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[-Eddman-]

It's strange that you stopped playing video games in the 80s.

I did not express properly, I apologize. I'm fully aware there's boys and girls in most Nintendo games nowadays, I meant that if Nintendo is doing this since the 80s, why is this not a permanent thing in ALL of their games. It can't be that hard to create a simple female character or just use Zelda for the 3DS game

 

[Entryhazard]

It's the main thing to do though.

Having a cool NPC isn't the same as the main character who you control (with some agency to the character, the link to link) and wander off on an a brave adventure, being powerful and overcoming things etc

People would forget about it (until cutscenes, so hopefully they get some guidance there) with the way he looks and has his hat now anyway. The swinging grunt though...could be nice, who knows.

Yet we're in a loop; you want the MC to represent the player, to reflect him, yet you want the same playable character to be someone the player should strive to, thus different from who the player is ATM

 

[Skyzard]

Yet we're in a loop; you want the MC to represent the player, to reflect him, yet you want the same playable character to be someone the player should strive to, thus different from who the player is ATM

It's felt by simply playing the game though, with that mc.

 

[Davidfoundation]

Yes evillore doesn't play by the rules. Copyrights don't matter to him

 

[petghost]

What I don't get about classic literature is why we can't choose the gender of the protagonists! Why can't Ahab or Huck Finn be girls if that is how I see them?

 

[Alo0oy]

Yet we're in a loop; you want the MC to represent the player, to reflect him, yet you want the same playable character to be someone the player should strive to, thus different from who the player is ATM

You want women to strive to be a man, then?

 

[Mango The Magician]

Maybe if Zelda was stolen at birth (and grew up with link, maybe he can come but is more of a bowman special power or something) but she always knew she belonged elsewhere.

Yes, you've seen this movie.

Or have her be forcibly ousted from her castle so she teams up with link or really whatever. The issue of no playable female character doesn't have to fsll squarely on link's shoulders, there are a lot of options that keeps this issue from being change link or don't.

 

[Entryhazard]

You want women to wish they were a man, then?

Women should wish to be Impa

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

What I don't get about classic literature is why we can't choose the gender of the protagonists! Why can't Ahab or Huck Finn be girls if that is how I see them?

Call me Ishfemael.

 

[Neiteio]

Call me Ishfemael.

Haha, amazing

 

[qualitydisc]

Hey guys what's going on in this threa----

... oh....

 

[DICKS AHOY]

What I don't get about classic literature is why we can't choose the gender of the protagonists! Why can't Ahab or Huck Finn be girls if that is how I see them?

You can in Choose Your Own Adventure books!

 

[Enduin]

Maybe if Zelda was stolen at birth (and grew up with link, maybe he can come but is more of a bowman special power or something) but she always knew she belonged elsewhere.

Yes, you've seen this movie.

That makes no sense. Just have her be Princess Zelda, no need for some special background or overly convoluted and ultimately bad plot line.

Have Link fail, get captured and put on ice, Zelda then is on her own and has to become the hero Hyrule needs. Cue 35 hours of fun gameplay, utilizing familiar gameplay mechanics and items as well as some new stuff that reflect Zelda's unique attributes. The end.

 

[liliththepale]

What I don't get about classic literature is why we can't choose the gender of the protagonists! Why can't Ahab or Huck Finn be girls if that is how I see them?

You can in interactive most interactive books. There just aren't that many of them.

edit: beaten by Dicks Ahoy

 

[Skyzard]

Or have her be forcibly ousted from her castle so she teams up with link or really whatever. The issue of no playable female character doesn't have to fsll squarely on link's shoulders, there are a lot of options that keeps this issue from being change link or don't.

It's a really good point, they should wear green though.


A real consideration for Nintendo could be the social pressures of females playing their video games as they grow older. It's bad for guys but I imagine it's not that much better for girls. Which is possibly one reason why there are fewer and Nintendo do rely on hardcore to an extent. Obviously having more female characters would be a long term strategy solution but at a cost now and in the future by missing out on a safer bet.

That makes no sense. Just have her be Princess Zelda, no need for some special background or overly convoluted and ultimately bad plot line.

Have Link fail, get captured and put on ice, Zelda then is on her own and has to become the hero Hyrule needs. Cue 35 hours of fun gameplay, utilizing familiar gameplay mechanics and items as well as some new stuff that reflect Zelda's unique attributes. The end.

