Canon is a vague topic in Wolfenstein, especially as there have been several alternate histories created during the series (by multiple different teams/writers). It might be said that there are more than one; separate 'canons' (each representing their own unique alternate universes, timeline, or series). 

Currently the current developers (MachineGames) are only concerned with the rebooted alternative history 'canon' started in "The New Order'.

Original series

Consisting of Castle Wolfenstein and Beyond Castle Wolfenstein.

It starred the unnamed Allied Soldier the inspiration and predecessor of the various incarnations of William J. Blazkowicz seen in later series.

See Muse timeline for the basic details.

Wolfenstein 3-d/Spear of Destiny continuity

This was a reimagining of the series from the ground up, and is the game that most influenced Wolfenstein rise into the minds of players, and into pop-culture.

The original series more or less contains everything up to the endings of Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Death, and their mission packs (and occasionally includes Return to Castle Wolfenstein). In these games according to the endings more or less end similar to modern history with war ending in Germany in 1945, leading to peace after the war.

It ends with Hitler's bloody death, and B.J. Blazcowicz made a hero and having a happy ending. According to the endings in this series after killing Hitler, and making sure he was dead for good measure. The war ended, he went back to America a hero, married a actress Julia Marie Peterson. His descendants would become other ID characters such as Billy Blaze (Classic) (Commander Keen), B.J. Blazkowicz (Doom) and Stan Blazkowicz (Doom Marines).

This timeline occasionally includes RTCW (and multiple strikes on Hitler: at least Original Encounter and Third Encounter) but the exact order of the two games is unclear (with some accounting RTCW as a prequel, and others as a kind of sequel).

​See timeline and iD Universe timeline. As this timeline ended with WW2 and real world history overlapping it has no relevance with later 'rebooted' timelines which extended the war. This series placed Blazkowicz's home town in Wisconsin. His birthdate is established as August 15, 1911.

See Classic timeline and William J. Blazkowicz (Classic) for more details.

Activision series (reboots)​

​This was the second generation rebooted timeline starting with Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and ending with Wolfenstein (also known as Wolfenstein 2) both published by Activision (but developed by several different developers). B.J.'s past and descendants are not nearly as important in this timeline.

BJ is generally portrayed as a wise-cracking adventurer, much like Wolfenstein 3D, a thrill seeker (according to Wolfenstein 3D/Spear of Destiny manuals) during this series.

There are two versions of this continuity see RTCW timeline (for the timeline information around the release of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and Enemy Territory, and its various expanded ports: Tides of War, etc) and Wolf2 timeline (Wolfenstein 2, Animated Graphic Novels, and various trailers) (Activision's interpretation on Wolfenstein (2009)'s backstories and history). The war does end in Wolf2 timeline although its not clear precisely who 'won or lost' but one of the trailers is from the perspective of a Nazi soldier pining over the greatest loss during the war, as well as another one from the perspective of a scientist talking about the New Reich, likely another reference to "4th Reich/3rd Reich" uprising after Hitler's 'death'.

Despite some issues with the order of 'classics' in relation to the 'soft-reboots' of each game, BJ's biography of marrying an actress, having children, and later descendants of other ID games were generally maintained. It's just assumed that he married after WW2 around 1951 to be precise (and stopped any uprisings of the 3rd/4th Reich following the war) when peace finally was restored a couple of years later.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein & Enemy Territory

Return to Castle Wolfenstein guide seems to suggest that at least Escape from Wolfenstein occurred before Return to Castle Wolfenstein (see Operation Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Welcome Back, Soldier). However, some developers such as those who made Tides of War, and possibly by Bethesda in Wolfenstein 3D Classic switch the events of Wolfenstein 3D as a campaign that took place after the events of RTCW at the end of WW2. The war seems to have ended around its historical counterpart in 1945.

General details from both the MP and Enemy Territory seem to suggest this game more or less follows basic events of actual history (1940s-1943), with BJ, doing 'secret missions" behind enemy lines without any fanfare. For example Normandy Beach Landing is a mission in RTCW multiplayer.

There are some use of actual photographs but some of these are anachronistic, some having originated from 1944.

The classic history of B.J. (from Wolfenstein 3D to RTCW/Wolfenstein RPG) can be read at William J. Blazkowicz (Classic), and RTCW timeline.

See ID Universe timeline for a crossover timeline that was added to roughly up until 2009 (prior to the release of Wolfenstein (2009)) that included many of iD's franchise games up to that point (including Doom RPGs and Wolfenstein RPGS) as one continuous history.

Wolfenstein (Wolf2)

RTCW continued into Wolfenstein (2009), and along with videos incorporated some details from Spear of Destiny and Wolfenstein 3D into its chronology.

