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How would you react to a Metroid reboot w/ a black Samus

Madame M

Banned
Actually, I'm not 100% sold that the series is dead, I in fact could see them doing a soft reboot, BOTW style.

But the idea that they'd changed Samus's design, when they'd obviously want to use said reboot to sell existing toys, virtual console games, amiibos, and her spot in Smash and previous Smash games, is just flat out ludicrous.

...and is also the type of thing I've come to expect from GAF in recent years.

You put way too much faith in trusting Nintendo will make the right business decision after Other M and Federation Force

Look at when they got rid of his black hair and made him a douchebag. Now amplify this by 100.

I don't see much value in rebooting brands in this way tbh. The point of trademarks is recognition. If a new image is desired abandon the brand.

You don't need to remind Nintendo to abandon the Metroid brand.
 
God the hoops some of yall have to jump through mentally to avoid the idea that some people just don't want their favorite characters changed, is outstanding.

OP asked about a Reboot so White Blonde Samus need not be the same - the hoops some people go through to resist change is outstanding. Reboot Samus can be an asexual silver android if they wanted to.
 

Olly88

Member
Ah... "closet racist" posts, how unsurprising. Reminds me of the "subconscious sexist" stuff in the AVGN/James Rolfe Ghostbusters thread(s).
 
I would probably react like "Holy shit, a new Metroid?"

As long as it is a mainline, otherwise it would be "Fuck Nintendo." Enough spinoffs or shitty Federation Force games.
 
You put way too much faith in trusting Nintendo will make the right business decision after Other M and Federation Force
Not really. The existence of Federation Force says that Nintendo is still interested in Metroid, and the existence of the Federation Force outrage on the internet and Nintendo not wanting to risk not getting as much money as possible, makes the idea of a changing Samus seem absolutely insane from any perspective for a company.
OP asked about a Reboot so White Blonde Samus need not be the same - the hoops some people go through to resist change is outstanding. Reboot Samus can be an asexual silver android if they wanted to.
Like how the Tomb Raider reboot Lara looks so different then the pre-reboot Lara? Should they reboot Mirrors Edge to star a male?
 

Theonik

Member
OP asked about a Reboot so White Blonde Samus need not be the same - the hoops some people go through to resist change is outstanding. Reboot Samus can be an asexual silver android if they wanted to.
Reboots aren't a license for change. Characters are part of the brand.
That is to say Samus is recognisable as a character. Changing Samus dilutes the brand.
Re-writing the Metroid backstory does not and the vast majority of people don't care.
 
Why?

This is not like Marvel/DC who plays around with alternate people as a superhero character due to them screwing with Alternate Universes. While the series itself is going through issues, a lot of people gamers are likely familiar with Samus and will be confused/angry that a familiar character was changed like that just cause.

As an African American myself, I would prefer if they simply made another playable character instead. There is already Anthony in Other M, so that is not farfetched.

Actually, I'm not 100% sold that the series is dead, I in fact could see them doing a soft reboot, BOTW style.

But the idea that they'd changed Samus's design, when they'd obviously want to use said reboot to sell existing toys, virtual console games, amiibos, and her spot in Smash and previous Smash games, is just flat out ludicrous.

...and is also the type of thing I've come to expect from GAF in recent years.
Hmm, I didn't think of it like that, but BOTW taking place
thousands of years after any of the other Zeldas could have took place
saved the game from dealing with timeline arguments. While the default attire has changed in that, Link physical appearance is basically the same as his other adult versions. For Metriod, I would also believe that they would mildly/heavily change the suit way before they change the character's ethnicity.

With her body armor hiding her body during gameplay, how would that be a thought to change anyway? I don't get that.
 
Like how the Tomb Raider reboot Lara looks so different then the pre-reboot Lara? Should they reboot Mirrors Edge to star a male?

If they wanted to sure. I like good video games - not what gender or skin colour the protagonist is. That is just me though I guess. Story is paramount so if that is good who it stars or what they look like is irrelevant to me.
 
