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[Razakin]

What next ? Female Kratos ? Nathan Drake ? Snake ? Crash Bandicoot ? Chris Redfield ?

Not having a gender option for a character well-known for 30 years is not sexist. Forcing a gender option on a 30 years famous male character is.

I kinda don't like doing comparisions like that, especially when all of those outside of Crash, are actual characters and not avatars like Link is. Unless modern (stuff after Ocarina of Time) Zelda-games are more 'plot-driven' that might have reasons why needs to be/is a Link male character.

And perhaps those who are more into whole Zelda-canon/timeline stuff, does the prophecies etc. in game always say that Link is a male? From what I know, it's seems to be more a generic "A hero wearing green clothes and with a pointy sword"-type.

Also, we do have a female Nathan Drake, her name is Lara Croft. (probably there's good examples for other characters from that list too)

Honestly, I'd like to see female playable character on future Zelda-game, or even female Link, as honestly I don't see it being a bad thing. Or main character, heck even characters altogether in the game being other than vanilla white characters. Does Zelda-games even have non-white characters outside of Gerudo chars?

 

[Nirolak]

I don't think that's what they meant and I'm not some apologist. If Zelda is the hero, Link is obsolete. Link is hardly a character from the two Zelda games I played, so if you make Zelda the main character, what's his purposes. To give wisdom or what? And you don't change his character, just to suit a game either. Link is a brand and you just don't change brands. It's like changing Master Chief it doesn't make sense to me. Master Chief was hardly a character before Halo 4, but changing him is senseless. You just don't change brands, just because.

I'm not sure I understand your question.

You have Link be the Hero of Hyrule. Just look at Wind Waker or Hyrule Warriors. Zelda is out adventuring and getting into battles most of the game while Link does his own thing.

Just toggle the name of the TriForce piece they're getting while the other one is in and out getting theirs instead.

 

[nnarum]

Is this going to be a topic for every game now in the future?

Honestly this is making games less enjoyable when we need to make sure no one is offended.

Feel like I'm on a South Park episode of PC.

 

[Merc_]

Things Link Can Be:

- A child
- A teenager
- Blond-haired
- Brown-haired
- Pink-haired
- Split into four color-coded versions of himself
- Partners with two other seemingly-identical but also color-coded Links
- A train conductor
- A rabbit
- A wolf
- A plant-thing
- A fish-man
- A rock-man
- A god
- An octorok
- A moblin
- A like-like
- A ghost inhabiting a suit of armor that teaches his future incarnation skills
- Partners with an alternate-timeline wolf version of himself

Things Link Can Never Be Because It Would Destroy The Whole Character, Nay, The Franchise:

- A woman

I don't get this argument because Link was still a guy in every single transformation.

 

[pargonta]

alright cool, glad this game can stand on it's own now about it.

it's disappointing they don't see a future scenario for it yet, maybe that will change down the line

 

[Veldin]

Nice. Very happy that there's no female playable character in Zelda and that the franchise is staying what it's always been.

That's an interesting perspective, considering how it's being shown to be almost completely different from any other Zelda title in terms of gameplay.

 

[WiiRevolution1]

Just that adding a female option doesn't automatically make the game appeal more to female gamers.

Well not having the option has made me reconsider not getting a Zelda game for the first time ever, so clearly your wrong.

After 23 years of gaming I can only take so much male characters before I snap. As I age I usually only bother more and more with girl only or custom character games because I just don't want to deal with playing as guys anymore unless its a IP or dev I fully trust in.

Zelda is my favorite franchise, but considering Link's blank status aswell as Anouma saying in 2014 "maybe its a girl" going back on it, then being completely crushed today has severily dampened my mood.

I'll probably get it because its my favorite franchise, but having no option aftering teased like the 2014 quote and Linkle just leave me with such a hallow feeling. This Zelda was my dream to. Nonexistant story, all gameplay, it was perfect and then the worst news comes out. I get angrier the more i think not only having no girl Link, but the sexist remarks by Anouma. Now I'm just sad and don't know what to think.

 

[HammerFace]

That's actually sexism

How?

 

[Henkka]

Nintendo's not being sexist, they're just not being inclusive.

Those of you celebrating this and taunting people that prefer to play games as female characters are assholes -- probably sexist assholes.

Is Guerrilla Games also not inclusive by not having a male option in Horizon? Christ.

 

[El Topo]

They are pretty progressive, as far as female representation is concerned, in like everything thats not Mario.

Are they really, compared to the rest of the industry or the big publishers in particular? I mean, Mario makes up so much of their portfolio that you can't really ignore that.

 

[Guess Who]

I don't get this argument because Link was still a guy in every single transformation.

