Poll: Would you not buy a game, if they gender swapped your hero?

[shrekfan246]

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I literally just had this conversation in the thread that inspired this one.

First-

I mean, sure it could be done, but why?

See above, where you said "Link's never been a girl!"?

That's why.

Because people would really be excited to have something new.

Link is very rarely the same actual Link from game to game, and other than a (very weak) appeal to "tradition", there's no reason that Link couldn't at least once reincarnate as a woman. Or, as many people have suggested, let the player choose. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it never should. I can't even wrap my head around that sort of argument. When Ocarina came out, 3D games were still in their infancy and were relatively untested, and 3D Zelda games were certainly an unknown element; does that mean it should've just been a 2D title like its predecessors?

 

[DefunctTheory]

Spoiler

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I mean, sure it could be done, but why? Why not just make a new IP inspired by LoZ? Why not just make Zelda the protagonist? Why give Link a vagina? Like i said, I'm not in anyway opposed to playing women...

...I'm opposed the Genderbending current protagonists.

Technically speaking, the majority of Links have only been current for one game, maybe two. The current Link is, if I recall correctly, the longest surviving Link, at three games for one hero (Maybe four, depending on how you view Link's Awakening) out of eighteen games.

And it's not like Link is Bruce Wayne or something. He's just some dumb kid that the Gods poked around with in utero

 

[Lufia Erim]

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I literally just had this conversation in the thread that inspired this one.

First-

I mean, sure it could be done, but why?

See above, where you said "Link's never been a girl!"?

That's why.

Because people would really be excited to have something new.

Link is very rarely the same actual Link from game to game, and other than a (very weak) appeal to "tradition", there's no reason that Link couldn't at least once reincarnate as a woman. Or, as many people have suggested, let the player choose. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it never should. I can't even wrap my head around that sort of argument. When Ocarina came out, 3D games were still in their infancy and were relatively untested, and 3D Zelda games were certainly an unknown element; does that mean it should've just been a 2D title like its predecessors?

You know what also hypes people up? A new fucking IP. Make the legend of Zacchary, with a female hero of time and prince of [ insert fictional place here]. Have it be an alternate univers or just a new game inspired by LoZ. If just making link a girl is what it takes to make people hype for a new Zelda game, the series is dead.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Spoiler

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I mean, sure it could be done, but why? Why not just make a new IP inspired by LoZ? Why not just make Zelda the protagonist? Why give Link a vagina? Like i said, I'm not in anyway opposed to playing women...

...I'm opposed the Genderbending current protagonists.

Technically speaking, the majority of Links have only been current for one game, maybe two. The current Link is, if I recall correctly, the longest surviving Link, at three games for one hero (Maybe four, depending on how you view Link's Awakening) out of eighteen games.

And it's not like Link is Bruce Wayne or something. He's just some dumb kid that the Gods poked around with in utero

In 18 games how many links were girls? Humans notice patterns, and the pattern suggests that link is always a boy. Again im not opposed to playing a game LIKE loz, with a female protagonist, just not LoZ.

But i have a feeling this thread has been derailed because of The legend of Zelda lol.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I mean, sure it could be done, but why? Why not just make a new IP inspired by LoZ? Why not just make Zelda the protagonist? Why give Link a vagina? Like i said, I'm not in anyway opposed to playing women...

...I'm opposed the Genderbending current protagonists.

Technically speaking, the majority of Links have only been current for one game, maybe two. The current Link is, if I recall correctly, the longest surviving Link, at three games for one hero (Maybe four, depending on how you view Link's Awakening) out of eighteen games.

And it's not like Link is Bruce Wayne or something. He's just some dumb kid that the Gods poked around with in utero

In 18 games how many links were girls? Humans notice patterns, and the pattern suggests that link is always a boy. Again im not opposed to playing a game LIKE loz, with a female protagonist, just not LoZ.

But i have a feeling this thread has been derailed because of The legend of Zelda lol.

