall series. By embracing this newfound potential with reimagined protagonists like Princess Zelda ormoreZeldaspin-offs on the Switch 2, Nintendo could revamp the franchise despite its apparent peak withTears of the Kingdom. Alternatively,Age of Imprisonmentcould take the same approach asAge of Calamity, and open up new non-canonical options that Nintendo could explore instead.
