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No. You do not have to finish The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom before playing Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the game Nintendo has officially associated with the Imprisoning War and the story that leads to Tears of the Kingdom. Playing Tears of the Kingdom first is an optional context upgrade: it can make the war’s consequences, characters and historical references more meaningful, but Nintendo has not announced completion of Tears of the Kingdom as a requirement for understanding or accessing the earlier story.
The phrase “next Zonai-focused Zelda” is informal. As of 18 October 2026, Nintendo has not officially announced a separate new mainline Zelda game described that way. The closest official match is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, so the sensible decision is about whether to play that game before or after Tears of the Kingdom.
Which game does “the next Zonai-focused Zelda” mean?
Nintendo has not used “Zonai-focused Zelda” as the official title or description of a newly announced mainline game. The term usually refers to the ancient Hyrule material connected with the Zonai and the Imprisoning War. Nintendo’s closest confirmed project is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.
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In its 1 August 2025 Partner Showcase, Nintendo described Age of Imprisonment as a canonical account of the Imprisoning War. The presentation said that “The Imprisoning War led to the events of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” and identified Princess Zelda, King Rauru and other heroes as part of a story set in Hyrule’s distant past.
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- Enhanced performance and visuals exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2.
- Explore the skies, caves, and vast lands of Hyrule in a massive open-world adventure.
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- Use the ZELDA NOTES app to share, compare, and earn daily bonuses.
That wording establishes a relationship, not a mandatory play order. Nintendo is presenting the war as an official part of the series’ continuity and as an event that precedes Tears of the Kingdom. It does not say that players must complete the later game first.
Nintendo’s 2026 40th-anniversary Direct listed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 but did not identify another new mainline Zelda explicitly focused on the Zonai. Until Nintendo publishes a specific announcement, labels such as “the next Zonai Zelda” should be treated as fan shorthand rather than a confirmed product category.
Is Tears of the Kingdom required before Age of Imprisonment?
No. There is no stated requirement to finish, start or even own Tears of the Kingdom before playing Age of Imprisonment. Nintendo’s description explains the historical connection between the two games, but it does not define a prerequisite, unlock condition or recommended completion point.
The relationship is easiest to understand as consequence and origin. Tears of the Kingdom shows the Hyrule sequel-era setting and the consequences of earlier events. Age of Imprisonment moves back to the war that led to those events. You can therefore approach the story in either release order or chronological order:
- Release-and-context order: play Tears of the Kingdom, then Age of Imprisonment.
- Historical order: play Age of Imprisonment first, then Tears of the Kingdom.
Neither route is presented by Nintendo as the only correct one. The choice changes what you recognize and when, not whether you can begin the game.
What playing Tears of the Kingdom first adds
A clear view of the sequel-era consequences
Nintendo calls Tears of the Kingdom a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. Its developers describe Breath of the Wild as the foundation while also noting that they considered new players when designing the sequel. That combination matters here: Tears of the Kingdom is connected to an existing world, but the developers did not design it on the assumption that every player had identical prior knowledge.
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![The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51PuJ83o9KL._SL160_.jpg)
- Ultrahand: Using the new Ultrahand ability, Link can pick up, move, and rotate almost any object, and can even attach objects together to create bridges, vehicles, and more!
- Fuse: Magically fuse almost any object to Link’s current weapon, shield, or arrow to increase durability, damage, or even add a new effect. Experiment with lots of different combinations to come up with surprising—and sometimes hilarious—results!
- Ascend: Add a new dimension to your exploration with Ascend, which gives Link the ability to pass through solid objects above him. Rise up through ceilings, hillsides, and even certain enemies to create seemingly impossible shortcuts.
- Recall: Use Recall to make objects in motion move backward through time, letting Link ride fallen boulders skyward, recover thrown weapons, or send projectiles back where they came from.
Playing it before the war story lets you encounter Hyrule as the later setting first. When Age of Imprisonment refers to the conflict that led there, you already understand that the war is not an isolated legend; it is part of the chain of events behind the sequel’s world.
Recognition of named characters and historical references
Nintendo specifically names Princess Zelda, King Rauru and other heroes in its announcement for Age of Imprisonment. A completed Tears of the Kingdom gives you more familiarity with the roles and references surrounding that era. You may recognize why a character matters or why a historical event is being emphasized without stopping to reconstruct the context.
This benefit is about recognition, not access. The absence of that background can make some references less immediate, but Nintendo has not said that players who lack it will be unable to follow the campaign.
A better sense of how the two games are connected
Because Nintendo identifies the Imprisoning War as an event that led to Tears of the Kingdom, playing the later game first gives you a consequence-to-origin perspective. You see the destination before exploring the conflict that produced it. That can make the earlier story feel like an explanation of known history.
Conversely, starting with Age of Imprisonment gives you an origin-to-consequence perspective. You witness the war first and then enter Tears of the Kingdom with a stronger sense of the historical chain. The two approaches produce different kinds of dramatic context; neither is a Nintendo-mandated sequence.
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Will you understand the Zonai story without finishing Tears of the Kingdom?
