KQ8 timeline

Background
Within the published lore of King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity there is very little with regards to its location in reference to other King's Quest games, or its interpretation of the timeline in general. This topic discusses the limits to what is actually mentioned. However, it is much harder to actually write a diagram for this timeline, since no specific date was given for KQ8. The one exception is that the King's Quest Companion 4th edition might imply that KQ8 takes place 25 years into the timeline, or roughly 3-5 years after KQ7. Additionally there is an easter egg that might suggest that KQ8 takes place aproximately in the year 1000 give or take (but this is not a huge help as to when it takes place in relation to any previous game).

Secondly there are a few dates referenced in the Synopsis article given in the KQ8 manual. These include the idea that KQ4 takes place one year before KQ5 (a reference to the KQ5 manuals), and it also states that KQ1 takes place about twenty years before KQ6 ("...score of years..."). Which may be a referenced to a more reduced timeline such as the Original_timeline, or early timeline from around the time of the first three games, and first edition (and later editions) of the Companion (KQ6 is set about 22 years after KQ1 in these variations) rather than the 25 (see Anniversary_timeline (where KQ6 is set 25 years after KQ1).

Timeline
With this in mind the closest references are as follows (using the implied date from the Companion):


 * 1 GC
 * KQ1


 * c. 2 GC (again roughly, and could have been within 1 or 2 years of KQ1 as mentioned in other sources)
 * KQ2


 * c. 20 GC (roughly, and probably over a timespan of years)
 * KQ4
 * KQ5
 * KQ6

KQ8
 * 25 GC