Why Zelda: Breath of the Wild Won't Have A Female Hero

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This may piss some people off, but I am of the mind that people need to shut the hell up about changing established video game characters just to try to meet some imaginary quota. Want a female lead in a Zelda game? It's simple, make a stand alone spin-off game with a female lead. If people want it, it will be a success, but leave existing franchise characters alone. Just so we are clear, this isn't just about changing male characters to female, no one wants to see "Larry Croft: Tomb Raider" either.

However, instead of entertaining the idea of the player being able to choose the hero Link's gender, Aonuma said his team considered what they deemed to be the simplest option; making princess Zelda the lead character. "We thought about it," said Aonuma, "and decided that if we're going to have a female protagonist it's simpler to have Princess Zelda as the main character."
 
If we force characters to conform to only one exact standard are we not simply creating a new majority and actually eliminating diversity?
 
I'd like to see a Zelda game that actually stars Zelda, it's been established that she can fight pretty well and has almost-magical ninja powers. One that doesn't suck like the CDO game.
 
Quix said:
I'd like to see a Zelda game that actually stars Zelda, it's been established that she can fight pretty well and has almost-magical ninja powers. One that doesn't suck like the CDO game.
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I really liked how she played in Hyrule Warriors. From a lore and rules of the universe perspective I get why they don't want her to be the main character in one of the main games, but a spin-off game starring her would be great.
 
So, I'm a bit hazy.

I haven't played a Zelda game since I sold my 8-bit NES in 1991...


...bit isn't Zelda a woman?

Based on the only two Zelda games I've ever played, Legend of Zelda (1986) and Zelda II: The Adventures of Link (1987), I could have sworn Zelda was a woman, and Link was man.

Based on that, it really shouldn't be too far fetched to have a female lead in a Zelda game, should it?

Or have I just been confused all this time?
 
I wouldn't want them to change Link's gender, but I'd be more than fine with a game that actually starred Zelda.

It would be nice to see her rescue Link for a change. I don't get his argument about the Triforce.... unless I'm mistaken, both Zelda and Link have a piece of it in most story lines (Wisdom/Courage respectively.)
 
I'm getting a little sick and tired of this being an issue. One of my favourite games is Tomb Raider. I played as a well-endowed young female; something I, personally, am not. That had zero bearing on my impression of the game. If it's a good game, it's a good game, I really don't care about the gender of the characters.
 
It's been made pretty clear that Zelda keeps pretty busy while Link is off doing Link things. I think a Legend of Zelda game that allows you to play both story lines would actually be pretty damn cool, beyond that, I don't see any reason why Link's gender should even be under discussion. Want to play a female lead? Go play Metroid where the badassity of the female lead is off the charts.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo has plans to let you unlock Linkle using her Amiibo.
 
Quix said:
I'd like to see a Zelda game that actually stars Zelda, it's been established that she can fight pretty well and has almost-magical ninja powers. One that doesn't suck like the CDO game.
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Sheik main represent!
 
Gordonina Freewoman feels violated by G-mans existence. She needs a safe space for herself and her toyboy Axel Vance. HL3 confirmed.
 
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Steve said:
This may piss some people off, but I am of the mind that people need to shut the hell up about changing established video game characters just to try to meet some imaginary quota. Want a female lead in a Zelda game? It's simple, make a stand alone spin-off game with a female lead. If people want it, it will be a success, but leave existing franchise characters alone. Just so we are clear, this isn't just about changing male characters to female, no one wants to see "Larry Croft: Tomb Raider" either.

However, instead of entertaining the idea of the player being able to choose the hero Link's gender, Aonuma said his team considered what they deemed to be the simplest option; making princess Zelda the lead character. "We thought about it," said Aonuma, "and decided that if we're going to have a female protagonist it's simpler to have Princess Zelda as the main character."
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Leisure Suit Larry: Womb Raider
 
So why - exactly - is it that in a game series named after a lead female character, the first installment of which, you played the same female character, you no longer do?

I mean, having a game or two featuring Link as a spinoff might not be a bad idea, but shouldn't you play Zelda in The legend of Zelda?
 
For being "Zelda" games, I always felt it was weird how minor a character Zelda really seems to be in most of them. Having her do her own adventure would be pretty cool, I think.

That said, Link is kind of a fairy-type boy anyway and seems fairly androgynous in the first place. I don't see a specific reason to change Link's gender.
 
Steve said:
This may piss some people off, but I am of the mind that people need to shut the hell up about changing established video game characters just to try to meet some imaginary quota. Want a female lead in a Zelda game? It's simple, make a stand alone spin-off game with a female lead. If people want it, it will be a success, but leave existing franchise characters alone. Just so we are clear, this isn't just about changing male characters to female, no one wants to see "Larry Croft: Tomb Raider" either.

However, instead of entertaining the idea of the player being able to choose the hero Link's gender, Aonuma said his team considered what they deemed to be the simplest option; making princess Zelda the lead character. "We thought about it," said Aonuma, "and decided that if we're going to have a female protagonist it's simpler to have Princess Zelda as the main character."
Click to expand...

