Aonuma has no idea where Breath of the Wild fits in the timeline

[Super_Boom]

I'm probably one of the few fans that likes the timeline, as it's basically been a nice bonus for those of us who like the lore. They don't really hold the games back, as this interview confirms, but it adds extra value for people who like the connections. For example, the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess is a cool recurring character for those new to the franchise, but knowing the timeline adds a whole new layer to the character. Link and Zelda's recurrence can be seen as a random set up, or it can be seen as a deep eternal connection between Hylia and her chosen hero. The nice thing about a timeline like this is being able to enjoy the games with or without deep knowledge of them.

Also, never really understood why the split timeline is considered convoluted. The downfall timeline aside, Ocarina ends by showing both Present and Future Hyrule continuing to exist normally, so even in the game itself two timelines are confirmed.