Rumour: Could Female Link Be In Hyrule Warriors On 3DS?

Seems legit! 1st!

2nd for Tumblr!

It's called genderbending and it's been fairly popular for many years in media, but it usually involves body swapping in the Freaky Friday trope outside of Japanese media not true gender transformation. I'll never understand the popularity of the trope, but it makes for some good laughs from time-to-time, yes I'm looking at you Ranma ½.

Fourth for more R34 of Link!

@Neko_Rukiafan Its gender-swapping, which is different. Link isn't turning into a girl, this is a female counterpart. Adventure Time did this successfully. Thor isn't turning into a girl either, its a female version.

Pardon my ignorance, but i don't recall finding any such artwork of a female link in Hyrule Historia.

(I do own the book, its just not in front of me ATM)

@shinesprite It's from the artbook from first run copies of Hyrule Warriors in Japan.

@Damo uh...I don't know if the image was ever shown in Hyrule Historia, but it was in the Hyrule Warriors limited edition artbook.

This gender-swapping needs to stop, why are people so obsessed with it?

I actually like the idea of a female protagonist in Zelda, but they should make a totally new character for that. This genderswapping is kinda creepy imo...

Nah, I don't think it'll happen in this game (it's just a port). But then Hyrule warriors broke quite some conventions, so who knows. Either way, it won't be a reason for me to buy this port. I rather have a proper, new 3DS Zelda!

@Tsurii oh wow, I had no idea. But was this just an idea the Zelda team were throwing around, or was it specifically for Hyrule Warriors?

And about the gender-swapping, I guess I have an unusual opinion about that for Zelda. There are many versions of Link. Although sometimes the same Link has appeared in multiple games, most of the time its different people. And each time his relationship to Zelda is different. Maybe there could be a female link who is Zelda's best friend or sister?

Anyway, having a kid sister type to Link that similar to him would be cute. It would be nice to see the regular Zelda cast grow.

Well, considering that Link is a separate person in each game, I can't see why some Links couldnt be female. I think it would be a nice option to choose the gender in the start of the game, just the same as you get to name your character.

@Omenapoika exactly. Though I kinda like having the character to be decided up to a point, including appearance and gender. Even though I'm open to a female Link, I would rather she be either a separate character or a specific incarnation of Link. I'd rather not turn this into an avatar situation with a customizable protagonist.

Don't understand this weird need to make female versions of male characters. Just use the female characters that were created as female.

I'm happy with this, but Linkle is such a dumb name. I hope Nintendo changes it to Lina or something that sounds like an actual name.

I can't understand the obsession with wanting a female link.... What about having a male Zelda??? No that's stupid just like it's stupid to change any characters gender that have been established for 3 decades!

Because if there's one thing Hyrule Warriors is short on, it's female characters!

I don't know how people can complain about this, Hyrule Warriors isn't canon so Koei Tecmo have the artistic freedom to do whatever they want with it not impacting on the official timeline in the slightest. Also, I wouldn't really call this gender-bending, we aren't necessarily dealing with the same Link every game, there have been quite a few throughout the timeline. It is possible for one of the descendants within the triforce of courage line to be female. Yes, I am aware that Link has always been male from day one which might constitute gender-bending, but again I don't see why this is a problem. I think a female Link would be awesome btw

@Great_Gonzalez learn the meaning of the word obsession. That word is applying to exactly zero people in this conversation.

Wasn't referring to anyone in this conversation was referring to the internet in general

What if Zelda was a girl?
In all seriousness, I prefer Link being male, Zelda being female, etc.

I wouldn't mind a female Link even in a full Zelda game, shake up the formula a bit

Could just be a new weapon for Link. After all, Link's Crossbow Training is a thing.

Link is definitely not the most elaborate character anyways so I wouldn't mind mixing things a bit. I usually play with female characters when possible so I would actually like it a lot in a canon Zelda.

Link has always be an avatar, so it'd be cool to see a female Link.

I wouldn't put it past them to have the female character redesigned to look less like Link (I think Aonuma wasn't exactly cool with the idea, but Ninja Theory themselves removed it) and then put her in the game, but all I could wonder about is why they'd bother at this point? I mean, bigger harem is better harem, but the oracles would be way better for this (maybe Capcom owns them?) - oh well. Another day, another reason for Gamexplain to post a video.

