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[Joelstinton14]

I see Lady Link as basically being Nausicaa, especially considering the Zelda U Link design so far. Given that, yes please. Nausicaa Link would be best Link.

That is a really good call, I'd be really happy with that. Studio Ghibli were so far ahead of there time really thinking about it.

 

[Vidiot]

It doesn't need to pull any Stephanie Meyer or Paul Feig Ghostbusters shit, just simply have a female Link avatar for the player and everything else is as per usual.

Except it will effect the story since Link usually has a few girls crushing on him.

 

[phanphare]

What if there's a Splatoon dungeon.

you trying to give me a heart attack or something?!?!

 

[UnemployedVillain]

There's a sort of irony that the WiiU has had almost every Zelda released on it but won't have a Zelda of its own.

. . .
This is the Wii U Zelda though

 

[Vaenyr]

I believe everyone expects Zelda to release for the Wii U and the NX, wouldn't be the first time in series history.
I hope the gender choice is true, there's no reason for an avatar character to be exclusively male. Keep male Link as the face of the series in smash bros etc, but give people the choice for a female version. Win/win really.
As for the voice acting, this would be perfect! Keep Link silent, but let the NPCs finally talk. It's a great compromise and a HUGE step forward for the series.
Exciting times ahead.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

It's not like it's gonna be some Bioware thing. You'll probably just choose your male or female Link and that's that.

You mean the choice between Link and some new female character.

The rumor doesn't say female Link. It says pick between two characters. Link cannot be female. Link is a man's name. Link is a man. He's always been a man. He'll always be a man. A company doesn't gender swap a 30 year old character, one of the most well known and established video game characters of all time.

People need to really go into this full on assuming it's Link + Other Character. Anything else will just leave them disappointed.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

Man. The backlash is gonna be fierce if/when people find out that there never was a female option. So much manufactured hype.

At this point some pople will be dissapointed if its just zelda having some playable sections like Ciri in the Witcher 3.

 

[hao chi]

All of that sounds great.

Please be true.

 

[SalvaPot]

Ha, I forgot about Pokken. That was a pretty cheap one. The English VO was recorded by English-speakers/American actors in Japan for that one. I guess that was to save money and avoid creating another localization excursion in the US or wherever. It would've been done at the same time the Japanese tracks were recorded, I'd guess.

That I didn't know, that explains why the translations are so literal, its like they did almost no localization and they just translated the game as is, proof read it and released it.

 

[Pinky]

lol they dont need to delay the game for a year to add tits and hips to Links character model

It's not just her appearance. The post I replied to touched on the overall design of the game and how it would need to be tweaked to accommodate a female character. For all we know, they may have decided to give her different abilities that Link does not possess. This would allow her to explore the world in a totally different way than Link would be capable of. This could really add some replay value to the game. Also, you have the issue of how NPCs react to her. She can't run up to the Grand Sword Master and he's all like "Hey, Lad! Time to train with the sword! Today, you will become a real man!"

This is all speculation, obviously, but there's more to it than simply making alterations to Link's model.

 

[KiefbladeMaster]

I was saying this would happen last year, just like it did with Twilight Princess. Makes sense to not only release it on the hardware that will stop being supported soon.

 

[Kinsei]

Except it will effect the story since Link usually has a few girls crushing on him.

It doesn't have too. Maybe now there will be a few guys and girls crushing on them.

 

[brandonh83]

Except it will effect the story since Link usually has a few girls crushing on him.

Usually. This is a context we know nothing about yet, and when you pick female Link it could be different male characters crushing on her. That'd be about it.

 

[DNAbro]

No voice acting again.. :/

it says there will be?

 

[Jarmel]

You mean the choice between Link and some new female character.

The rumor doesn't say female Link. It says pick between two characters. Link cannot be female. Link is a man's name. Link is a man. He's always been a man. He'll always be a man. A company doesn't gender swap a 30 year old character, one of the most well known and established video game characters of all time.

People need to really go into this full on assuming it's Link + Other Character. Anything else will just leave them disappointed.

Linkle

Done.

 

[SuperSah]

Gonna need more evidence.

Words don't cut it anymore.

 

[ErrorMacro]

Man, I'll be sooo disappointed if this ends up not being true .

 

[Magusx]

awesome if true.

 

[Nibel]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Linkle

Done.

I don't think they'll actually use Linkle, but yes, go into this assuming that it will be Link + Linkle and not Link + Gender Option because that isn't happening.

 

[kuroneko0509]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

nah too flat :^)

 

[……forgetit]

Why? She got pretty reliable sources and what she leaked recently turned out to be true.

The 20th of April, it's also the 10th Mother 3 anniversary.

Because she's leaked a ton that wasn't true.

