10 Years Later, The Legend Of Zelda Officially Ends The Wilds Era With One Final Release

2 hours ago 10

Zelda Breath of the Wild link looking back over his shoulder while standing on a cliff edge

Published Aug 31, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT

Ewan is Deputy Editor for ScreenRant's gaming section. He still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase, and knows more about The Legend of Zelda and Doctor Who than is probably healthy.

Ewan oversees the content operation of ScreenRant's gaming output, working with a talented team of writers and editors to cover everything from the latest GTA 6 news to the indie games you need on your radar.

Former Editor of GAMINGbible, Ewan also has words at Kotaku, Den of Geek, NME, and UNILAD. He's appeared on various podcasts, including VGC's and BBC's Let's Talk About Tech.

For 40 years, The Legend of Zelda has proven its ability to change and reinvent itself. Link can be a silly little cartoon character that hangs out with pirates, or he can be a sullen hero in a dark fantasy world. He can be a kid, or an adult, or ride a motorcycle, or conduct a train.

As you're probably aware, the series is embracing a more realistic style going forward, thanks to The Legend of Zelda movie and the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While some fans are ready for this change, it's worth noting that the last ten years of Zelda have defined by the "Wilds era". Starting with 2017's Breath of the Wild, this specific design of Link has carried over into the Smash Bros. games and his appearance in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and this era in Hyrule's history has been explored in two spinoff games and a full sequel. While gamers as a majority are ready to leave behind this version of the series, there's one last release that will pay tribute to the last decade of Zelda.

Say Goodbye To The Legend Of Zelda's Wilds Era

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom—Secrets of the Zonai is officially scheduled to release in October 2026, and it's effectively closing the book on this long-running era. The hardcover book contains 424 pages, including art from Tears of the Kingdom, sketches, designer notes, storyboards, concept art, and other surprises.

Secrets of the Zonai also includes "80 pages of Hyrule History," designed to outline the history of the Hyrule we got to know in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. As if that wasn't enough, Zelda veterans Eiji Aonuma, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, and Satoru Takizawa have contributed to the book, making it a definitive item for any hardcore Zelda fans out there.

"Start your journey with Secrets of the Zonai," reads the official product description. "Pore over 50 pages of beautiful illustrations, character art, and promotional images. Then, dive into nearly 300 pages of behind-the-scenes sketches, notes, rough designs, concept art, and recollections that provide an exclusive look at the development and creation of the game. Next, travel back to a time before the founding of the Kingdom of Hyrule, with over 80 pages of Hyrule’s history that include insights into the mysterious past of the Zonai all the way up to the events of the game."

I'll be honest, as much as I do adore Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, I hope this is the last we see of this iteration. We had an incredible time, to be sure, but Zelda has never been defined by one era for so long, and I daresay the series stands to lose just a little bit of its magic if we don't get a new take on the character soon. Between the upcoming movie and Ocarina remake, I'd say The Legend of Zelda is definitely moving in the right direction.