So? Now we've moved the goal post from changing a character is bad, to letting a female take on a mantle that doesn't have a logical reason for being sex specific besides 'Cus history' is bad.

And really, maybe an old Link was a girl. 'He' does have a propensity to be rather feminine. What's the reverse of a trap?

 

[Winnosh]

Gender Swapping characters not really interested. However with characters such as Link, or The Doctor, and such, where it's a different body or person in each game I don't really care if it's male or female for a current incarnation.

You have Link as a female in one game, or with a chooseable gender in the game, it doesn't change anything of the previous games, and doesn't affect the games afterwards either.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Depends on the game.
Link: No
Samus: Yes
Mario: Yes
Kirby: Does Kirby even have a gender?

 

[FPLOON]

Spoiler: Short Answer (from The Future!)

http://data.whicdn.com/images/23554986/large.jpg

Long Answer: Double standard or not, I would not care enough to complain even if I had justification to do so in the first place...

Other than that, since my "hero" is Rayman... *thinks* Could I care any less if it's still a platformer?

 

[Worgen]

Yes. However don't get me wrong, its not because i have to play a female or anything. But if samus suddenly became male or link suddenly became female, it just wouldn't make sense in an established series where it was always the opposite.

Now however, if i was to get a new IP, that was inspired by metroid or Legend of zelda and i had to play as a girl it wouldn't matter. But do not genderbend a character and make it canon.

Except that Links gender kinda doesn't matter at all. Hes a silent protagonist in a game that is actually name after the female lead who almost never gets to do anything.

Yes but, (and i am no expert, i stop playing LoZ games after Ocarina of time), as far as i know there has never been a " female link". Also, i would argue as far back as LoZ1 and Zelda2 Legend of Link, there is a recurring love interest between the two characters. Sure I'll agree in no place that is it stated the Link must be a boy, but as far as what we have gotten, history has shown that, there isn't a timeline in where Link was a girl.

I mean, sure it could be done, but why? Why not just make a new IP inspired by LoZ? Why not just make Zelda the protagonist? Why give Link a vagina? Like i said, I'm not in anyway opposed to playing women, I'm opposed the Genderbending current protagonists.

There hasn't been but the gender is completely incidental to the character. Really link has very little personality and hes almost always a new link in each game. Ehh, there isn't really any love interest in Zelda, sometimes there is something hinted at or a character like Ruto who decides Links dick is hers, but that's pretty uncommon, really at most the dialog just turns kinda flirty, there is nothing solid.

They could make Zelda the lead, but then what would they do with Link? That's not actually my question, that's what nintendo asked when they were thinking of making Zelda a lead. I makes me wonder if Link not talking is really important to his character, in which case this question would matter since its hard to make an npc that doesn't talk, and link is rather important to the series.

 

[Pirate Of PC Master race]

I am only looking for one thing... Good game.

Exception goes for the game series. Now that's BS, HERESY.

 

[Ronald Nand]

Depends on whether the I play the game because of the Mechanics of the Story. For example something like Serious Sam I wouldn't care because the reason I play, to kill hordes of aliens, is still there. In fact changing up the characters gender can cause a change in mechanics for example Social Stealth games like Hitman or Assassins Creed would suddenly now have new opportunities and limitations because the gender has changed.

But if I'm invested in a specific character's story, for example John Marsden from Red Dead Redemption, and you flip a switch to make them the other gender, I'd probably ending up skipping the next title, as it shows the developer has no respect for the character and doesn't treat them like a unique special character. Games with blank slate characters may be able to get away with this, for example Corvo from Dishonored or Adam Jensen from Deus Ex, simply because these characters don't have a unique personality to kill, but if its a character with a unique personality then I'd skip the game.

That can't exactly fit into a nice poll option, but that's my two cents on the matter.

 

[RedRockRun]

I don't think this is much of a problem unless the story really depends on gender. Even then, I think it would just be a change and not a question of whether I'd buy it or not. The only scenario in which I'd be completely against genderswapping would be if it was a reboot for a series whose sequel I'd been waiting for.

