Poll: Would we all be cool with a female Link?

[Charli]

Well fuck yes, but....the easier way is to just have Zelda and Links circumstances reversed for a change.

But sure, I can take a genderbent link I guess. Since he is, as many point out, pretty void of much personality.

 

[PromethianSpark]

Screw a female link, just make this game!: http://dresdencodak.tumblr.com/post/47724463171/inspired-by-anita-sarkeesians-video-game-tropes

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Only if people are fine with a male Samus. If we're going to tear down a gender barrier by mixing it up with a well-established gender-locked individual, then we might as well tear down all the barriers.

 

[Mikejames]

I don't see a problem. They change the Link in nearly every game despite keeping a lot of stuff the same, so I don't see why gender couldn't change. I'm not sure what it would add to the game, not I doubt it would take away anything either.

Seconded. I wouldn't really be against the idea, but I don't see it amounting to much more than a minor aesthetic change.

 

[Adventurer2626]

I'll say yes with the stipulation of it being a new character not Link gets a sex change. Or Zelda could just get some screen time and go on her own adventure.

 

[Asita]

It could work, if we're talking about a Zelda game where the hero is a female descendant and has a somewhat original character design. In that case it's "Female Link" only in the sense that the hero is now female.
If we're just talking about a gender swapped Link then no. All that would happen in that case would creating the exact same character and going "But wait, it's female now! We are so progressive!" It would be like making a female Mario when you could have just made a new character. I don't see the point.

Basically I'd rather see a new female character or an already established female character as the PC in a Zelda game rather than Female Link.

My vote is to give one of the Links a Gerudo descendent. Gives a very obviously different character design than just slapping boobs on a character and allows for some other interesting formula changes, such as what kind of equipment is collected, and the playstyle used. I mean, offhand, given their proclivity for dual wielding seen in the games, I'd imagine a Gerudo wielding the Master Sword might lean more offensively than prior Links, quite possibly requiring a second special sword or using a short sword/dagger for parrying rather than a hylian shield for blocking, then there's their tendency towards the use of glaives, and then of course there's the matter of how they get through the Gerudo training grounds (without the hookshot?)...Could end up being a very different playing experience on the whole. And then of course there's the matter of their intrinsic relation to Ganondorf - the Gerudo King himself - giving the story shades of a rebellion much like in the case of Nabooru in Ocarina of Time.

 

[waj9876]

Eh...if they could actually make it work. It can't be done just to make Link female. There has to be a good reason for it.

 

[AuronFtw]

What would be "edgy" is making a new well written female character and actually trying to buck the trend with something fresh and unique.

This is Nintendo though, and they make new game franchises about as often as Blizzard. Hoping for a brand new female-centric franchise instead of a one-off attempt in an already strong one is foolish at best; people take what they can get.

Look at Final Fantasy - they tried to make it all-female with X-2, but that game was complete trash. The writing sucked, the characters were shallow and trite, the voice acting ranged from bad to JESUS SHUT UP ALREADY and it was just a really bad product all around. If that had been its own franchise-starting attempt, it would have flopped (rightfully so). But they didn't want an auto-flop, so they tacked it onto an existing franchise.

That might be a bad example though, because Final Fantasy has been getting steadily worse since 9, so the progression into female-cast-for-the-sake-of-having-a-female-cast might have just been part of the shittiness.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Only if people are fine with a male Samus. If we're going to tear down a gender barrier by mixing it up with a well-established gender-locked individual, then we might as well tear down all the barriers.

Except Samus Aran is one distinct character. There's a dozen different Links in TLoZ' timeline.

Spoiler

What you're suggesting is a change of an established character with a backstory. What this thread suggests is that the newest bearer of the Triforce of Courage who happens to be a girl instead of a boy.

Only if people are fine with a male Samus. If we're going to tear down a gender barrier by mixing it up with a well-established gender-locked individual, then we might as well tear down all the barriers.

Well Samus Aran is a single person who, by nature of being a single person who probably can't shapeshift, is rather gender-locked. Link, on the other hand, is a different person every game that just happens to look alike, meaning there's no reason why the next Link couldn't be female other than stubborn people who can't imagine someone with a vagina possessing the Triforce of Courage.

True, it makes more sense for Link in the canonical stance of his many past lives to swap genders, but I made the comparison entirely based on the obvious importance both have in the medium and specifically Nintendo's stable of beloved icons. I called Link gender-locked because he has only ever been one gender, thus he is locked in the minds of the gamer masses.

The truth of the matter is that while making Link female is a very simple writing change that would very likely lead to a unique pathos that would benefit the series as a whole, the undertaking would be best remembered in gaming history as a breaking down of gender barriers. The response from the public would be massive, putting Nintendo in the spotlight for years to come. I compared it to Samus, because the rippling effect on the entire industry would largely be similar if she was gender swapped.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

Honestly, I'd prefer Zelda being playable in a game that lives up to the rest of Legend of Zelda's bench mark, or surpasses it than see a female Link, but I'll take what ever they'll give.

