Timeline

Timeline
Type	Historical Events Lore

Time periods are assumed based on the fact that "Swordmaster" was alive during the founding of Eridu as the third-generation head of the Hoshimi family, while Miyabi is the daughter of the tenth-generation head of the Hoshimi family. We assume each generation lasted around 20 years.

A very rough estimation of the timeline of the Zenless Zone Zero universe, incorporating historical records, dialogues, and hearsay. A constant work in progress; take information given with a grain of salt.

References are provided as much as possible. Notes expand on the deduction and reasoning used to draw certain conclusions, which can be read either by hovering over (desktop-only) or clicking on the note. Some specific types of notes found on the page:

• Lore Discrepancy: When information provided in the game is self-contradictory, retroactively changed, or contradicts information from outside media (such as HoYoLAB posts or YouTube videos), it is considered a lore discrepancy. This is different from a translation discrepancy, in which information is contradictory or misleading due to inaccuracies in localization. In the case of a lore discrepancy between in-game information and outside media, the in-game information always takes priority.
• Translation Note: Used when the original Chinese text and then official English localization do not match, or if something is clearer in Chinese. In the case of a translation discrepancy, the original Chinese text always takes priority.
• Assumptions: To make sense of the lore — which the miHoYo writers often deliberately obscure by withholding critical information until later versions, giving contradictory evidence, and scattering information across various item sets — editors will sometimes make assumptions to determine the order of events or connect pieces of lore together. However, they may be obsoleted and proven incorrect by new lore and story. These notes serve as a disclaimer, and expand on the editors' reasoning for their conclusions.

If you have any proposed changes for the timeline, please leave a comment and cite your evidence.

Old Civilization (140+ years ago)

• Qingyi was created.
• Billy Kid was created.

• Hollows started appearing after a great war took place.
  • First Hollow Disaster.

Eridu Era (~140 years ago to 10 years ago)

From ~140 years ago to 42 years ago

• The church of the Exaltists was created.

• The city of Eridu was founded thanks to the efforts of the seven Void Hunters:
  • Vike, Dan and the leader of the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe repelled the Black Wall 37 km back.
  • "Sunbringer", the CEO of Marcel Group, destroyed the "Hive Lord" Hollow in the sky, and created the Bangboo.
  • "Swordmaster" took down the Exaltist Overseer, wielding Tailless.
  • "Joyous", Ace of Investigation Guild, navigated the Divine Maze, setting the start of hollow investigation and concept of Proxies.
  • Professor Arche discovered the common characteristics of Hollows.

• Helios Academy was founded by Professor Arche.

• The first "Tour de Inferno" took place in the Outer Ring.

From 41 years ago to 10 years ago

• Leisha Christie worked at the White Waves Hospital as a maternity nurse.

• Billy Kid was found by Appon and his mentor inside the Lost Tech Ruins, sold to Caesar's Father, named, and taken is as a member of the biker gang Calydon.^{[The specific commission were it is said that he was found by Appon and sold to the Calydon gang]}

• Belobog Heavy Industries was founded by Khors Belobog.
• During a Hollow expedition, the parents of Grace Howard, both researchers, disappeared and were presumed deceased
  • Grace Howard was later adopted by Khors Belobog, her parents' friend, who raised her as a daughter.
• Anton Ivanov joined Belobog Heavy Industries.
• Khors Belobog started working on "The Prototype" and showed it to his young daughter Koleda Belobog
• Ben Bigger joined Belobog Heavy Industries as a frontline mechanical operator.

• Justin Bringer was promoted from being a frontline officer to being an Inspector and commanding officer in General Chop's precinct.
• Inspector Bringer took part in a mission inside a Hollow, where he gave up his own anti-corruption equipment to save as many civilians as possible, including a child named Zhu Yuan. While he was succumbing to corruption and his wounds, he happened to witness an Exaltist "miracle", which later converted him to the cause, and granted him the Creator's healing. His miraculous return granted him the title of "Hollow Hero".
• Following his impressive feat as the Hollow Hero, Inspector Bringer was later transferred to the Public Security Headquarters in Janus Quarter.

• Wise and Belle were taken in by Carole Arna at the Helios Academy.
• Eous and the Hollow Deep Dive System were created by Carole Arna.
• Wise and Belle were given their special smart crystalline lens implants.

• "Spacebar" joined the Defense Force as part of the Diamond Division.
• Trigger, as a member of Chrysoberyl Division's Lyre Squad, got hit in the eyes by an Ether beam during a mission.

• The "Sacrifice" is sealed inside the monument at Pioneer's Memorial Plaza.

• "Spacebar" came across a rally being held by "The Order".
• The night before the disaster, Khors Belobog disappeared with the company's money, trying to get The Prototype ready and stop the Plaza's Sacrifice from being retrieved.

Fall of the Old Capital (10 years ago)

• Hollow Zero took form and started expanding rapidly, getting over the Zenless limit and thus creating Companion Hollows.
• Carole Arna saved Wise and Belle from the disaster, while they themselves managed to salvage Eous and the HDD.
• Carole Arna is abducted by the Exaltists.
• Miyabi's Mother became a sacrifice to Tailless.

