Nintendo Responds to Robin Williams Legend of Zelda Petition

[Esmeralda Portillo]

Nintendo Responds to Robin Williams Legend of Zelda Petition


Nintendo releases statement in response to the petition asking for a Robin Williams tribute in the next Legend of Zelda game.

Earlier this week Nick Schaedel of Adelaide, Australia [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136850-Petition-Circulating-to-Name-Legend-of-Zelda-NPC-After-Robin-Williams] who felt that one of the best ways to honor the beloved man was to name an NPC "Robin" in his memory, "He won't get to play it, but he'll live on forever in a universe he always loved."

The petition has reached up to 98,771 signatures at the time of this report, but Nintendo has already released a statement in response to this heartfelt plea.

"Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo. Our hearts go out to his entire family, and especially to Zelda Williams who we've worked with multiple times. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community, and hear the request of fans to honor him in a future game. We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close."

This statement is enough for Schaedel given his earlier statements in the petition's updates, "If Nintendo does do this, it would be an unexpected but wonderful outcome. If Nintendo takes some other action or even just posts a statement... that is also a wonderful outcome. If Nintendo doesn't do anything, then this petition simply stands as a reflection of a lesser-known way that Mr. Williams touched the lives of many people. That's fine too."

While we're left with Nintendo considering the notion, Schaedel closes by urging fans to still honor Robin Williams' memory by donating to one of many charities he loved [https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/robin-williams], such as the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

World of Warcraft players also asked Blizzard to honor Robin Williams as he was known as an avid WoW player himself. Blizzard confirmed at an unveiling of the game's fifth expansion World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor that they will be creating a character in his likeness (or that of one of the characters he played) [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136805-Blizzard-Will-Create-a-Robin-Williams-Tribute-Character] as a tribute to what he meant to the online gaming community.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/16/6013071/nintendo-responds-to-petition-to-include-robin-williams-tribute-in]

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[Canadamus Prime]

Well it's good of Nintendo to at least consider it. Although I do hope they do actually go through with it and honour him with an NPC.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

That's what I call a "Don't call us, we'll call you".

 

[MBergman]

Not to be a party pooper or anything, but what exactly did he mean to the online gaming community in general? If the extent of his involvement was an anonymous character on a server?

I'm not against it happening and I'm not trying to hate on people I just don't see it. But then again I'm a cynical guy so feel free to ignore me

 

[PunkRex]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

Not to be a party pooper or anything, but what exactly did he mean to the online gaming community in general? If the extent of his involvement was an anonymous character on a server?

I'm not against it happening and I'm not trying to hate on people I just don't see it. But then again I'm a cynical guy so feel free to ignore me

sure he was a bit of a troll on WoW, but he was an avid gamer and that was kind of it. he really didn't interact with any of the gaming communities outside WoW. but that doesn't mean that he never had an impact with gamers through his films, and the LOZ trailers he did with his daughter were really awesome.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Not to be a party pooper or anything, but what exactly did he mean to the online gaming community in general? If the extent of his involvement was an anonymous character on a server?

I'm not against it happening and I'm not trying to hate on people I just don't see it. But then again I'm a cynical guy so feel free to ignore me

He'd been a gamer for a long time, well earned his badges. He was a Quake player, a Warcraft player, of course a Zelda fan. I have friends who played random matches with him and he was very open about who he was on the mic. He also played D&D. The man may have been a superstar of comedy but he was one of us, a geek, a nerd, a gamer, whatever you want to call it. So many things about him were genuine and that Zelda ad is so heartbreaking because he loved a game so much he named his own daughter after it.
We lost one of our own, and he just happened to be one of the greatest comics of all time.

 

[Jumwa]

Seems like a more tasteful response than Blizzard's rush to pop him in WoW.

Everyone is rushing to poo-poo Nintendo, but how might the family react to these big multi-billion dollar companies rushing to make digital NPCs modeled on the just recently deceased man? It comes off as crass at best.

 

[Ylla]

Seems like a more tasteful response than Blizzard's rush to pop him in WoW.

Everyone is rushing to poo-poo Nintendo, but how might the family react to these big multi-billion dollar companies rushing to make digital NPCs modeled on the just recently deceased man? It comes off as crass at best.

Thats true only if Nintendo does honor Robin someway, even if its not with an NPC. And im sure they will.

 

[ShogunGino]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

Most company responses tend to come in committee style or unbridled PR-nightmare carelessness style. The committee thing, I found to be because they don't like to raise false hope. You know how the internet is at over-interpreting everything. I remember what used to be said about Operation Rainfall, and even the frequent mentions of a 3DS Majora's Mask remake.