This doesn't affect the point at all, and in fact, kind of proves it?

 

[cuchulainn]

No playable female Link character? Good! It was a crazy, silly idea anyway. Tinkering with a beloved series like this isn't good at all.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

They are pretty progressive, as far as female representation is concerned, in like everything thats not Mario.

Yes, for example, FemMC in Fire Emblem Awakening, and then a step further to be in a potential lesbian/gay relationship in FE: Fates.

That is my favorite example because Fire Emblem has gotten popular in part because of its inclusiveness. Look at the market worldwide and it has gained a substantial female market.

 

[Yado]

Things Link Can Be:

- A child
- A teenager
- Blond-haired
- Brown-haired
- Pink-haired
- Split into four color-coded versions of himself
- Partners with two other seemingly-identical but also color-coded Links
- A train conductor
- A rabbit
- A wolf
- A plant-thing
- A fish-man
- A rock-man
- A god
- An octorok
- A moblin
- A like-like
- A ghost inhabiting a suit of armor that teaches his future incarnation skills
- Partners with an alternate-timeline wolf version of himself

Things Link Can Never Be Because It Would Destroy The Whole Character, Nay, The Franchise:

- A woman

This piping hot tea.

Also it's interesting that he acknowledges that they already have a potential heroine in Zelda but that if the roles were reversed Link wouldn't have anything to do (like Zelda throughout the series). Why can't they both fight to save the kingdom?

 

[Quonny]

Is this going to be a topic for every game now in the future?

Honestly this is making games less enjoyable when we need to make sure no one is offended.

No. This is specifically for this game because of the rumors and this series because the lore does not prohibit a gender-bent character.

But it is a little sad that a forums take on a game makes you enjoy a game less. Perhaps you shouldn't get so invested in what random people on the internet say. Don't mean to be a dick, but if everyone here hated a game and I loved it I'd just shrug it off because who cares.

 

[Flipyap]

Nice. Very happy that there's no female playable character in Zelda and that the franchise is staying what it's always been.

...an open world survival game with loot?

 

[SolicitorPirate]

Nintendo used to be one of my favourite developers, but between this and Rapp, they just can't seem to stop disappointing me

 

[Merc_]

This doesn't affect the point at all, and in fact, kind of proves it?

It kinda does, yeah. It's says that Nintendo sees him as male regardless of other circumstances.

 

[decoyplatypus]

The fact that he has not changed is proof that Link is the same way.

If he was any different he wouldve been changed long ago.

You have not begun to address the differences between Link and those characters. Besides, the fact that Link's previous incarnations have been male strikes me as only tepid evidence that the character is essentially male. James Bond had dark hair for forty years before Daniel Craig.

Completely discounting someones opinion because they are male is no different than a man discounting a womans opinion because she is a woman. They are both equally shortsighted and demonstrate a lack of intelligence.

I was responding narrowly to your argument that men are as capable of spotting sexism as women (an assertion for which you'll find pretty mixed historical support). I did not say men's opinions should be dismissed.

 

[DuffDry]

I think certain people on both sides of this thing are projecting certain parts of the opposing arguments. Not liking this decision doesn't solidify someone as vehemently demanding Nintendo make this decision. Agreeing with the decision doesn't emphatically label one as sexist. Viewpoints are more nuanced than that.

All I see here is a missed opportunity when they obviously wanted to make profound changes to a franchise while providing a pretty poor excuse for one area they chose to not change.

I also believe dismissing people being bummed because it was "just a rumor" is made completely invalid when Nintendo admit to considering the option. It wasn't something that didn't cross their minds and is being met with backlash because a rumor cropped up outside of their control. It quite clearly did cross their minds and they made a creative decision to not make the change. That doesn't mean people can't have disagreements with the reasoning behind that creative decision.

 

[Oersted]

Are they really, compared to the rest of the industry or the big publishers in particular?

It doesn't really matter. They can do better. There is demand for better. Thats all what there is to it.

 

[Kinyou]

I don't get this argument because Link was still a guy in every single transformation.

Exactly. It's all something that happens to link the character. The actual equivalent would be Link finding a mask in the beginning of the game that turns him into a girl

 

[Twiforce]

Are they really, compared to the rest of the industry or the big publishers in particular?

They really aren't.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Aonuma literally just said that if Zelda is doing stuff and not getting kidnapped what the hell is Link supposed to do now? Christ.

 

[Not]

Yup.

They had a perfect Nausicaa on their hands.

I'm still kind of feeling the sting of disappointment. This would've been such a great female character. Expected way too much of Aonuma and the regressive culture he's from

 

[Wavebossa]

This piping hot tea.