Her race isn't really a factor on what defines her. So I would be fine with it.
Also she is most notably recognizable by her suit, not by her skin. If Nintendo changed her skin while still referring her to as Samus, the only people who would be upset would be the racists.
 

Madame M

Banned
Not really. The existence of Federation Force says that Nintendo is still interested in Metroid, and the existence of the Federation Force outrage on the internet and Nintendo not wanting to risk not getting as much money as possible, makes the idea of a changing Samus seem absolutely insane from any perspective for a company.

Nintendo stopped production of the NES Classic, their business decisions lately have been insane.
 

JDH

Member
I don't see what the race has anything to do with anything really? I would react the same way with a white Samus I guess. I just want good gameplay.
 

nkarafo

Member
I don't get it.

What would be the reason for this?

They already established the character's race. So how are they going to explain this? Did Samus spent a lot of time near the sun without her suit or something?
 

dottme

Member
Her race isn't really a factor on what defines her. So I would be fine with it.
Also she is most notably recognizable by her suit, not by her skin. If Nintendo changed her skin while still referring her to as Samus, the only people who would be upset would be the racists.

I can recognize Samus even without her suit. Am I racist?
metroid-other-m-1280x720.jpg

But more globally, I'm not a big fan of changing existing character (like when everyone wanted Link to be a woman). However, extending the lore and adding more diversity in the cast is probably a good idea.
 

nkarafo

Member
Also she is most notably recognizable by her suit, not by her skin. If Nintendo changed her skin while still referring her to as Samus, the only people who would be upset would be the racists.
What the hell am i reading.

People would be upset because there is no reason for such a thing.

Wouldn't you be upset if they turned an established black character to white for no reason?
 

Madame M

Banned
I don't get it.

What would be the reason for this?

They already established the character's race. So how are they going to explain this? Did Samus spent a lot of time near the sun without her suit or something?

Space radiation, it's Everywhere

Wouldn't you be upset if they turned an established black character to white for no reason?

No one complained when they changed Mr. Smithers from black to white (yellow) on The Simpsons
 

nded

Member
I wouldn't mind much, but if they're willing to go that far they might as well develop a new, original IP starring a black character. Maybe even a spin-off; I'm sure there are other bounty hunters doing stuff in the galaxy and Samus isn't all that interesting anyway.
 
If they wanted to sure. I like good video games - not what gender or skin colour the protagonist is. That is just me though I guess. Story is paramount so if that is good who it stars or what they look like is irrelevant to me.
I mean I agree with this sentiment, but Metroid is an established series and Samus is an established character. I'd be all over a game where we played as a new black bounty hunter within the Metroid universe, (I've even been dreaming up some fan art of the idea listed a few pages back where Samus potentially gives her life to save a young black girl, only to have that girl go on to live in Samus's footsteps to repay the favor) but I have specific wants and desires out of series that already exist, and a huge part of the Metroid experience to me, is Samus.
Hmm, I didn't think of it like that, but BOTW taking place
thousands of years after any of the other Zeldas could have took place
saved the game from dealing with timeline arguments. While the default attire has changed in that, Link physical appearance is basically the same as his other adult versions. For Metriod, I would also believe that they would mildly/heavily change the suit way before they change the character's ethnicity.

With her body armor hiding her body during gameplay, how would that be a thought to change anyway? I don't get that.
I ironically didn't like how vague BOTWs placement in the timeline was, and would have preferred that it be more concrete, but since they wanted to expand the audience, it makes sense. Thus I could easily see the Metroid series doing the same.
Having said that, I was curious and looked into your post history (off-topic), and I wasn't surprised at what I found.

Good to know that my earlier accusation wasn't unfounded.
Pray tell, what did you find that was so unsettling, as to label me a "closet racist?"
Nintendo stopped production of the NES Classic, their business decisions lately have been insane.
I'd imagine they stopped production of the NES classic so they can go crazy with pushing the SNES Classic.
 