Yes, with an important qualification: understanding the plot and recognizing every reference are different goals. Nintendo’s own developer comments say that Tears of the Kingdom is a sequel while also accounting for new players. That supports starting with the game that interests you rather than treating completion of the sequel as homework.
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- The Legend of Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom
If you start with Age of Imprisonment
You can approach it as a historical account of the Imprisoning War. The game’s premise supplies the immediate setting, conflict and cast. You will not have the same familiarity with the later consequences as someone who has played Tears of the Kingdom, but the official description does not make that familiarity a condition of entry.
If you have started but not finished Tears of the Kingdom
You do not need to stop and complete the entire open-world adventure before trying the war story. Decide whether you are comfortable encountering connected history before reaching every later-game explanation. If you prefer to discover the sequel’s setting in one uninterrupted arc, finish it first; if the ancient war is what interests you most, move to Age of Imprisonment and return later.
If you want to avoid doing either game twice
A reliable recap of Tears of the Kingdom can provide the broad sequel-era context without requiring a full completion run. This is the practical middle route for players who want to understand the relationship but have limited time. A recap cannot reproduce the experience of exploring Hyrule, so it is a context substitute rather than an equivalent playthrough.
Which order fits your goal?
| Order | Story context | Gameplay format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tears of the Kingdom → Age of Imprisonment | Consequence first, then the war that led to it | Open-world action adventure followed by a Warriors-style battle game | Players who want maximum recognition of the later setting, characters and references |
| Age of Imprisonment → Tears of the Kingdom | Historical origin first, then the later consequences | War-focused action first, followed by an open-world sequel | Players most interested in the Imprisoning War or the ancient Hyrule era |
| Recap of Tears of the Kingdom → either game | Condensed sequel context without a full playthrough | Choose the game whose combat style appeals more | Players with limited time who still want the basic connection |
The most important practical difference is not lore difficulty but format. Tears of the Kingdom is an open-world action adventure with a broad Hyrule journey. Age of Imprisonment is a Warriors-style battle game focused on large-scale action. If your preferred combat style is clear, it is a legitimate reason to choose that game first even when the stories are connected.
Choosing one Zelda when you have limited time
Choose Tears of the Kingdom for the broadest Hyrule experience
Pick Tears of the Kingdom if you want the open-world sequel experience, exploration and the setting that later references the Imprisoning War. It is also the better first choice if your priority is to recognize the consequences and historical allusions that Age of Imprisonment may build upon.
Choose Age of Imprisonment for the war itself
Pick Age of Imprisonment if the ancient conflict, Princess Zelda, King Rauru and the distant-past setting are your main interests. You do not need to postpone that story until after a full open-world campaign.
Use the combat format as the tie-breaker
When story order is not decisive, choose by gameplay. The open-world structure of Tears of the Kingdom suits players who want exploration and self-directed progression. The Warriors-style structure of Age of Imprisonment suits players who want mission-based battles and a more concentrated focus on the war. Nintendo’s official descriptions support this distinction even though they do not establish a required sequence.
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- Decide whether context or immediacy matters more. Choose Tears of the Kingdom first if you want to recognize the later setting before exploring its origins. Choose Age of Imprisonment first if you want the war to be your introduction to this period of Hyrule’s history.
- Set your completion standard. You can start the second game after sampling the first; Nintendo has not stated that finishing the first campaign is necessary.
- Use a recap if the full first game is too large a commitment. A concise, reliable story summary can fill in broad context before you begin the game whose mechanics you prefer.
- Expect the order to affect perspective. Playing the war first emphasizes origins, while playing Tears of the Kingdom first emphasizes consequences. Treat that as a narrative preference, not a correctness test.
What “canonical” means for your decision
Nintendo’s word “canonical” tells you that it is presenting the Imprisoning War as an official tale within the Zelda continuity. It does not mean that the game is a required chapter in a prescribed course, nor does it automatically mean that every player must experience the events in chronological order.
For a player deciding where to begin, canonical status answers the question “Is this being treated as part of the official story?” It does not answer “Which game must I complete first?” Nintendo’s announcement answers the first question while leaving the second open.
Availability and edition details for Tears of the Kingdom
If you decide to play Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo’s product information identifies the physical game in both a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and a Switch edition, and lists the Switch 2 Edition as available. The edition you choose affects the hardware version you play, not whether you are narratively qualified to start Age of Imprisonment.
No equivalent requirement, edition condition or access rule linking completion of one game to the other has been announced. Check the current Nintendo product listing for the edition available in your region before purchasing, because availability can vary by platform and market.
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As of 18 October 2026, a separate new mainline Zelda explicitly described by Nintendo as Zonai-focused has not been announced in the cited anniversary material. If Nintendo later reveals such a game, its official description may establish a different relationship or recommended starting point. Until then, use the confirmed wording around Age of Imprisonment rather than treating rumors or fan labels as specifications.
For now, the practical answer is stable: Tears of the Kingdom can deepen your understanding of the war’s consequences and references, but it is not a confirmed prerequisite. Start with the game whose story perspective and combat format you want first.
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