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E3 2016: [Update] New Legend of Zelda – Link Gender Option Debunked?

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by

Jay Curd
in , , ,

Nintendo will start its E3 announcements this coming Tuesday in the first of its Treehouse livestreams outlining its software releases, and potentially its hardware intentions, for the next year. One of the company’s major stories will of course be the long-awaited new Legend of Zelda game for Wii U– but as early attendees to the Los Angeles Convention Center have already noted, there may be game-changing new element introduced which allows the gamer to choose whether Link is played as a boy or a girl.

The suggestion comes from a tweeted photo of a Nintendo promotional item featuring a lanyard that many agree seems to show two versions of the series hero Link – one traditionally male, and another looking a bit more on the feminine side with slightly smaller features and sharper eyebrows under their hood. If this confirms the possibility to choose which gender to play as this would be a very revolutionary and modern twist –a simple and obvious addition, but a very important one.

Male and female roles in The Legend of Zelda universe have often been the subject of question, especially with the uninitiated who regularly seem to believe that playable character and green-clad adventurer Link is in fact the titular Zelda – who we all know is actually the female princess! But in fairness, it’s not difficult to see why Link might be mistaken for the opposite gender due to his feminine features and flowing blonde locks.

And let’s not forget that too long ago, a female version of Link appeared in a 2014 Japanese artbook based on the Zelda games and this character named Linkle made an in-game appearance in the non-canonical spin-off Hyrule Warriors.

Update:

Since typing this article it has emerged that there is no female Link in the promotional goodies, and in fact this is actually part of a piece of concept art of male Link riding his horse Epona. However, this doesn’t entirely rule out the possibility of the gender option appearing as part of what Nintendo is calling a “groundbreaking” new Legend of Zelda.

We’re eager to get a look at the brand new Legend of Zelda adventure which has been teased at every E3 since the arrival of the Wii U in 2012 and also whatever other hardware treats Nintendo might have up its sleeve – namely the platform currently codenamed NX.