As long as she's in a decent green link-like costume, I'm good.

 

[DICKS AHOY]

You can in interactive most interactive books. There just aren't that many of them.

edit: beaten by Dicks Ahoy

Also Zelda being compared to classic literature is sort of insane. They're fantastic from a game-design perspective but even if I dig their stories, they're still just variations of the 'Hero's Journey' narrative that are simplistic even in comparison to the rest of the industry's writing.

The Witcher or Planescape: Torment it ain't.

 

[And_Gignac]

Can Nathan Drake be a female too?

 

[Mango The Magician]

It's a really good point, they should wear green though.


A real consideration for Nintendo could be the social pressures of females playing their video games as they grow older. It's bad for guys but I imagine it's not that much better for girls. Which is possibly one reason why there are fewer and Nintendo do rely on hardcore to an extent. Obviously having more female characters would be a long term strategy solution but at a cost now and in the future by missing out on a safer bet.

Why? If link's gender or look isn't important why should we bother keeping his tunic?

 

[WhiskeyKnight]

This is like telling Brontë that Jane Eyre is now a man or informing Fitzgerald that Gatsby is actually a woman.

Art can not, will not, and should not cater to everyone equally.

 

[Izuna]

Can Nathan Drake be a female too?

You have my something piqued with this.

Is this cosplay?

 

[Corpekata]

Man the literature comparisons are getting better and better. Next let's get some comparisons to the works of Shakespeare as to why we should not tell Ubisoft to change the lead character for Watch Dogs 2. Aiden Pearce's story must be respected.

 

[Alex]

Women should wish to be Impa

I'd love for a mainline Zelda game that let us play as Impa. I grew up on Zelda but I have no qualms with omitting an awkward, teenage protagonist in yet another wistful coming of age story in favor of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ub83PeWYAE&feature=youtu.be&t=14

 

[Skyzard]

Why? If link's gender or look isn't important why should we bother keeping his tunic?

The gender is important, that's why it's fair to mix it up. His look allows that to happen more easily.

 

[Entryhazard]

Why? If link's gender or look isn't important why should we bother keeping his tunic?

Because green is Farore's colour.

 

[Savitar]

Who can throw the boomerang best?

Who is boomerang?

 

[Trogdor1123]

Negative, although the pic is awesome.

Just make a kick ass Zelda game. I don't want Link ruined with this.

 

[Starsunder]

Mmm nah.

 

[Mango The Magician]

The gender is important, that's why it's fair to mix it up. His look allows that to happen more easily.

Or as I said just make someone else playable and avoid changing an icon, why that dosent work ill never know.

 

[QueenOfThorns]

This is like telling Brontë that Jane Eyre is now a man or informing Fitzgerald that Gatsby is actually a woman.

Art can not, will not, and should not cater to everyone equally.

holy shit

Negative, although the pic is awesome.

Just make a kick ass Zelda game. I don't want Link ruined with this.

How would Link be "ruined"?

They wouldn't have to change the design on Wii U Link like, at all.

 

[DICKS AHOY]

Why? If link's gender or look isn't important why should we bother keeping his tunic?

... Isn't Zelda U potentially scrapping the green tunic?

It quite possibly isn't that big of a deal for the company as long as other identifiable Zelda tropes are present and marketed front and center.

This is like telling Brontë that Jane Eyre is now a man or informing Fitzgerald that Gatsby is actually a woman.

Art can not, will not, and should not cater to everyone equally.

But so god help me if the next game has mandatory motion controls again may god have mercy on Aonuma's soul.

 

[Kodaman]

I did not express properly, I apologize. I'm fully aware there's boys and girls in most Nintendo games nowadays, I meant that if Nintendo is doing this since the 80s, why is this not a permanent thing in ALL of their games. It can't be that hard to create a simple female character or just use Zelda for the 3DS game

I'm sure you demand this for all the products from all entertainment companies...

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Can Nathan Drake be a female too?

.

 

[Rest]

Interpretation of art is out of the hands of its creators after being presented to the world. There are no worries because Link has always been a girl.

Well, to you. But that's never been my interpretation, so he's still a guy.

 

[balgajo]

Why? If link's gender or look isn't important why should we bother keeping his tunic?

An that's common opinion. Why the hell his clothes are more iconic than his gender/looks?

I mean, if Nintendo is tired of Zelda tropes put in the fridge for a while and create a new adventure IP.