 

[Atrarock]

lol link characterization.
Dude is a walking camera with a tunic

Link is blank state character, those two other characters arent

Yeah...this has been false for awhile. They've made the Link(s) their own character starting with Wind Waker. They especially made them not a piece of wood due to them actually showing emotions and proper reactions they want us to feel.

lol they dont need to delay the game for a year to add tits and hips to Links character model

Link is already as pretty as Rurouni Kenshin, you don't need to do much else to say or do to do any kind of gender swap.

I also want Link voiced to see the meltdowns. And Link also has some really nice character in large chunk of the Zelda Manga, canon or not.

 

[LiK]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

She was always female.

 

[Jarmel]

Usually. This is a context we know nothing about yet, and when you pick female Link it could be different male characters crushing on her. That'd be about it.

I just can't see Nintendo putting in that much work for this.

 

[Sn4ke_911]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

No, i'm pretty sure that is the male version.

 

[m00h]

Won't buy because of female Link option.

 

[superNESjoe]

Always makes me happy to see newcomers to the series

I know it's easy to get confused since at a glance they might look the same, but if you look closer for a second you'll actually see that these are all different people that just happen to be dressed the same. It's been a series tradition for decades now, almost every game introduces a new dude with his own origins and motivation independent from the rest, even though they do all wear green! It's kinda silly to call any one of them the "real" Link since even Zelda II's Link was a different guy from the first one. It's an easy beginner mistake tho, no worries.

I get your point, but being a big Zelda nerd I'll interject and say this picture isn't accurately showing all unique Links. LoZ and Zelda 2 are the same Link. Pretty sure LttP and Link's Awakening are the same too. Isn't the Oracle Link the LttP one as well? What about Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass?

 

[LegendofLex]

But in one of those games you role-play as a character and choose their responses, and in the other (From's games) I actually have a very similar complaint - that your character is completely divorced from the story. I've got a lot of flak for saying that. But at least in From's games the 'story' is mostly background lore. You don't tend to have cinematic cutscenes where a person is talking directly to your character's face and then there's a reaction close up of your character where he lamely nods his head or moves his lips and we're supposed to 'imagine' what he has said.

I think those examples are different from Zelda, I really do.

I think what we'll inevitably see will lie somewhere in the middle, tbh. I'm just saying that those are the "games to beat" in the fantasy space (Skyrim in terms of large open world games, and FromSoft's games in terms of action-driven dungeon crawlers that emphasize encounter and level design - Zelda is, again, somewhere in the middle between both from a gameplay perspective, too) and I don't think a voiced protagonist gives Nintendo any kind of edge against either.

Because she's leaked a ton that wasn't true.

Even legitimate inside sources aren't immune to hearsay

 

[darknil]

I'd like that the selection of female or male character would be between Zelda and Link and that would cause changes on the gameplay mechanics, at least on the combat, not on the actual puzzles.

But that doesn't exclude the other choice from the game and they appear as a companion kind of like extending the concept of Pokemon (like in ORAS)

Oh well, I just expect for a TLOZ game that doesn't have repetitive parts like that stealth sections of SS or the triforce hunt on WW.

 

[phanphare]

You mean the choice between Link and some new female character.

The rumor doesn't say female Link. It says pick between two characters. Link cannot be female. Link is a man's name. Link is a man. He's always been a man. He'll always be a man. A company doesn't gender swap a 30 year old character, one of the most well known and established video game characters of all time.

People need to really go into this full on assuming it's Link + Other Character. Anything else will just leave them disappointed.

why can't Link be a woman?

 

[Griss]

Always makes me happy to see newcomers to the series

I know it's easy to get confused since at a glance they might look the same, but if you look closer for a second you'll actually see that these are all different people that just happen to be dressed the same. It's been a series tradition for decades now, almost every game introduces a new dude with his own origins and motivation independent from the rest, even though they do all wear green! It's kinda silly to call any one of them the "real" Link since even Zelda II's Link was a different guy from the first one. It's an easy beginner mistake tho, no worries.

But when you post that image, it makes it clear that there's way more established about the Link character than just 'wearing green'.

-He's male
-He has blonde or dirty blonde hair, typically messy
-He's a young boy or young man between 10-18 years old
-He's slim and fit
-He has blue eyes (when the art style can show irises)

I'm fine with making him female but there's no denying that you would be utterly changing the established template of who 'Link' as a recurring character is.

 

[Kinsei]

Yeah...this has been false for awhile. They've made the Link(s) their own character starting with Wind Waker. They especially made them not a piece of wood due to them actually showing emotions and proper reactions they want us to feel.

Facial expressions don't make an avatar into a character.

 

[thestopsign]

Man at this point I am just fucking excited to see some gameplay and a bit of the world. The rest doesn't really matter to me, but they are nice little details I guess.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I see Lady Link as basically being Nausicaa, especially considering the Zelda U Link design so far. Given that, yes please. Nausicaa Link would be best Link.

And boy Link would be Ashitaka. Let's go full Miyazaki, plz Aonuma

 

[BiggNife]

Gonna need more evidence.