Also it's interesting that he acknowledges that they already have a potential heroine in Zelda but that if the roles were reversed Link wouldn't have anything to do (like Zelda throughout the series). Why can't they both fight to save the kingdom?

Because its a shitty argument. Its honestly the worst argument Nintendo could have presented for this decision

 

[stufte]

Nintendo used to be one of my favourite developers, but between this and Rapp, they just can't seem to stop disappointing me

People keep bringing Rapp up, what exactly did Nintendo do wrong there?

 

[Sir Alemeth]

I'm sorry that you feel that way, especially in a series named for a female character.

I've always wanted to play as Metroid in Metroid. I'm outraged.

 

[Guess Who]

Exactly. It's all something that happens to link the character. The actual equivalent would be Link finding a mask in the beginning of the game that turns him into a girl

If there were an optional mask you could put on that is wearable through the entirety of the game to make Link look like a girl would that, for some completely dumb fucking reason, be somehow more acceptable?

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Wow, first Alison Rapp and now this. Nintendo really hates women.

The meninists win again

Aonuma literally just said that if Zelda is doing stuff and not getting kidnapped what the hell is Link supposed to do now? Christ.

Yeah, there's a clear lack of thought behind be the statement, and the logic doesn't pan out either. Real shame.

 

[axisofweevils]

If this drama has taught me anything

is that Koei does what Nintendon't by adding what is basically a female incarnation of link in Linkle in hyrule warriors~

Koei should handle all future Legend of Zeldas.

Feminist Frequency criticised that character too though.

 

[Wuthering_Heights]

Well not having the option has made me reconsider not getting a Zelda game for the first time ever, so clearly your wrong.

After 23 years of gaming I can only take so much male characters before I snap. As I age I usually only bother more and more with girl only or custom character games because I just don't want to deal with playing as guys anymore unless its a IP or dev I fully trust in.

Zelda is my favorite franchise, but considering Link's blank status aswell as Anouma saying in 2014 "maybe its a girl" going back on it, then being completely crushed today has severily dampened my mood.

I'll probably get it because its my favorite franchise, but having no option aftering teased like the 2014 quote and Linkle just leave me with such a hallow feeling. This Zelda was my dream to. Nonexistant story, all gameplay, it was perfect and then the worst news comes out. I get angrier the more i think not only having no girl Link, but the sexist remarks by Anouma. Now I'm just sad and don't know what to think.

Man, if you're this upset and shocked that an established franchise that has starred a male character for 30 years isn't letting you play as a female...

Wow.

 

[Not]

People keep bringing Rapp up, what exactly did Nintendo do wrong there?

I'd love to keep that out of the topic, myself. It's a perfect derail.

Even looking at Eiji's smug face during the treehouse stream is starting to bug me lol. Distracting me from the kickass game he made.

 

[Ysiadmihi]

I personally would have no problem if there was the option to play a female Link in Zelda games. It'd probably be kinda neat, actually.

The whining over him NOT being female, however, makes me sincerely hope it never happens. Really people, give it a rest and let Nintendo do what they want.

 

[Hellsing321]

Nintendo's not being sexist, they're just not being inclusive.

Those of you celebrating this and taunting people that prefer to play games as female characters are assholes -- probably sexist assholes.

Not including a female playable character isn't sexist but Aonuma's reasoning for not having Zelda playable is straight up sexist. It's like the definition of it.

 

[Coinspinner]

Link is the same character in every game. Reincarnation and vague timeline continuity are just the thin excuses they use for the mechanics necessity of having Link start over from scratch each time. Yeah, he also looks different each time. So do Sonic and Mario. I can understand Nintendo wanting to maintain the character's identity.

I wouldn't mind the female option. However, after reading Aonuma's response I get the impression that Nintendo think the female version would effectively be a different character and require some significant work on their part. Why would Zelda be "easier" otherwise? If they think that way then I'm starting to think I'd prefer they left out a gender option.

Personally, my ideal female Link would effectively be nothing more than slightly different body proportions, a slightly different face, and a different actress for the "HUT, HAA, HIYAAA" type voice acting we get from Link. That's... it.

 

[Freshmaker]

Thats fine but clearly this game wasn't going to be it. A link waking up from a long slumber to what appears to be a post apocalyptic world. Clearly they were going to stick to the known link for this one. I think a game where you play as Zelda would be one where it picks up right after Link is captured or possibly killed. Sure they could make him a prince but that feels like the absolute laziest idea and simply a switch of link and zelda's roles just because.

I think switching it up is certainly possible. Easy enough for Link to end up caught in a dungeon or alternate dimension or something. I don't think Zelda should play like Link if they go that route however.