According to iD at the time of Wolfenstein's development Wolfenstein was seen as a sequel to RTCW, and Wolfenstein 3D was seen as a prequel to both games.^[1] This idea also is nodded to in some of the RTCW strategy guides as well, and is given a few nods in Wolfenstein itself. It was also reflected by the Wolfenstein animated graphic novels as well (establishing Hans Grosse previous encounter with Blazkowicz). A character looks into BJ's OSA exploits and comments on the Spear of Destiny, and Nazis comment that BJ is in a disguise normally he has blond hair.

It seems Isenstadt must have been liberated before, but they discuss that the Nazis have captured it in the last few months, and instituted a curfew (this lead to formation of the Kreisau Circle there).

​However, this Wolfenstein (Wolf2) drops or ignores quite a bit of the specific details from history. In this timeline the war didn't end in 1945, and morphed into a new war "Fourth Reich" or 3rd Reich remnants all vying for power after Hitler's death at the hands of Blazcowicz in Wolfenstein 3D. According to a blueprint document for Atomic Corps cannon it is at least 1945, it mentions 1944 in past tense "in 44" so events have to have occur at least in 1945. There are other dates possibly up to 1947.

Operation Overlord has not occurred in this timeline (no Normandy landings in June 1944 or invasion of Europe yet), while Normandy invasion was presented as a level in RTCW, it is ignored in this game. This game's backstory also ignores the reference about the Fuhrer at the end of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, instead in this chronology he is dead. In fact he is never mentioned directly in the game, though paintings of him can be found, and newspaper clippings on walls. The Tirpitz survives into at least Fall 1945 (in history it was destroyed 12 November 1944), and has even been boosted with advanced technology. There is no sign of Royal Airforce support from England, and B.J. is sent in last ditch attempt to stop it form bombing London in this time. Showing an uneasy position between both Allies and Axis powers. Evidence that both sides have been broken in some ways, and that Nazis are starting to see a resurgence due to Veil technology.

The general placement of dates in Wolfenstein are hazy, as no specific dates of when the game takes place are never given. There are only references made on posters, and other documents which could have been filled out months, or even years before. The only thing that can be certain is that it takes place in 1945 or after (based on the cannon blueprints). It also appears to be in the fall (so Fall 1945 or later). What appear to be blurry dates range from 1944, 1945, 1946, or even up to 1948 (but the resolution is so bad to be unreliable). Stefan comments that there hasn't been an invasion of Europe yet, and predicts if it takes place it would be along a large stretch of beach suggesting Normandy landings.

The Spear of Destiny is specifically referenced as one of B.J's missions before "Wolf2", however its unclear if this is a intended to be a reference to Spear of Destiny game as per the animated Graphic novel, or perhaps even the RTCW inspired Wolfenstein RPG from the year before, in which the Spear of Destiny was used in a predominate and important manner. 

This history can be read in Wolf2 timeline and William J. Blazkowicz (Wolf2). 

The New Order series (MachineGames reboot)

Starting with The New Order the series was rebooted yet again by MachineGames. It also the first series to have no input or involvement by iD software at any level (other than using iD's game engines).

This new series set in what the artbook calls "Dark Alternate Future" and website calls "alternate reality" only took a few elements from Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and Wolfenstein (2009), and went with the idea that the Germans turning point begins in 1944 (with loss at D-Day landings), gets worse for the allies into 1946, and that Germans won the war by 1948 (further separated from previous timelines). It completely changed B.J. Blazcowicz's personality, who was reimagined as having grown up in Texas, and his birth date possibly shifted slightly.

The events in The Old Blood are apparently a retelling and reimagining of the RTCW. It kept the character of "Webley" alive as Richard Wesley but more or less mirrors the outcome of the character in the previous timeline. The game only maintained a few minor details from Wolfenstein (2009) related to Deathshead and Kreisau Circle, but no references to any of the supernatural events. Ludwig Kessler from The Old Blood is inspired by Kessler from RTCW, however, he is given a completely different introduction to BJ in The Old Blood (where they meet for the first time). Helga von Schabbs replaces Helga von Bulow, and her story mirrors the character as well as Heinrich Himmler's from the first game, but her parts more or less mirror many of the same events in RTCW. Wilhelm Strasse acts in a similar role as Himmler, over Helga von Schabbs. Schreiner replaces Zemph's role. The son of Henry the Fowler appears in The Old Blood but there are no references or any indication concerning the events discussed in RTCW on the subject of Heinrich I, only his son, who takes on many of the plot points (and similar dates) attributed to his father in the original game. Caroline Becker, who was killed in Wolfenstein (2009), has been more or less resurrected to allow her to continue on in the stories.  Many of these details don't seem to fit well with the timeline crafted in the previous games.