The hypothetical is if the creators did just that, if they were to change Samus to black it will have been done intentionally.

Maybe it's just me, but if they made Samus black, I move on. If they leave her white, I move on.

I don't see the big deal. Their character, their choice.
 

shira

Member
rSpcN0g.png


Say a future Metroid game is marketed as a reboot, and at the end, Seamus Samus removes her helmet revealing she's a black woman. How would that make you feel?

What if she were a different character with Chico Chozo armor, and never outright named throughout the game?

EDIT: definition added because term is not universally understood the same way

I'm all for it Metroid Prime 5: Back in Black
 

KingBroly

Banned
Why not just let them be the way the creators intended for them to be?

I take it you're fine with Other M then.


Changing a character for the sake of changing a character is always going to draw ire. Something like this would probably cause a lot less Hell than many would think considering how badly Nintendo has treated the series of late. But it'd still cause a lot of problems.
 

EMT0

Banned
I say do it, but reveal the fact in a 2nd follow-up game. Metroid isn't some crazy power franchise anymore, and at the moment it lives and dies by its nostalgia goggles. So what you do is you create an amazing new game that leaves Samus' appearance ambiguous. Gets lots of praise and love, etc. and deliver a Metroid game that's critically and commercially acclaimed that releases 'controversy' free(because we all know the crowds of idiots that would make a fuss over a Black Samus would likely poison the game's word of mouth). Second game, reveal Samus' actual appearance. Revel in the frog worshipper's tears. Continue making bank and have Metroid move on to higher and higher highs.

Basically, I'm all for it/feel ambivalent/futurama_neutral.gif on it, but if it's gonna happen, tread carefully around the frog worshipers. Sadly, those assholes actually do have the ability to seriously harm a reboot of a fan favorite that doesn't sell gangbusters. Let's get the best of both worlds and revel in their salt later.
 
I say do it, but reveal the fact in a 2nd follow-up game. Metroid isn't some crazy power franchise anymore, and at the moment it lives and dies by its nostalgia goggles. So what you do is you create an amazing new game that leaves Samus' appearance ambiguous. Gets lots of praise and love, etc. and deliver a Metroid game that's critically and commercially acclaimed that releases 'controversy' free(because we all know the crowds of idiots that would make a fuss over a Black Samus would likely poison the game's word of mouth). Second game, reveal Samus' actual appearance. Revel in the frog worshipper's tears. Continue making bank and have Metroid move on to higher and higher highs.

Basically, I'm all for it/feel ambivalent/futurama_neutral.gif on it, but if it's gonna happen, tread carefully around the frog worshipers. Sadly, those assholes actually do have the ability to seriously harm a reboot of a fan favorite that doesn't sell gangbusters. Let's get the best of both worlds and revel in their salt later.

So it's a prerequisite to be a part of the "alt-right" to be disgruntled by a character change?
 

Raonak

Banned
I think a lot of people, don't like their beloved franchises messed with. People are misattributing intentions. It's not that changing her into a black character would annoy the fans. It's changing her character in general would annoy the fanbase. If she became a dude,

-Turning the current samus into a black person, due to space magic or whatever, would be the worst way to go about it. (She's white, but looks black?)

-Rebooting with a black samus in another universe could work, but rebooting and retconning is always gonna piss of the fanbase.

-Samus retiring and someone taking over her role as the bounty hunter = good.
-Samus having a black daughter who takes her role bounty hunter = good

-
 

Olly88

Member
c) you can't really know that no one complained because that was in the 80s and no one had social media back then to cry how offended they were.

While I didn't see any complaints, I actually did see a few posts from way back then talking about it, like this person who mentioned it in a post made in 1990. But yeah, I'm not sure a character who had appeared at most for about 2 minutes changing appearance is quite the same.

Your link doesn't work BTW, here's an interview with Matt Groening from 1995 where it's talked about - https://www.simpsonsarchive.com/other/interviews/groening95.html
 
While I didn't see any complaints, I actually did see a few posts from way back then talking about it, like this person who mentioned it in a post made in 1990. But yeah, I'm not sure a character who had appeared at most for about 2 minutes changing appearance is quite the same.

