Wolfenstein Games in Order (Timelines & Release Dates)

As one of the pioneers of first-person shooters, the Wolfenstein franchise has an incredibly rich but complicated history. This is true for both the in-game events and the series’ development in the real world. The series has switched hands between several developers since its initial release in 1981. The plot became more and more convoluted since different people had different visions for the Wolfenstein universe.

For players who are now just starting their Wolfenstein adventure, here are all the Wolfenstein games in order, based on their release dates first, then how they each fit into their respective timelines.

 

Wolfenstein Games In Release Order

Players who want to get through the Wolfenstein games without worrying too much about the continuity should go with the release order. There are 14 Wolfenstein games to get through, so get ready to fulfill all your Nazi-killing urges.

• Castle Wolfenstein (1981)
• Beyond Castle Wolfenstein (1984)
• Wolfenstein 3D (1992)
• Original Encounter (1992)
• Spear of Destiny (1992)
• Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
• Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory (2003)
• Wolfenstein RPG (2008)
• Wolfenstein (2009)
• Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014)
• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (2015)
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood (2019)
• Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot (2019)

The release order is simple, and players will still understand the plot even if the events aren’t in order.

 

Wolfenstein Games Timelines

The Wolfenstein franchise is one of the oldest in gaming. It’s been rebooted multiple times, which resulted in the games being split into different timelines.

You might notice that some of the Wolfenstein games reference the events of games from other timelines. That’s because even though each timeline is technically a reboot, several events from previous timelines are still canon, although slightly altered. Some dates have discrepancies, and some events happened differently, but the major events mostly stayed the same.

 

Muse Timeline

The original Wolfenstein games made by Muse Software are not connected to any of the future games. Unlike the rest of the franchise, these games are 2D top-down RPGs and don’t even feature B.J. Blazkowicz as the protagonist yet.

• Castle Wolfenstein (1981)
• Beyond Castle Wolfenstein (1984)

 

Classic Timeline

This timeline marks the beginning of Blazkowicz’s story, which will span multiple timelines. The major events here will sometimes be referenced in future games.

• Spear of Destiny (1992)
• Original Encounter (1992)
• Wolfenstein 3D (1992)

 

Return/Wolf2 Timeline

This timeline is a little weird. There are conflicting accounts on whether Wolfenstein (2009) is a sequel to Return To Castle Wolfenstein; or if it’s another reboot. Assuming the former, this is how those games go in order.

• Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
• Wolfenstein (2009)

 

MachineGames Timeline

This is the latest and still-expanding timeline of Wolfenstein. MachineGames currently holds the highest number of Wolfenstein games under its belt. There have been no updates on new games, however, as MachineGames has moved on to Indiana Jones.

• Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (2015)
• Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014)
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017)
• Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot (2019)
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood (2019)

The two games that don’t fit into any of these timelines are Wolfenstein RPG and Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.

Wolfenstein RPG is a mobile game featuring a more lighthearted take on the series, almost parodying it. It’s also connected to the Doom RPG games made by the same developer.

Enemy Territory is simply an online version of Return To Castle Wolfenstein.

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