By Nintendo is promoting Switch 2‘s forthcoming Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as “the narrative leading up to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” providing players the opportunity to engage in the Imprisoning War that transpired in Hyrule’s ancient history. As stated by developer Koei Tecmo, the game will explore further into the mythos and characters from this enigmatic era.
“This game unfolds during the Imprisoning War, which is depicted in snippets in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,” Koei Tecmo’s Yosuke Hayashi remarked during Nintendo’s latest Creator’s Voice video. “In this Hyrule Warriors title, you’ll witness how the inhabitants of Hyrule dealt with the menace posed by the original Ganondorf.”
While the war is the central theme of the narrative, Age of Imprisonment will also provide a more profound insight into Hyrule itself. “As a tale that you can only completely experience here, it doesn’t merely illustrate the conflicts of the Imprisoning War through a Warriors game. It also captures life in the kingdom of Hyrule after Princess Zelda is reverted back in time,” Koei Tecmo producer Ryota Matsushita elaborated.
Furthermore, the game will illuminate some enigmatic characters from this era. As previously announced, King Rauru and Mineru will both be playable figures, but Matsushita hints that players will “also become acquainted with the four masked sages from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”
Similar to earlier Warriors titles, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a grand-scale action experience that confronts players with hundreds of adversaries simultaneously, with more emerging on the battlefield than ever thanks to the enhanced capabilities of Switch 2. “Nintendo Switch 2 has enabled the inclusion of numerous foes in our Warriors games,” Matsushita explained.
“At the same time, it was equally crucial to ensure that you could enjoy higher frame rates than the Nintendo Switch system. We managed to accomplish that with this title,” Hayashi added.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is expected to release “this winter,” while the Switch 2 itself will debut on June 5 for $450. Nintendo is also providing a limited-time Mario Kart World bundle for $500, but this will only be offered until Fall 2025.
Have a news tip or wish to get in touch with us directly? Email news@gamespot.com