Your link doesn't work BTW, here's an interview with Matt Groening from 1995 where it's talked about - https://www.simpsonsarchive.com/other/interviews/groening95.html

Ooops, thanks for the link heads up. Should work properly now.
 

ResoRai

Member
I dont really get through point of big changes like that in reboots. I think having a badass Granny Samus (well, like Snake old) training her black daughter in a new game would be cool.
 
I do find it interesting though that you can change essentially anything about a character's physical appearance between iterations of a franchise, but once you start changing skin tone people go crazy.

Come on man. How many times do I need to link to pictures of Samus for people to stop acting like she changes drastically between games?.
These are considered the character Link. At this point the long sideburns are probably the only common denominator. What if the next Link was black?
I'm sure you'll come up with plenty of excuses why the Legend of Zelda series is totally different from a Metroid reboot, but I stand by my point.
 

Euphor!a

Banned
These are considered the character Link.
I'm sure you'll come up with plenty of excuses why the Legend of Zelda series is totally different from a Metroid reboot, but I stand by my point.


Pretty sure all of those characters are considered different people in the lore.
 
Not that surprising. Dude spent every page of this thread spending their breath to argue about why black Samus is such a travesty. They must really, really, really care about an hypothetical rebooted Samus's race!
-Hey wouldn't it be awesome if the race of this fictional character was different?
-Hey stop caring about the race of fictional characters!

Seriously, if the race of Samus is important enough to be impactful or add anything if changed, then it's equally important enough for me care about not being changed.
These are considered the character Link.
I'm sure you'll come up with plenty of excuses why the Legend of Zelda series is totally different from a Metroid reboot, but I stand by my point.
Do you really want to do this? Do you really want to turn this into a thread of showing a bunch of different pictures? Also good job trying to find the most different pictures of Link you could. Even going so far as to bring the cartoon into it. :l Your sure proved me wrong.
As for the next, Link, I feel the same way as I do about Samus. There's no reason for there to be a black Link, when the design of Link has stayed roughly the same for 30 years.
 
Pretty sure all of those characters are considered different people in the lore.

But people object to the notion of one of those people being a girl though. The only notable backlash to a redesign itself was Wind Waker Link and that resided relatively quickly.

Their point still stands that there's only ever controversy over a theoretical link design when it involves gender or skin color.
 

Euphor!a

Banned
But people object to the notion of one of those people being a girl though. The only notable backlash to a redesign itself was Wind Waker Link and that resided relatively quickly.

Their point still stands that there's only ever controversy over a theoretical link design when it involves gender or skin color.


The point doesn't stand when you are arguing "Look at all these different interpretations of the same character" when it is not the same character.
 
The point doesn't stand when you are arguing "Look at all these different interpretations of the same character" when it is not the same character.

Many of the people who don't want ink to ever be a girl or have a different skin color consider Link to be a singular character. There are whole threads here about that where you can see how many people who subscribe to that line of thinking,
 

Euphor!a

Banned
Many of the people who don't want ink to ever be a girl or have a different skin color consider Link to be a singular character. There are whole threads here about that where you can see how many people who subscribe to that line of thinking,

I mean I am not going to argue from a position that is inherently wrong.
 

Futureman

Member
What does it matter what color her skin is? If this concept upsets you I think you have to take a good, hard look on whether you are intolerant.
 
I mean I am not going to argue from a position that is inherently wrong.

RoombaDance is just making the point that people care far more about the change of skin color or gender of a character than other appearance details that would actually look far more different overall (e.g. art style and clothing).
 

Euphor!a

Banned
RoombaDance is just making the point that people care far more about the change of skin color or gender of a character than other appearance details that would actually look far more different overall (e.g. art style and clothing).

Then maybe he should use an example that applies instead of one that doesn't.
 
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