Words don't cut it anymore.

Well you'll probably be getting some next week

And this is most likely the same person who told Emily and ShockingAlberto about Color Splash so there's a very high likelihood it's true

 

[UnemployedVillain]

I also want Link voiced to see the meltdowns.

Posts like this are so weird. "I want something just to see people get mad"

 

[Joelstinton14]

Because she's leaked a ton that wasn't true.

To be fair to people that do get information, Sometimes that information is outdated, not entirely accurate, things change or get pushed forward or put on the back burner.

 

[Anth0ny]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

I think so, yeah.

 

[LiK]

When you change genders with Link, the character model won’t even change. Just the grunt voices.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

why can't Link be a woman?

Why can't Mario be a woman? Or Sonic? Why can't Samus be a man?

Exactly the same thing. And no, Link isn't an avatar. He is a character like the rest. Established and part of a brand.

 

[Salty Catfish]

Cool. Link's appearance has always flirted with androgyny and he has minimal established personality, so this is an inclusive and logical next step.

 

[NinjaCoachZ]

But when you post that image, it makes it clear that there's way more established about the Link character than just 'wearing green'.

-He's male
-He has blonde or dirty blonde hair, typically messy
-He's a young boy or young man between 10-18 years old
-He's slim and fit
-He has blue eyes (when the art style can show irises)

I'm fine with making him female but there's no denying that you would be utterly changing the established template of who 'Link' as a recurring character is.

Link being female would only change the first bit and a couple words in the middle.

Why can't Mario be a woman? Or Sonic? Why can't Samus be a man?

Exactly the same thing. And no, Link isn't an avatar. He is a character like the rest. Established and part of a brand.

Sonic, Mario, and Samus were not designed and named specifically to be non-descript and have personalities/traits left up to the player's imagination so the player can project themselves onto them.

 

[Yoshi]

Why? She got pretty reliable sources and what she leaked recently turned out to be true.

The 20th of April, it's also the 10th Mother 3 anniversary.

So, how hard will Mother fans hate me if I say: I hope Mother 3 will not get translated, because this lowers the likelihood of this horrible news here being true (especially the voice acting).

 

[Crayolan]

You mean the choice between Link and some new female character.

The rumor doesn't say female Link. It says pick between two characters. Link cannot be female. Link is a man's name. Link is a man. He's always been a man. He'll always be a man. A company doesn't gender swap a 30 year old character, one of the most well known and established video game characters of all time.

People need to really go into this full on assuming it's Link + Other Character. Anything else will just leave them disappointed.

I'm not expecting there to actually be a genderbent Link either, but come on. Link is a not a real name to begin with, how can it have a gender preference?

 

[Zero-ELEC]

Always makes me happy to see newcomers to the series

I know it's easy to get confused since at a glance they might look the same, but if you look closer for a second you'll actually see that these are all different people that just happen to be dressed the same. It's been a series tradition for decades now, almost every game introduces a new dude with his own origins and motivation independent from the rest, even though they do all wear green! It's kinda silly to call any one of them the "real" Link since even Zelda II's Link was a different guy from the first one. It's an easy beginner mistake tho, no worries.

Ummm, I'm all for f!Link and all (especially since, like you said, most of the Links are different Links) but The Adventure of Link's Link is most definitely The Hyrule Fantasy's Link.

 

[Alienous]

She was always female.

I was so sure of this. The way they focused on the face at the end of the trailer was like a reveal; "Hey look, it's Link, and she's female!".

 

[brandonh83]

Link cannot be female. Link is a man's name. Link is a man. He's always been a man. He'll always be a man.

I think this is being incredibly ignorant to the actual context of the situation. As has been said, Link is hardly anything more than a player avatar. It's a different Link in most of the games as per Link being reborn or whatever in different time periods to be the hero. As through being reborn/reincarnated, there's absolutely no reason why it cannot be a female sometimes.

And not only does Link not have to be a man's name in a work of fiction, but the female version could be an alteration, as they've already did with Linkle. You're right that the rumor doesn't specify that it's a female version of Link, but that's what I'm seeing if said rumors pan out.

I just can't see Nintendo putting in that much work for this.

It wouldn't take much to have a few alternate cutscenes and lines. It's not like this has ever been anything complex, and if they're doing M/F versions, they'd know that a little more work/thought would have to go into this.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

Because this pretty much guarantees Link as a character is going to be shit. They're not going to do two separate storylines and I'm doubting they would even do small changes. I would rather they just do a full fledged game tailored with Link being female then this half-measure.

I must have missed the Zelda game where Link was a fully realized, compelling, and fleshed out character, huh?

 

[Zalman]

Soooooo

Could this have been a female character model all along?

Maybe. I think female Link is a result of Aonuma listening to fan feedback. I don't really think it was on his mind when this trailer was shown.