I’ll be honest, I don’t like Hyrule Warriors. I never have. The gameplay feels repetitive, and it just doesn’t capture what I love about Zelda. And now Nintendo is saying that the newest one, Age of Imprisonment, is officially canon. That idea really bothers me. But at the same time, Zelda fans seem excited about it — maybe even more excited than I expected. So I’ve been asking myself: am I wrong here? Is this game actually good for Zelda’s story, or am I just being stubborn? Let’s dig in and find out.

Hyrule Warriors has always been a bit of an odd spin-off. Instead of the exploration, puzzles, and atmosphere that define the mainline Zelda games, these titles use the Musou formula — huge battlefields filled with waves of enemies, where the focus is on spectacle and button-mashing combat rather than quiet discovery. For some fans, that shift is exciting. For others, like me, it feels like a totally different series wearing a Zelda mask.

The first Hyrule Warriors was more of a “what if” crossover. It mixed characters and timelines from across the series but didn’t claim to be part of the official story. Then came Age of Calamity, which was marketed as a prequel to Breath of the Wild. At first, people thought it would show us exactly how the world fell into ruin — but instead it introduced time-travel twists that created an alternate timeline. It left a lot of fans divided.

Now we have Age of Imprisonment. This game sets itself during one of the most important but least-explored events in Zelda history: the Imprisoning War, the ancient conflict where Ganondorf first rose to power and was sealed away. In Tears of the Kingdom, we only got glimpses of this era through memories. Age of Imprisonment promises to let us play through it directly. Even more importantly, Nintendo has made it very clear this time: unlike the last Warriors game, this one is canon.

Why I Don’t Like It

So here’s where my problem comes in. I’ve never enjoyed the Warriors formula. The combat might look flashy, but to me it feels repetitive and shallow compared to what makes Zelda special. Zelda is about quiet exploration, clever puzzles, and the feeling of uncovering a world at your own pace. When you swap that out for mowing down hundreds of identical enemies in giant battlefields, I feel like the soul of the series gets lost.

And then there’s the story side of it. The Imprisoning War is one of those mysterious pieces of Zelda lore that fans have speculated about for decades. It’s big, mythic, almost legendary in tone. My fear is that putting it into a Warriors game reduces that sense of mystery. Instead of a haunting legend we piece together from fragments, it risks becoming just another flashy set of missions where the nuance is buried under endless combat.

Finally, there’s the canon issue. For me, it feels strange — maybe even wrong — to have such an important moment in Zelda history locked into a spin-off. Canon is supposed to define the core of the series. If a side project like this gets to dictate the official timeline, it could weaken what makes Zelda’s storytelling feel consistent. At least, that’s how I see it right now.

Counterarguments

But to be fair, there are good reasons why so many fans are excited about Age of Imprisonment. First, the Imprisoning War is a perfect fit for a large-scale game. This is supposed to be the era of massive battles, with armies of monsters and sages uniting to fight Ganondorf. In that sense, the Warriors style might actually be the best way to show what those clashes looked like. It turns a few vague cutscenes from Tears of the Kingdom into a full-blown war you can actually experience.

Another point in its favor is that this time, Nintendo has been crystal clear about canon. Unlike Age of Calamity, which surprised players with time travel twists, Age of Imprisonment has been openly marketed as a real, official chapter in Zelda’s timeline. That makes it feel more trustworthy, and it gives the game extra weight — it’s not just a spin-off anymore, it’s part of the series’ foundation.

And of course, fans love the chance to see more of Rauru, Sonia, and the sages. These characters were only glimpsed in Tears of the Kingdom, but they clearly captured players’ imaginations. Getting to spend more time with them — and even play as some of them — is a big draw. For a lot of Zelda fans, Age of Imprisonment is the chance to finally explore one of the most important stories in the series, told in a way that’s more epic and complete than the mainline games might have room for.

Core Tension

And this is where the tension really sits. On one hand, Age of Imprisonment has the potential to enrich Zelda’s lore in a way we’ve never seen before. It could finally give players a front-row seat to one of the series’ most legendary conflicts, expanding on characters and events that were only hinted at in Tears of the Kingdom. If it works, it could make the Zelda timeline feel bigger, more cohesive, and more dramatic.

On the other hand, it risks losing what makes Zelda’s storytelling feel so powerful in the first place. The Imprisoning War was mysterious, almost mythical, and that ambiguity gave it weight. If it’s turned into a checklist of missions and boss fights, that sense of legend might disappear. It could end up feeling more like a flashy retelling than a story worthy of being etched into the series’ history.

So the real question is this: does making a Warriors game canon strengthen the Zelda universe, or does it dilute it? For some fans, the scale and spectacle will make the lore come alive. For others, like me, it might feel like the series is losing some of its heart by tying such an important story to a spin-off.

Where I stand

After looking at both sides, I think my feelings are still mixed. On a personal level, I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy the Warriors gameplay. It’s just not what I want from Zelda. And I still feel uneasy about the idea of such an important part of the timeline being told in a spin-off — it makes me worry about how much weight “canon” really carries in this series.

But at the same time, I can see why fans are excited. The Imprisoning War is a huge piece of Zelda’s history, and this game is finally giving it the spotlight. Seeing Rauru, Sonia, and the sages fleshed out, watching the war unfold in full detail — that’s something the mainline games might never have attempted. Even if I don’t like the format, I have to admit that Age of Imprisonment could give fans something they’ve been waiting for.

So maybe I’m not wrong to be skeptical — but I might be wrong to dismiss it outright. It could end up being a rare case where a spin-off genuinely strengthens the Zelda timeline. Or, of course, it could prove my worries right. Either way, it’s going to be fascinating to see how it plays out.

So that’s where I land on Age of Imprisonment. I don’t love the Warriors style, and I’m still uneasy about it being canon, but I can see why fans are excited — and I’m curious to see if it lives up to the weight it’s been given. What about you? Do you think making a Warriors game canon is a good move for Zelda, or is it a mistake? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, because I really want to hear where other fans stand on this one. And if you enjoyed this deep dive into Zelda’s lore, make sure to subscribe for more videos where I dig into the series’ strangest and most controversial moments.