 

[-Horizon-]

Can Nathan Drake be a female too?

You mean "New" Lara Croft?

 

[AuthenticM]

I am okay with this !

 

[Skyzard]

Or as I said just make someone else playable and avoid changing an icon, why that dosent work ill never know.

I was under the impression it's a different person each time anyway?

But it'd be nice to keep the damage minimal the first time

 

[tengiants]

holy shit



How would Link be "ruined"?

They wouldn't have to change the design on Wii U Link like, at all.

I'm curious what you think is wrong with the "holy shit". Maybe we should burn all the books too?

And you're right that Link wouldn't be ruined. But if we're playing that game, ND should make Nathan and Joel females. They could do it. See pic above.

 

[Alo0oy]

You have my something piqued with this.

Is this cosplay?

A lot of women cosplay as Drake if you browse deviantarts for some reason, despite there being a female option in Lara Croft.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I was under the impression it's a different person each time anyway?

It is, for the most part. In every way, Link being a girl in one of the games would be acceptable (for lore reasons, for representation reasons, for variety, etc.).

But here we are

 

[Zomba13]

Lets gender bend all the character! I mean it's much better to take a character with no personality and make them a woman instead of making engaging and unique new female characters! I for one would much rather have Maria and Louise the Italian Plumbers and Linkette than brand new, interesting characters.



Real talk: Having the option for a female Link would be fine because of how much of a blank slate Link is but I feel if they were to do that they would need to gender swap the other characters, have a Prince Zelda, Queen of Hyrule/Red Lionesses, Ganondorphine(I got nothing for this). That way you can still have some sort of relationship between the Link and Zelda characters if they want like in Skyward Sword. Anyway, the moment Nintendo do have a female Link as the star of her own game we'll get a different set of people up in arms that instead of making a new IP with a new female character they've taken the easy way out and gender swapped/Ms male character'd Link.

In the world of Triforce heroes or whatever I feel the easiest way to explain why it's three identical Links with different colour hair would be a summons was put out for Link, the legendary hero and three Link lookalikes showed up claiming to be Link so the King or whatever sent them all off together. But nah, they have just random people sign up where they could have just as well been male or female.

 

[Skyzard]

Nathan Drake really sells on Indiana Jones though. I guess robin hood works for zelda...kinda.

There's always tomb-raider too. Plus these games tend to be targeted at older gamers but it's fair, they're not out-of-range or anything.

 

[213372bu]

Well, to you. But that's never been my interpretation, so he's still a guy.

Wooooossshhhh

 

[Trojan]

You mean "New" Lara Croft?

Or Tom Braider

http://cosplay.kotaku.com/male-tomb-raider-is-tom-braider-1714566419

 

[FF Seraphim]

Where the hell are my Prince Zeldas?! Or my princess Ganons?!?
Discrimination I say!

 

[-Horizon-]

It is, for the most part. In every way, Link being a girl in one of the games would be acceptable (for lore reasons, for representation reasons, for variety, etc.).

But here we are

Yep, welcome to this thread: electric boogaloo, now with more mods

 

[Robotguy]

EviLore, get some PR out there for this. We at least need a Kotaku article.

There's probably already one being written right now.

 

[Sciz]

Or as I said just make someone else playable and avoid changing an icon, why that dosent work ill never know.

People bang on about female Link in particular because it says more if the face of one of Nintendo's biggest franchises* is female instead of settling for a secondary playable character, and because it's a unique case where it actually takes more effort to write the narrative such that he's a boy in every single incarnation instead of switching it up at least once in a while.



*Metroid is not one of Nintendo's biggest franchises.

 

[balgajo]

I was under the impression it's a different person each time anyway?

But it'd be nice to keep the damage minimal the first time

In the lore yes, but outside of it he is an iconic character. And Nintendo uses his best/modern design to represent this character. See for example Link's amiibo. Despite of heavily inspired in TP they do not treat it as TP Link, just Link. And that's the Link we still want to be male, despite of lore possibilities. Even though most of people here are not against a Zelda with a female main character we just want them to mantain Link as he is with the minimum changes possible. Also when the guy from PR says that Link is a dude he's not talking about Triforce Heroes Link but the character from Nintendo.

 

[Mango The Magician]

I was under the impression it's a different person each time anyway?

But it'd be nice to keep the damage minimal the first time

Yeah totally just like Paper Mario is a completely different person than Mario.