OP: TBH, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't include him. I loved the guy, but I also know that, while he certainly had his fans around the world, I'm pretty sure Williams was far more appreciated in North America than abroad. Putting an entire character based on him would probably be a bit of a stretch for Nintendo's Japanese studios to want to do, considering that he wasn't nearly as well known in Japan. I'm sure their not unsympathetic about the situation, but I don't expect them to do something so specific for him, even if it is just an NPC. I mean, his contributions to advertising for them was pretty limited to the North American market (though I did see one of the Robin and Zelda commercials dubbed into Italian).

If they do put in an honorary character, I would be pleased, but I certainly don't expect it. His death has come at a time when development for the game is probably already past character designing and into programming and graphics refinement, so it's probably just too late for something like this to happen. Sure, they could rename a character in the English translation in his memory, but that might not be something Nintendo of Japan would approve since it would likely not be a genuine localization attempt, but rather a specific reference to one real individual.

But then, this is all still speculation. If it happens I'll be pleased, if it doesn't, it won't bother me.

 

[iniudan]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

Well they are most likely gonna seek the family legal approval first, if they intend to do it, so they cannot affirm they will do it until then.

 

[Roofstone]

Seems like a more tasteful response than Blizzard's rush to pop him in WoW.

Is that tasteless? I don't really see why..?

OT: Nintendo probably won't, but it is nice that they acknowledge the wish for it at the least.

 

[weirdee]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

yeah, because it's a company and not a bunch of individual people who think they're nintendo

what were you expecting, microsoft?

 

[PunkRex]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

yeah, because it's a company and not a bunch of individual people who think they're nintendo

what were you expecting, microsoft?

I don't necessarily mean it as a negative, just that every message they ever seem to post looks like it took 2 minutes to write and 2 days to pass it's editors.

I understand that they're careful, which is a smart move considering the rage the internet can stir itself into given the slightest inkling, but it would also be nice to feel like they're actually talking to the fans and not at them.

It's not a big deal, just kind of odd.

 

[Tumedus]

I really hope they don't. I have absolutely nothing against Robin Williams, I just don't see the need to immortalize a guy in a different medium he wasn't directly involved in just because he was a famous example of a fan.

Also, if I were Nintendo, I might hesitate at the idea of honoring a guy who was not only famous for his comedy but also his drug habit in a game franchise that has always maintained a very family friendly tone to it. WoW can be a bit more liberal with their inclusions because pop culture references are the norm in that game and they have a very different tone.

And its not like the guy isn't already immortalized... in the genre he became famous in.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

I'm expecting a secret room like that one given to the winner of some competition in LttP. It won't be a big deal if they decide not to, it's nice that they even replied.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Wow, Nintendo really can't say ANYTHING that's not committee written can they...

Stole the words right out of my mouth, I expected the WoW thing to happen because it's out there and can be changed. But then every line of NPC dialog in the Legend of Zelda is all essential, and none can be spared. Sure Nintendo listens to fans, but I wouldn't say they ever act on it.

Now where did I put that flame shield?

 

[Baresark]

I think this petition was ridiculous in the first place. You can love or honor him in many ways, but using his name or likeness in a game just seems stupid to me. Go buy his movies, watch his comedy specials, enjoy your memories of a fantastically funny and a man who was also just a good man. I can't honestly believe anyone expected Nintendo to respond to this in any other way. Nintendo probably doesn't care one way or the other about Robin Williams and his death, and that is there prerogative, it's genuinely unfair for the people behind this decision to put that pressure on anyone.

 

[Jumwa]

Seems like a more tasteful response than Blizzard's rush to pop him in WoW.

Is that tasteless? I don't really see why..?

OT: Nintendo probably won't, but it is nice that they acknowledge the wish for it at the least.

Because it reeks of trying to grab attention (for profit) over a man's death?

At my grandmother's funeral, I can tell you none of us appreciated the local mayor showing up and schmoozing while we grieved. Even if it was intended as a gesture of respect.

 

[Dark Knifer]

I never understood this petition in the first place. You can't expect companies to tribute everyone they have ever worked with, especially when they aren't even in the same medium as what the person was famous for.

No-one is obliged to tribute him for anything, if you want to tribute him somehow, great, but I seriously don't think people should petition a company selling a product should be asked to tribute him because realizing a paid tribute, no0 matter how small seems like money grubbing to me. A better tribute would be a freely made picture or video of some kind, not a triple A game.

And its not like the guy isn't already immortalized... in the genre he became famous in.

Also this.