Many of the locations and names from RTCW for Castle Wolfenstein, Paderborn, Wulfburg, etc, are reused in the game, but the region has been moved to Bavarian Mountains, German Alps, rather than the Harz mountains.

One big difference between Wolf2 and MachineGames series is that Old Blood acknowledges that D-Day landings did occur on June 1944, but was a failure for the allies. Whereas as mentioned it had not yet occurred in Wolfenstein (Wolf2) even up into later 1944 or later. Similarly while the British airforce seems to have been compromised as early as Wolf2's events, The New Order places the crippling of the Airforce as late as June 1945. However, it places its limited references to Wolf2 "years" before 1946 (so at least two years before the game).

The only specific material to come out of RTCW is a brief references to the X-Labs. They are mentioned in The New Order and The Old Blood but take place at a different point in the timeline (B.J. is a year older than he was in the original game, age 32). The events take place somewhere between August 11 1943 and August 11 1945 (where as it was March 1943 in the original). B.J's birthday is retconned from August 15 to August 11 in this timeline. Caroline is also two years older in this universe as well.

Ubertsoldats/Supersoltdats (which is a basic reference to similar technology in RTCW/X-Labs) appear in The Old Blood but they appear to be significantly less technologically sophisticated (than even the Proto-Soldiers, which were RTCW 'first generation'), and less powerful than those which appeared in RTCW, requiring power lines connected to them to even function (which are called 'first iteration'), and it limits their mobility as well. More advanced ones showing a technological progression appear in 1946 prologue of The New Order, and ever more advanced ones with improved weaponry appear in 1960 periods.

Isenstadt events (minus any direct paranormal references) appears to have happened in 1944 (rather than 1945 or later). As several characters suggest its been years since Allies had their last attempt on Deathshead. The last attempt was B.J. causing Strasse's zeppelin to crash.

The new series dropped most of the references to the supernatural from the previous series and chose to apply more mundane scientific explanations. The developers have said they intentionally ignored much of stories in Wolfenstein (2009) because they didn't like the game's story too much: they consider 'very little' of the elements of Wolfenstein 2009 as having 'happened', as they considered the game crap.^[2][3] The only references that still exist are Caroline is from Isenstadt and BJ had an encounter with Deathshead which lead to Caroline being shot by Hans Grosse, was sucked into the air and dropped into a ditch before anyone found her, and that Deathshead survived a zeppelin crash. Caroline's birthdate has been moved back to 1920 (from 1924) making two years older than she was in the Wolfenstein. Besides her age, it seems that other details about Caroline have been changed. In the original game she was already an adult, a school teacher when she witnessed her father killed in the streets (only a few months before the game). However, in backstory given in MachineGames series she apparently was 'orphaned ' as a young adult when her father was killed by the Nazis (based on the dates she would have at least been 13 at the time, if it didn't occur later before her age of majority).

They are fans of the Wolfenstein 3D, and have said they consider the game to have happened. The original Wolfenstein 3-D is considered as a prequel to this series, and the events are referenced in The Old Blood, and as one of BJ's nightmares in The New Order. However, in this timeline while the events happened, the outcome appears to have went differently. With Hitler ultimately winning the battle, and B.J. was captured and even executed by hanging. But apparently he survived the hanging and escaped.

In any case, the details related to the reboot series is largely relevant only to itself, and very little from the classic or Activisiion timelines have any bearing on the reimagined universe, that is to say that the new series canon can only be said to consist of the current three games The New Order/The Old Blood/The New Colossus, while the content from the previous two continuities is less reliable or even irrelevant.

The reboot creates four different alternate universes branching from choices made in each game. So far only Wyatt and Fergus timelines have any direct influence on the main story. The prequel offered a choice between Annette and Kessler (though these characters have not returned yet).

The MachineGames series is intended to be a trilogy (plus one prequel), and it is unknown if the series will be rebooted or reimagined again after that. But due to the popularity of the series, it is likely to do so.

This timeline continues with the Terror Twins and the new Commander Keen (disambiguation) reboot series (Billy Blaze (MachineGames) and Billy and Billie Blaze). Note: It is unknown if this universe leads to its own version of Blazkowicz Doom Marine as well in the distant future.

See MG timeline for all details of the current reboot alternative past history.

B.J.'s backstory related to this timeline can be read at William J. Blazkowicz (MachineGames).

This timeline continues with the

Wiki Policies

Currently the wiki largely focuses on the current rebooted continuity going forward, as its the only relevant active version of the story. While the older chronologies are discussed separately. The older material has no influence on the newer material. The only details of history of the current universe has any influence on current and upcoming game (Wolfenstein 3), and thus have become the main focus for expanding articles. This wiki will cover any future reboots or spin-offs to the series as a whole as they are released.

If articles become too big they may need to be split into smaller articles discussing each specific timeline version of the stories.

References