 

[Lotet]

Screw a female link, just make this game!: http://dresdencodak.tumblr.com/post/47724463171/inspired-by-anita-sarkeesians-video-game-tropes

Ha ha hah. What fun!

Sidenote: Are there other characters to whom this would apply? Where gender/race/sexuality/etc are so insignificant that changing them would leave the overall character unscathed? Off the top of my head: Chell(Portal), Master Chief (Halo) and Kirby (well, Kirby).

Gordon Freeman? Really, almost any silent protagonist could have been the opposite gender and it wouldn't change the story at all. Valve is all about silent protagonists. But they're hardly unique in that field.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

While I'm sure they both would have an impact on the industry, I feel like Samus inexplicably changing gender in defiance of canon would probably cause a bit more of an uproar than the effeminate Link being revealed to be a woman. You'd get feminists and Samus fans on the same side railing against Nintendo for anti-inclusivity, stupidity, and depriving gaming of one of the classic female heroes.

Maybe you're right. But given how iconic Link is as a driving force in the industry, the difference in the margin of public reaction would still be pretty slim.

 

[likalaruku]

I always wanted a single gender-swapped incarnation of Zelda.

All of them have to have a similar psychical build, similar fashion sense, identical personality, & same hair style/length to their counterparts. IE a manly man will become a muscular butch woman & a feminine woman will become a thin long-haired dandy.

*Girl Link (Whereas Link is rather feminine looking, she'd be considered boyish looking).
*Prince Zelda.
*Female Ganondorf. (I picture her looking like Harara from Zero Apocalypse, but more muscular).

Spoiler

*Happy Mask Saleswoman.
*Female Tingle.
*Male Midna.
*Female Groose.

 

[Kingjackl]

I'm surprised they haven't done a 'choose your gender' version of Link yet. It would make sense, as he's already meant to be a cipher and they always give you the option to choose his name. The implication is that he's meant to be a reflection of the everyman protagonist, and the everyman doesn't necessarily have to be a man, especially if the player isn't male.

 

[Dragonbums]

Spoiler: You wrote it!

The only people who would have problems with it are adult babies.
I don't see why the concept would not work. In all the games descriptors of Link, he is described as a hero in green garb. Sex, race, bodyshape, etc. never played a factor in that.
Hell Link could be a Goron and it could work.

All I care about is that the game is good.

Spoiler: You read it already!

This idea was actually done before at least once. (Female Link, not the Zelda game where you play Zelda)

Though, it wasn't "official".

A dad made a mod for a Zelda game where he just changed a lot of the "he"s to "she"s and what not.
And, BAM! Link's a girl.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-09-man-mods-wind-wakers-pronouns-to-make-link-a-female-role-model

Guy did it all so his daughter could play a game as a girl.

So as for a reason for why Nintendo should do this? It would be nice of them to throw their female fans a bone.
Plus, for a game as big as Zelda, it wouldn't be hard, or that much of a risk.

That said, a game about Zelda does sound cool too.

Not just as Sheik. It would be neat to see how Nintendo would make a game for Zelda, seeing as she uses a lot of magic.

What could be cooler than playing as a elf using magic, who can also kick ass as a ninja?!

Yeah, Nintendo probably would have no problems executing any of those ideas.
Honestly, I'm not worried about Nintendo doing it.
I think I even saw an article on the Destructoid that said Miyamoto wouldn't mind doing this very thing if enough people demanded it.
I'm worried about the fan backlash.

Link's only constant descriptor like I said was a hero in green garb. Nothing else.

Yet you have people insisting that Link being white and male is part of that canon as well therefore Link can't be a girl. Which is total bull.

If anything, Nintendo would be accused of political correctness, instead of praised for their huge freedom of creative wiggle room that the series is known for.

Yeah, if they did make Link a women/girl, there would be a fair amount of people going ape over it.
Then again, when isn't there some people going ape over things? ;p

That said, I would think that would be out weighed by the good will they would get for doing it.
In truth, it's not MUCH more than a kind gesture, unless they do more than just change the gender.
However, it would still be something of an olive branch to people asking for more women in games.

Plus, what are the people complaining going to actually do besides *****? Not buy the game?
Somehow I doubt that.

As for a Zelda game about Zelda. Well, that's got to be only a matter of time. Surprised they didn't do it already.

Side question: Is the dragon in your avatar from something?

Well, Miyamoto talked about making the next Link dark skinned (like dark skinned) it wasn't due to being PC or anything. He just wanted the next Link to be that color.
At the end of the day though, people tend to be all talk but no show. If the game is good, people will buy it in droves anyway. As was pointed out before, it would put Nintendo in the public spotlight to degrees they haven't seen since the NES boom due to gamer babies causing a huge shitstorm about it, and probably would give the game a lot more traction.

As for my avatar? Nah. It's not from anything. It's just a dragon character I draw a lot. I think a couple of escapists here now my blog though. I can link you to that if your curious to see what they look like in full.