• Members of the New Eridu Defense Force, including the Lyre and Nemesis squads, are sent in to Hollow Zero to repel the Ethereals, however are quickly overwhelmed and receive no reinforcements.
• Zoe, a sniper for Nemesis Squad, attempts to retreat after her team is wiped out, coming across Lyre Squad, who are severely corrupted. At the request of Charon, Lyre Squad's leader, she rescues Trigger, who had been hit in the face by an Ethereal and had her eyes corrupted.
• Defense Force is wiped-out except for the Obsidian Division.
• "Spacebar" succumbed to the corruption and perished, leaving behind his journals and laptop.

• Shiyu Pillars were detonated to create The Chasm and stop Hollow Zero from engulfing the whole city.
• The young child Astra Yao is rescued and brought to a makeshift shelter, where she was soothed by one of Joran de Winter's songs on the shelter's speaker; hit by the realization of how great is the power of music to soothe hearts, she decided to become the songstress of the New Eridu era.

New Eridu (10 years ago until game start)

From 10 years ago to 2 years ago

• The sisters/replicas Soldier 11, Anby, and Twiggy were members of the Defense Force - Silver Squad under the Obsidian Division.

• Wise and Belle vowed to become Proxies in the hopes of uncovering the truth behind the Fall of the Old Capital
• Wise and Belle set up their "Phaethon" proxy account on Inter-Knot.
• Wise and Belle move to Sixth Street and start managing the Random Play video store.
• Wise and Belle became acquainted with Shepherd.
• Wise and Belle became acquainted with Trigger through a commission given to them by Shepherd.

• Zoe, suffering from severe PTSD after what she witnessed during the Fall of the Old Capital, decides to take revenge on the Defense Force and its survivors, blaming them for what happened to Nemesis Squad.
• Trigger, with the help of the Proxies Wise and Belle, figure out what Zoe is doing and put an end to it.
• Trigger joins Obol Squad, a newly created squad within the Defense Force, whose goal it is to uncover the truth about the Fall of the Old Capital.

• Big Daddy took up residence in the Outer Ring and became acquainted with Caesar's Father, becoming a member of Calydon.
• Caesar's father disappeared and Calydon was disbanded.
• Big Daddy adopted Caesar and founded the Sons of Calydon.

• Nekomata is taken in by the Red Fang Gang under Miguel Silver, after having been a street-kid orphan for most of her life.

• Miyabi and Zhu Yuan studied at the Public Security Training Academy together.
• Nicole is adopted from the orphanage, however is later found on the streets again, where she made the acquaintance of Miyabi by scamming "Tailless" from her, only to later give the katana back.
• Asaba Harumasa and Miyabi both become Executive Officers within H.A.N.D.
• A member of the Defense Force called Tsukishiro Yanagi gained Oni blood during an operation against the Oni rebels and became Soukaku's guardian.
• Miyabi singlehandedly took down Lerna inside the Argos Hollow, earning herself the Void Hunter title and medal.
• Miyabi founded Hollow Special Operations Section 6 with Defense Force soldier Yanagi and H.A.N.D. Executive Officer Harumasa.

• The Silver Squad was sent on a suicide mission in order to kill all replicas minus one and cut the costs; Anby took Soldier 11's place since the latter got injured during training the night before. Silver Squad was wiped out, with Anby as the only known survivor of the mission; Unbeknownst to the Defense Force, Twiggy survived too under the rubble, only to get found by Hollow Raiders and be sold on the black market as merchandise.
• Upon her return to the Silver Squad base, Anby was ordered to finish the job and kill Soldier 11, the last replica besides her. In order to save her sister, Anby slit her own throat instead, and her body got discarded in the ruins of the Old Capital.
• Nicole Demara found Anby near the ruins of the Old Capital and took her in, giving her the "Demara" surname and founding Gentle House together.

• Piper and Burnice joined the Sons of Calydon.
• Luciana de Montefio planned her own kidnapping to escape her oppressive family, ending up with Caesar and the Sons of Calydon in the Outer Ring.
• Lighter is found by Big Daddy and taken in by the Sons of Calydon.
• Billy leaves the Sons of Calydon.

• Billy joined Gentle House.

• Soldier 11 joins Obol Squad.

• New Eridu Public Security officer Zhu Yuan was promoted to leading the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team.
• Qingyi and later Seth Lowell joined the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team under Zhu Yuan.

• Koleda willingly assumed control of Belobog Heavy Industries once she became of age and brought it back from disrepute and financial ruin.
• Ben was promoted from a mechanic to financial and asset management director of Belobog by Koleda.

• Nicole became one of only a handful of people to know who "Phaethon" truly is, knowing Wise and Belle personally.

From 2 years ago until game start

• Wise and Belle, under their Proxy alias "Phaethon", became renowned "Legendary Proxies" on Inter-Knot.
• Soukaku joined H.S.O.S.6 under Yanagi's guardianship.
• Alowyn Mystik perished as a result of a failed expedition inside Arpeggio Fault.