Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment hits the Switch 2 this winter

It wouldn't be a new Nintendo console without a big Zelda release, and the franchise's next entry is sending the princess to war.

During today's Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo announced the forthcoming arrival of Age of Imprisonment, a new installment of Koei Tecmo's Zelda-inspired Hyrule Warriors series. Like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Age of Imprisonment is another prequel whose story connects directly with the larger tale unfolding in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. But this time around, the game looks even farther back into the past to focus on the battle Princess Zelda fought alongside King Rauru against Ganondorf.

A brief trailer for the game highlighted how Age of Imprisonment will allow you to play as Zelda and Rauru as you fight against hordes of Hylian monsters. Nintendo didn't reveal much about the new game's plot, but announced that it's set for release this winter.

The Zelda franchise played a key role in the original Switch's success. Breath of the Wild, which was also one of the last Wii U titles, quickly became one of the handheld console's bestselling games and a critical darling that kicked off a new era of open-world gaming. The Switch gave Nintendo a chance to double down on Zelda spinoffs like the Hyrule Warriors series and Cadence of Hyrule.

The company kept its Zelda momentum going with updated versions of classics like Link's Awakening and Skyward Sword. And even though the first Switch was nearing the end of its life cycle, Nintendo pushed the series even further into the future with Tears of the Kingdom and Echoes of Wisdom. The way Zelda flourished on the Switch is undoubtedly part of why the franchise is being adapted into a live-action movie and seemingly getting the theme park treatment. And now we know a bit more about how the princess's legend will continue with the Switch 2.