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Aonuma: That was Link in the Wii U Zelda trailer, denies 'female' rumors

Partition

Banned
http://mmgn.com/wiiu/news--that-was-link-in-zelda-wii-u-trailer-aonuma

That was Link you saw in Nintendo's tease of the Wii U Zelda during the E3 Digital Event, and it wasn't a female version, despite online speculation.

Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma told MMGN the comment leading to rumours the character we saw might not be Link was taken out of context, and was intended as a joke.
"It's a rumour," Aonuma said with a chuckle when I asked him about the speculation buzzing around online.

"Actually that comment I made jokingly," he said. "It's not that I said that it wasn't Link. It's that I never said that it was Link. It's not really the same thing, but I can understand how it could be taken that way.

"It seems like it has kind of taken off where people are saying 'oh it's a female character' and it just kind of grew. But my intent in saying that was humour. You know, you have to show Link when you create a trailer for a Zelda announcement."

However, he doesn't want players to focus too much on Link's appearance in the trailer.
"I don't want people to get hung up on the way Link looks because ultimately Link represents the player in the game," he said.

"I don't want to define him so much that it becomes limiting to the players. I want players to focus on other parts of the trailer and not specifically on the character because the character Link represents, again, the player."

The author has provided validation that this is from Aonuma, if people are skeptic:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=116123879&postcount=2251

Previous statements Aonuma has made on the character and dynamics of the game, which may contradict what he said in this interview:

That trailer for the new Legend of Zelda for the Wii U sure looked great, didn’t it? But what was up with Link? He wasn’t wearing his iconic green tunic or hat. Why did Link look so weird?

“No one explicitly said that that was Link.”

That’s what Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma told me when I asked him about Link’s, or whoever it is’, new appearance during an interview at Nintendo’s E3 booth. He said this with a smile and a laugh. Could the bow-wielding hero we just saw not be Link, the star of every game in the series history?

http://venturebeat.com/2014/06/10/zelda-creator-teases-that-we-didnt-see-link-in-wii-u-trailer/

"Rather, the more we change it, the more I get fired up. Having someone think 'Huh? Is this Zelda?!' at first, then 'Oh, it is Zelda,' is what we're going for. Something that wouldn't make it matter whether Link or Princess Zelda appear in it or not. Something where it wouldn't even matter if Zelda is actually a princess, or not."

http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/aonuma-zelda-u-wont-be-traditional-not-tired-of-making-zelda-games

Another interesting comment I've heard, quite frequently actually, is that, "Oh Link's a woman. Link is female now."

Interviewer: I thought that, too. I thought maybe it was Zelda when I first saw Link on Epona in the distance.

Eiji Aonuma: That might be something that consciously we kind of did, but not to say anything specific – I am not saying anything specific – but, I am hoping people continue to comment, and I will continue to follow the fan comments and reactions to the trailer. I am certainly curious, and I am sure there are things we as developers can glean.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2014/06/11/is-link-a-girl-in-zelda-on-wii-u.aspx
 

tesla246

Member
Thank god...

EDIT: Maybe I wasnt clear enough; I meant that now all the whining can stop about wether is a girl or not. Some people were just overly reacting and wanted it to be a girl, I mean why care so much? I'm fine if it would have been a girl, and zelda would be a prince, if it was worked out well enough story wise, gameplay wise etc., but ultimately it comes down to the gameplay, graphics music etc.
I guess I just dont understand such a commotion about it being whatever gender.
I am extremely excited for this new iteration. Looks like they will finally adress all the negatives thats plagued this franchise for so long now.
 

ramyeon

Member
This is all the confirmation I need.

Hopefully he can reaffirm this statement in upcoming interviews so we can finally lay this to rest.

That said I never even questioned Link's gender in the trailer when I saw it. Looks like Link to me.
 

Persona7

Banned
They always talk about how Link is supposed to be a projection of yourself into the game, I don't see why they can't just make a male and female character and you choose at the start of the game.
 

Busaiku

Member
Again, though the last quote isn't exactly a new sentiment, I'm thinking that Link's gender will simply not be defined.
Because honestly, Link's gender is only a deal a few times.
 

Astarte

Member
They always talk about how Link is supposed to be a projection of yourself into the game, I don't see why they can't just make a male and female character and you choose at the start of the game.

Can we keep a female Zelda if we do choose a female Link?
 

watershed

Banned
Lol, I kind of feel bad for Aonuma. He had to come back and explain his own joke in order to stop fan speculation from getting out of hand.
 
Well that settles it.
Again, this is what happens when you only put out a 45 second trailer!
Fans go nuts with speculation, and hang on to every insignificant word that comes out of your mouth. lol
:p
 

Jintor

Member
We might not be going to whole hog, but I'll be interested to see what they'll be doing with the stuff they were talking about to zeldainformer.
 
Either way, it's a much more androgynous Link than we've had in any game prior. Lighter facial features, skinnier frame - it's a less masculine take on the character, which is a cool move.
 
Too bad, would've liked a female Link or a new female protag in general in the Zelda series. Either way still looking forward to the game.
 
Thank god...

Oh come off it.



They always talk about how Link is supposed to be a projection of yourself into the game, I don't see why they can't just make a male and female character and you choose at the start of the game.

Good idea. I'll respond to it with the usual:

It's Nintendo and Nintendo likes to operate in the land of precedent.

They could do a lot of things, but they decide to stick to tradition.

Hopefully Aonuma is thinking just enough outside of the box that we can get playable genders...if Link really is just a representation of the player.
 
lol, Aonuma's getting better at this chicanery. I thought it was Link, though maybe a bit influenced by character creation/choices and consequences accrued at that point in the story.
 

nbnt

is responsible for the well-being of this island.
But.. but.. look at his eyelashes! He's definitely a female!.. :p
 

holysan

Member
At least he denied this in a fast manner. I’m not disappointed at all, but damn would it be cool to play a Zelda game as Zelda.
 

Bundy

Banned
A lot of gamers are now questioning their sexuality.

BCucGZH.jpg
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
I hope he will not retrat the "in-engine gameplay" part of his statement. About Link it was just obvious to me.
 

co1onel

Member
Still confused on why he was holding the bow in his left hand if it was Link. Thank god people can stop speculating on who it is now though.
 
XD oh Eiji, you a funny man. I bet he laid back in his hotel room with a nice scotch/sake/whatever and read through the dedicated thread, soaking in all the mayhem and speculation.
 
However, he doesn't want players to focus too much on Link's appearance in the trailer.
"I don't want people to get hung up on the way Link looks because ultimately Link represents the player in the game," he said.

Uh... Character creation?

I hope not
 

HowZatOZ

Banned
It seems Aonuma is going for the more androgynous look to better fit with "anyone can be link" style of story telling. I think this is a great way, but I can also see Link still having characteristics of past Zelda titles.
 
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