Aonuma on Need for Female Zelda Protagonist

By Jorge Ba-oh 19.06.2014 7

Aonuma on Need for Female Zelda Protagonist on Nintendo gaming news, videos and discussion

Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma recently spoke about having a female character as a protagonist in the games.

Aonuma feels that the "main character isn't actually Link - it's the player," something he brought up previously when talking about the new look Link in the upcoming Wii U release. "I want him to represent any player," he said in an interview last week.

Aonuma was then asked whether "it'd be more inclusive to female players if they could play as someone of their own gender?" He replied with a question, "Is it that simple - that creating a female character means bringing more female users into the world?"

He was then probed further, whether a man would feel more represented playing as a male "Link" than a female would.

Aonuma used Hyrule Warriors as an example, where players can chose to be Princess Zelda, Midna and Impa as part of the female side of the roster. "If as a result of there being more female protagonists, more women pick up the game, I'm all for it, so I've decided to see what happens with this title."

Do you think players should be given the choice of gender in the new Legend of Zelda game?

Box art for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Developer

Nintendo

Publisher

Nintendo

Genre

Action Adventure

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1

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SirLink is offline. SirLink 19.06.2014#1

I wouldn't mind a female protagonist in Zelda, but it shouldn't be Link. Yes, he's supposed to be represent the player and all that, but over all these years, he's become his own character despite all the reincarnations for me.

That's why randomly having a female Link wouldn't feel right to me. If they went with a female protagonist, I'd love it to be Zelda in a world where something went wrong and Link isn't reincarnated (or something happens to him before he gains the power to fight evil), leaving the task up to her. That would be really interesting.

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RudyC3 is offline. RudyC3 19.06.2014#2

I feel they're missing a point here. If there's one franchise that Nintendo has which appeals to girls in general, just the way it is... it's Zelda!! Heck, even my MOM plays Zelda !! Two of my ex played Zelda, without being massive gamers, and they played very few other games besides these. Girls LOVE Link !!

If they could do anything to perhaps appeal even more to them, it's not necessarily putting them in control of a girl, but make it so that Link has less often to go save a damsel in distress who's a weakling. In my opinion twilight Princess, which wasn't so much about saving Zelda, did this well, and I know quite a few girls who consider it the best Zelda game (whether THAT issue I mentioned has anything to do with it or not I don't know, but I think it's a fair point).

There are other games out there which force players into a female protagonist position (Metroid? Hello?) and guys enjoy them just fine. heck, i'm an even bigger fan of metroid than Zelda, myself Smilie. There's no need to change what doesn't need to be changed in my opinion, Link being a male is part of the identity of the series. Do I feel that Samus has to become a guy? NO! I don't WANT Samus to become a guy, I like her just fine as a female XD !! It's part of what makes the franchise what it is, the same way Link being a male is part of Zelda!

Having said that however, if they find a clever way to make it work, an the game is good, I don't care that Link is male or female. I'd even buy a Zelda game that sends Zelda saving Link for a change, so long as the gameplay and story are good, and that it makes a GOOD Zelda game Smilie. It'll feel weird, and that's not necessary in my opinion, but I won't mind either way.

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SirLink is offline. SirLink 19.06.2014#3

You're right with your first point, Rudy. Zelda is quite popular with girls, more than people think it is. It's a very simple and generalised statement, but something like "Girls love Link, and guys want to be like Link." comes to mind. Smilie Just about every girl I know that has anything to do with gaming loves Zelda, which is pretty damn cool.

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welshwuff is offline. welshwuff 19.06.2014#4

Link has for of had a androgynous feel to him for a while now, i think the player should have the choice to choose links gender in the same way they get to choose his name, because although link has a loosely defined personality, the core idea has always been you insert yourself into his boots, in my game zelda never says "thank you Link", she says "thank you Wuff". With that sort of personal integration already in mind, i don't think gender select would be a huge leap nor a big hassle to just have a second model to choose to play as.

That said he biggest issue is how it would effect the rest of the game, there is often romantic interests in every game and, even some homosexual tension sadly usually for uncomfortable scenes, changing the gender would mean reworking the entire game to be rather flip flopping to lean either way to try and please everyone, because i doubt they'd want to write 2 scripts for 2 sets of interactions.

Changing the gender effects the game entirely, it would need to be the player's decision with the game built to compensate both. Perhaps link could be designed in such a way that he could be be either and noone address them as him or her. 

 
welshwuff is offline. welshwuff 19.06.2014#5

Link has for of had a androgynous feel to him for a while now, i think the player should have the choice to choose links gender in the same way they get to choose his name, because although link has a loosely defined personality, the core idea has always been you insert yourself into his boots, in my game zelda never says "thank you Link", she says "thank you Wuff". With that sort of personal integration already in mind, i don't think gender select would be a huge leap nor a big hassle to just have a second model to choose to play as.

That said he biggest issue is how it would effect the rest of the game, there is often romantic interests in every game and, even some homosexual tension sadly usually for uncomfortable scenes, changing the gender would mean reworking the entire game to be rather flip flopping to lean either way to try and please everyone, because i doubt they'd want to write 2 scripts for 2 sets of interactions.

Changing the gender effects the game entirely, it would need to be the player's decision with the game built to compensate both. Perhaps link could be designed in such a way that he could be be either and noone address them as him or her. 

 
Darkflame (guest) 19.06.2014#6

In order for budgets to work, it HAS to just be a gender-swapped sprite. A female version of link, or a new character taking the same place.
You cant have "play as Zelda" without it being a complete different plot for it to work - effectively a whole new game. Then playing as male effectively wouldn't be an option. (not that a zelda led game would be bad at all, merely you cant really have both in the same game).

That said, as said above, as long as genders arnt portrayed in cliche ways, I think most sane players don't care who they play as. And, indeed, despite the cliches Zelda hasn't been a damsel for quite a few games now. 

Flynnie is offline. Flynnie 22.06.2014#7

Why should we focus on more women playing games? It's like saying we should get more men wearing make-up or men playing with Barbies...:p

But I think this is the mass media, Anita sarkeisian and a few feminists that are influencing these decisions. At the end of the day a recent report stated that 48% of North American "gamers" were female...so obviously 48% of a market is evidently happy with playing as male antagonists then why change it?

I'm not against the whole playing as a female character concept...the new Tomb Raider game was brilliant, I loved Perfect Dark, I also probably prefer playing the Metroid series too. We also have Bayonetta coming up too! All perfect examples of where these games are centralled around women in the first place. Making "link" a woman would be silly, he's already looking a little too metro...like it has been said already I would rather play as zelda/sheik/impa and rescue Link or whatever...the characters are already in place so why change it? 

The idealogy of having a female character in a game just so women feel comfortable is ludicrously contradictory to the cause and women should be ashamed of themselves for being sexist not wanting to play as a male lead character. I've had enough of the game industry pandering to feminist groups and trying to cause an issue that isn't really there.  

 

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