Miyamoto's always saying they need to have something innovative if they want to make a new game. How about less gimmicks and more new mechanics?

 

[jay]

I don't understand the problem of Zelda being the protagonist and Link not being in the game.

 

[Pinky]

Wow, shocking.



Seriously. The internet (GAF) comes off as being filled with man babies because they don't get their way. You know who you have to blame for your hype? Yourselves. You convinced yourselves it was so going to happen.

Damn straight.

 

[Jigorath]

Nintendo is really bad at answering these sorts of questions.

 

[blankempathy]

Well not having the option has made me reconsider not getting a Zelda game for the first time ever, so clearly your wrong.

After 23 years of gaming I can only take so much male characters before I snap. As I age I usually only bother more and more with girl only or custom character games because I just don't want to deal with playing as guys anymore unless its a IP or dev I fully trust in.

Zelda is my favorite franchise, but considering Link's blank status aswell as Anouma saying in 2014 "maybe its a girl" going back on it, then being completely crushed today has severily dampened my mood.

I'll probably get it because its my favorite franchise, but having no option aftering teased like the 2014 quote and Linkle just leave me with such a hallow feeling. This Zelda was my dream to. Nonexistant story, all gameplay, it was perfect and then the worst news comes out. I get angrier the more i think not only having no girl Link, but the sexist remarks by Anouma. Now I'm just sad and don't know what to think.

If you really feel this way then maybe you should move on. I've watched many of my favorite franchises change or simply not cater to what I wanted. Speak with your wallet and support games you want to see more of. And while I may complain I'm not going to let it bring me down. This is supposed to be a fun hobby after all.

I think switching it up is certainly possible. Easy enough for Link to end up caught in a dungeon or alternate dimension or something. I don't think Zelda should play like Link if they go that route however.

Miyamoto's always saying they need to have something innovative if they want to make a new game. How about less gimmicks and more new mechanics?

Im all for a zelda/link partner game. I've said it many times that its a good alternative. It also strengthens Zelda's image as well. That isn't good enough for some people though.

 

[N.Grim]

It's actually not. Like, at all. Unless I am completely misinterpreting what you're saying.. how is wanting to play as a female lead, sexist?

How?

She chose a game instead of another because the protagonist is female

 

[Kinyou]

If there were an optional mask you could put on that is wearable through the entirety of the game to make Link look like a girl would that, for some completely dumb fucking reason, be somehow more acceptable?

I mean, it would be more true to the established character, yeah.

 

[Wavebossa]

I don't understand the problem of Zelda being the protagonist and Link not being in the game.

The problem is Link needs stuff to do. And it better be man stuff.

 

[Sianos]

My personal opinion is that a female Link option would have been interesting, especially considering the intro the game where Link is apparently reincarnated. Would have been a good chance to have the option for the Hero of Time to be reincarnated as a woman, maybe even tie in some elements of character creation that were explored in MGSV.

I'm going to go out on a limb that Anouma's "reasoning" of "well if the game starred Zelda, what would Link do?" is just an excuse to obfuscate away with their choice to play it safe to avoid controversy. The Zelda storytelling staff is clever and inventive enough that they could easily find a way to involve Link in the action if Zelda was the main player controlled hero - as demonstrated by many ideas presented throughout the thread. I think the real reason was to avoid heavy pushback from people opposed to the idea of a character gender choice.

 

[……forgetit]

I'd love to keep that out of the topic, myself. It's a perfect derail.

Even looking at Eiji's smug face during the treehouse stream is starting to bug me lol. Distracting me from the kickass game he made.

funny enough he was the one super excited about female Link too years ago and a PR person had to tell him to cut the crap

 

[Not]

Nintendo is really bad at answering these sorts of questions.

I think it has to be a translation thing at times.

funny enough he was the one super excited about female Link too years ago and a PR person had to tell him to cut the crap

Really? Sweet. Wonder what the context was

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Nintendo is really bad at answering these sorts of questions.

The best answer for this would have been.

"Zelda is the female lead of the series, Link is canonically male. As of right now, we do not have a game with Zelda as the main character."

There, simple, easy and to the point. Sure people will be mad, but at least it wouldn't have caused an additional controversy with the Zelda statement.

 

[Orochinagis]

I am ok for Zelda being the female lead instead of changing link's gender but please Nintendo make a Zelda game for ....zelda

 

[Cindro]

Not including a female playable character isn't sexist but Aonuma's reasoning for not having Zelda playable is straight up sexist. It's like the definition of it.

What on earth are you talking about? They didn't want to create a new female character just for pandering purposes, they considered making Zelda the playable character instead but they realized the person who has actually been the main character over the past 30 years wouldn't have a place with that setup, so they scrapped it.