The continued distraction of screaming diversity is an utter plague on modern society. But its much easier to point the finger and scream then actually address underlying causes for a lack of diversity such as an abysmal public education system, lack of personal accountability, lowering standards so more people can qualify, lack of interest from the "diverse" populous in a given topic or occupation, cultural differences, "nerfing" of the world at large(triggering and safe space anyone). [insert deity of choice here] forbid we allow the marketplace to determine what people want to play; that makes sense.
 
fadedlogic said:
The continued distraction of screaming diversity is an utter plague on modern society. But its much easier to point the finger and scream then actually address underlying causes for a lack of diversity such as an abysmal public education system, lack of personal accountability, lowering standards so more people can qualify, lack of interest from the "diverse" populous in a given topic or occupation, cultural differences, "nerfing" of the world at large(triggering and safe space anyone). [insert deity of choice here] forbid we allow the marketplace to determine what people want to play; that makes sense.
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Don't bring facts and statistics to the argument. That is not allowed and it will not be tolerated within the confines of our defined safe zone that you are intruding on.

Now excuse me while I go protest people that are having an event on a subject that I disagree with.
 
Darunion said:
Leisure Suit Larry: Womb Raider
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Oh no. Don't let Sierra hear! I doubt they would since leisure suit Larry is doa.
I wouldn't mind another space quest, especially if it keeps the same dark humor.

Or a game that had stellar Santiago as the main character.
 
Is it not possible for things to exists on their own without being influenced by whoever is winning the oppression olympics this month? I go out of my way to not support those that pander to fake outrage.

*edit*
To me simply changing a established character's voice actor pisses me off even more then a gender/race swap thing.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
So why - exactly - is it that in a game series named after a lead female character, the first installment of which, you played the same female character, you no longer do?
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Either you are confused, or did not play the original installment. The main playable character always was Link.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
So why - exactly - is it that in a game series named after a lead female character, the first installment of which, you played the same female character, you no longer do?

I mean, having a game or two featuring Link as a spinoff might not be a bad idea, but shouldn't you play Zelda in The legend of Zelda?
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Don't know if trolling, but you played as Link in the first game.
NeoNemesis said:
I wouldn't want them to change Link's gender, but I'd be more than fine with a game that actually starred Zelda.

It would be nice to see her rescue Link for a change. I don't get his argument about the Triforce.... unless I'm mistaken, both Zelda and Link have a piece of it in most story lines (Wisdom/Courage respectively.)
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Ever since the jump to 3D, Link cannot defeat Ganon/Ganondorf without Zelda's aid. It could be argued that you could not in the first game, either, since you need to collect the shards of the Triforce of Wisdom before being able to enter the final dungeon.
 
jardows said:
Either you are confused, or did not play the original installment. The main playable character always was Link.
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I'm probably confused.

It's been 28 years since I last played it, or even really thought about it.
 
NeoNemesis said:
I wouldn't want them to change Link's gender, but I'd be more than fine with a game that actually starred Zelda.

It would be nice to see her rescue Link for a change. I don't get his argument about the Triforce.... unless I'm mistaken, both Zelda and Link have a piece of it in most story lines (Wisdom/Courage respectively.)
Click to expand...

That's what the Philips CD-I is for.
 
The Legend of Zelda is NOT a title that needs to pander to a vocal minority and make link a woman. The series already has an incredibly upstanding cast of strong female characters.

Zelda - Rules the entire kingdom (In some games it seems completely on her own), runs her own pirate ship, shoots ganon with arrows, sacrifices her life force for others, etc... and if that weren't enough, she takes on an alter persona "Sheik" who is a heroic strong "warrior" character also
Impa - The royal bodyguard, protects princess zelda, offers sage advice, etc

Those are just the main characters, off the top of my head, others include Thelma, dozens of female sage characters, Rito, Midna, Saria, Ashei, etc..
If anything there is disproportional strong female characters to strong male characters in this series.

That said, I'd welcome a Princess Zelda as lead character game.
 
Yes. I was this bored....


pgZhjcl.jpg
 
NeoNemesis said:
I wouldn't want them to change Link's gender, but I'd be more than fine with a game that actually starred Zelda.

It would be nice to see her rescue Link for a change. I don't get his argument about the Triforce.... unless I'm mistaken, both Zelda and Link have a piece of it in most story lines (Wisdom/Courage respectively.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, let's see a game called The Legend of Link... starring Zelda.
 
Doing it for the sake of diversity? Piss people off.

Doing it because it is part of the story and the game? Perfect, I'm all for it.

Don't force it. If you do that, people know it's forced and you can tell it's forced. Don't make it a distraction. Tomb Raider. Not distracting. You're a woman. I'm pretty certain most of the people playing don't care. Fallout. People make girl characters. Same with many other games. It's not the character that is the problem, it's how they put them in the game.
 
I think the male version of Tomb Raider is called "Uncharted"

Amirite?

Also, Link shouldn't be having a gender identity crisis. I play games to getaway from the real world. Next up we will see video games with gender neutral bathrooms.

#gimme the 90's back
 
BAAHAHAHAHA... gender neural bathrooms..... they already exist... it's called a handicap bathroom.
 
Most companies I've worked at has had neutral bathrooms long before this was even a conversation. Now having them in video games would really only entail changing a wall texture and of course making both bathrooms look filthy instead of just the women's :)
 
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