 

[Ronald Nand]

But if I'm invested in a specific character's story, for example John Marsden from Red Dead Redemption, and you flip a switch to make them the other gender, I'd probably ending up skipping the next title, as it shows the developer has no respect for the character and doesn't treat them like a unique special character.

His story is over, though. A female gunslinger in the wild west could be interesting. When you're not wearing a duster, shirt and pants, you could be sneaking into parties hiding guns under your dress.

Yeah John's a bad example, it would actually be cool to play a Female Gunslinger in the West through, wouldn't mind a female protagonist in the next Red Read Game.

But I honestly can't think of many series where I play a predetermined character over a series of games whom I'm really invested in, the games I play for the story mostly have characters whom Gender I pick at the start and make choices, for example Mass Effect. I better example would be Geralt from Witcher or Gordon Freeman from Halflife, but since I haven't played Witcher or Half Life so I didn't want to mention that.

Now that I think about it, Clementine from the Walking Dead would fit my example. Just replace John with Clementine.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

If quality is the same regardless of gender, yet you still prefer one gender over the other, the REASON for the preference is not-quality-based. Yes, you want more of something, and the REASON for that, that is illogical.

Wanting more of something because there isn't enough of that something isn't illogical. It's just human nature. Even if it were illogical, that doesn't mean it's wrong. We're not all Spock. There is an imbalance. I want that imbalance corrected. If nothing else, balance is logical and worth striving for.

Balance in this cotext is the lack of parity. It is imbalaced to have equal numbers of male and female protagonists because if it were the natural balance it would alredy have been the case at one point and then offset into what we have today. That didn't happen. and if you need to genderswap male chars to achieve that it shows how antithetical to the concelt of balance it is.

Also, I don't think there's ever gonna be "enough" in this context. Even if there were only men in videogames from now on I doubt we would all collectively stop playing videogames cause we hit the quota on men.

And finally, wanting more women is fine, but what is wrong is not paying a game cause they swapped the female char but not doing so when they swap a male char. wantin more female chars in new IPs is great and I'm all for that too but you gotta treat both swap situations fairly. While there may be more "men" there only ever is one of each specific character you see, the fans of that one swapped character aren't gonna be consoled by the fact that other chars who are not him are still male, especially if they're purists who don't give a damn about gender like me and only want things to not get arbitrarily changed with no lore explanation.

 

[lacktheknack]

Depends.

Gender-swapped Tomb Raider? Ugh.

Gender-swapped Mirror's Edge? That's fine.

I'll let you draw your conclusions on where the difference is.

 

[Wrex Brogan]

God, honestly it'd depend on so many more things than just 'lol swapped!'. What's the marketing? What's the justification? Whose doing the swapping, and why? Does the gender swap fuck with any established lore (not in the sense of 'Link must always be a girl!' but in the sense of 'Let's introduce this thing that we've already established doesn't exist to justify the swap!')? How gross is the pandering? Hell, was it done from a place of good intentions or solely FOR pandering? I don't trust the games industry as far as I could through them, so these are all important questions for me to ask.

So, you know, I'd be down for a female link but not a 'Suddenly female Master Chief' kinda deal. Unless, you know, John 117 becoming Jane 117 is one of those things explored in the game. THAT'd be something I could get behind.

...same thing with 'Male Samus' and 'Female Mario'. Just saying, if you're gender swapping established characters in universes where reincarnation isn't a thing (and where there's already male/female characters that can serve the same role *cough* Super Princess Peach *cough*), then there'd better be some discussion about transitioning somewhere in there.

 

[thepyrethatburns]

The poll is too open-ended with inadequate options to choose from. Is this a game where people invest in the characters or not? What is the reason behind the gender swap? Does the gender swap radically change things or is it irrelevant?

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Depends on the character. I wouldn't care if they gender swapped Ramirez from MW2, but I would be pretty annoyed if they made Nathan Drake or Snake women.