Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment is an upcoming hack and slash game exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, which crossovers characters from The Legend of Zelda series. The premise of this spin-off title sees Princess Zelda accidentally teleported in time back to the era of Hyrule’s founding.
This happens with the use of her secret stone, and her goal now will be to help King Rauru and Queen Sonia (along with the six sages) to stop Gonandorf from invading the land.
So if you are looking to experience the story of how it all started, then the details below are everything you need about the game’s release date, time, preload details, and more.
Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment release date and time for all regions
Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment will be available on November 6, 2025 midnight and will be released worldwide for the Nintendo Switch 2. This means that there will be varying availability times depending on your respective region.
Here is a list of the release timings based on the region that you are in:
| Region | Time Zone | Hours Behind |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | UTC+13 | – |
| Australian East Coast | UTC+10 | 3 |
| Japan | UTC+9 | 4 |
| Australian West Coast | UTC+8 | 5 |
| Philippines | UTC+8 | 5 |
| South Africa | UTC+2 | 11 |
| United Kingdom | UTC+0 | 13 |
| Brazil | UTC-3 | 16 |
| United States | UTC-5 | 18 |
Note: For many players living in the US, most Nintengo games are made available at midnight Eastern time, so do keep that in mind.
How to preload Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment on your Nintendo Switch 2
The preload period for Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment is currently live, and those who have pre-ordered the game will be able to preload it on their Switch 2 right now. Preload period will be available until the game is officially released on November 6, 2025, at midnight local time.
The preload option will only be available if you have pre-ordered the title. If you haven’t but want to access the game as soon as it releases, then you will need to make your way to the Nintendo eShop and make the purchase.
Once you have pre-ordered the game, you will get to pre-download it. TO do this, just make your way to the title from your library and choose that option to start pre-installing it on your HOME menu screen.
How to get Linking Save Data bonuses in Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment
If you have a Save Data from related titles, then you will be able to unlock in-game bonus items in Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment. There are two items that you will be able to get your hands on:
| Bonus Item | How to get |
|---|---|
| High Guard’s Sword | You will be able to get your hands on the High Guard’s Sword if you have save data for The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom on your Switch 2. You will be able to equip and use this weapon in the game. |
| High Guard’s Claymore | You will be able to obtain this two-handed weapon by having a save data for Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity. Note: Having saved data for the Age of Calamity demo will not work. You will need to have a save data for the full game. |
If you have the saved data from the required games, it’s important to note here that you will not be able to access the bonus items right away. You will need to progress a fair bit in the narrative in order to be able to claim them.
Both the High Guard’s Sword and High Guard’s Claymore should be made available to you after you have completed The Howling Tempest’s mission and returned to the Hyrule map.
However, do keep in mind that if you have played Tears of the Kingdom or Age of Calamity on the original Nintendo Switch and not on your Nintendo Switch 2 console, your save data will not be counted. To solve this, you will need to transfer it to your Nintendo Switch 2 system through the Data Management system in the Switch 2 settings.
Now, if you do not want to transfer your data over to the Switch 2, but still want the bonuses for just opening the game, then all you will need to do is start a new file for the game on your Switch 2. Then load up the game by placing either the virtual game card or physical game card in it and then start playing.
To receive the bonuses you do not need to complete save files. So just play till a point that the game gets saved, and then switch over to Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment to get the bonuses.
Other Important FAQs
1) Is Age of Imprisonment Open World?
Unlike Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment will not feature an open-world setting. It’s a spin-off title that closely resembles Age of Calamity in how it deals with exploration.
Hence, the game will feature a faster-paced hack-and-slash experience over everything else. It will have many battlefields, each with its unique biomes, and will task you to take on hordes of enemies and objectives that must be completed.
While you can explore each of the biomes, it’s still limited in what you can do in them.
2) Is Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment canon
Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment is canon to the ongoing The Legend of Zelda narrative. The premise revolves around Princess Zelda traveling back in time during the founding of Hyrule. It was then ruled by the first king of the land, King Rauru, and his wife, Queen Sophia.
The setting takes place during the time of the Imprisoning War, which takes place approximately 10,000 years before the current events in Tears of the Kingdom.
Here, Zelda will need to fight alongside the heroes of Hyrule to repel the forces of Demon King Ganondorf.
3) Is Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment available on the Nintendo Switch 1?
It has been confirmed that Age of Imprisonment will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. So Switch 1 players will not be able to access it even with GameShare.