They're experimenting to see what kind of reception this would get. Hyrule Warrios is the ideal testing ground.
Personally, I'm not a fan of this. Link is Link, and should always be male. If they want to use a female as the protagonist one day, then I suggest they make up a completely new character, not "Linkette"

To think a bit deeper into it, in the 80's and arcades games were expected to be picked up and played so the story needed to be understood in a glimpse. Since ancient times men were the expendable warriors and heroes of stories: Odysseus was going to Ithaca to his wife, Romeo was the one who went under Juliet's balcony... and even in modern games with more complex stories and customizable characters, male characters are more usually portrayed in leading roles and the center of action, especially in advertising (I'm studying this stuff).
It's simply that games take use of the assumptions and premises laid by gender roles because it's efficient and easy to understand. But with the huge media coverage, writers and game makers would need to take responsibility in shaping the stories of our age and if gender equality is a thing of our culture it could be expected to be reflected in our media.

@Neko_Rukiafan It's also in the hardcover Prima guidebook (there's an art section after the actual walkthroughs). The art section was the only reason I bought the guidebook.

I'd love it if Female Link had the same artwork as Link!

Why can't this thing just die. It always seems to stir things up. I would personally find it pretty odd for them to make whom is already set as a male character as a female.

I don't want a female Link, is there a male Zelda? No

It's a Female alternative people. Keyword "Alternative". A different character. Most of you are just being ridicules. As if Link is having a sex change. Seriously? Can we grow up a little please.
Anywho, it would make sense to have another female character that might have lived in the same village as Link. I do think they should be more creative with her name. Give her a bigger personality.

@Garo

Thanks for being the only one to think of that. Even as a spin off Link had a crossbow there.

Or it could be a totally new character like Cia or Volga.

Eh, the concept art barely looks different from Link. Mostly just adjusted the bottom half of the wardrobe.

I do also like the idea of giving a female character more agency. Both Zelda and Mario fell onto the side of saving the princess, a concept—if it maintains the old gender roles—is a bit dated.

I wold be thrilled if the next zelda game had an option for your avatar like Pokemon, with a choice between a male and female avatar. The female avatar doesn't need to be Link as a female, she just needs to be a cool hero like him. I'd love that. I want to bash Ganon's face in as a woman.

I usually dislike gender-swapping established characters, though a female Link wouldn't bother me that much since he's so generic.

Link is a good friend of Bruce Jenner.

So... Where's this "female" Link everybody is talking about? Looking at what I see in this post, that's a younger Link with a crossbow. Sorry. I don't care. I was tricked into reading this article. Ignore my post after reading it.

I would be very surprised if this isn't legitimate.

To be honest, if this is a female Link, I say... no. Link is a male, he was always a male and his name is not a dumb title like Marvel tries to defend their aw-so-amazing idea of female Thor. If you want a female character, go make a new one and stop ruining well-known characters. This is so ridiculous!

@Nictendo64 >>It's a Female alternative people. Keyword "Alternative". A different character. Most of you are just being ridicules. As if Link is having a sex change. <<
I beg your pardon? Do you know what is going on lately in the video game industry? This not only an alternative character, it looks pretty much like Link to please all those poor people, that are hurt in their feelings because there is not female hero in LoZ. This crap is ruining not the video game industry, but artist creativity, because nowadays, people can't just create something, they have to do it "the right way" or they are misogynistic.

>>Seriously? Can we grow up a little please. <<
Tell this not us, but all those feminists and SJWs.

What about the leaked sonic amiibo compatibility? You can unlock Link Sonic in Hyrule Warriors with out Sonic amiibo!

@SnuggleMon stop with the whiny "SJW" BS. Ever heard of the word 'optional'
Geesh, you and your man-only world. You are what is wrong with all that GamerGate and anti-SJW nonsense. Do you honestly think you own the franchise? If nintendo wants to give us that option to reach even more fans and sell more games or to tell more/different stories, why should they listen to complainers like you who think something is taken from them.

_{Tone it down, eh?-Morpheel}

I hope they will add lineback, skullkid and vaati as playable characters. I also hope they will add the dlc/new characters to the story mode. And last but not least I hope young link gets the deku mask as a new weapon and link gets the minish cap as a new weapon.

This is just a tease. I've wanted a female Link in a main stream Zelda game for years.

Normally I like characters to stay the same out of respect for the characters... but that female link concept artwork looks amazing... I'd play as her. Perhaps the next game should offer the boy/girl choice to keep everyone happy.

Hey, cool. That character looks fun and it's the perfect place to try this out as Hyrule Warriors is all about inclusiveness. With Tetra and now this character... if it does indeed unlock the characters in the Wii U version, I might just have to buy this for the 3DS even if I'll barely play it on the cramped, underpowered device (compared to Wii U of course).

Link is not male. Link is a different recurring hero during different generations and from Nintendo's viewpoint (which I don't prefer) an avatar for the player. That's why you can always name Link something else. He's always looked a bit androgynous, too, but maybe not any more than other anime male protagonists. It's not necessary to have a female Link option, but it's kind of fun. This particular idea isn't even a replacement for Link in any way, so if you are offended by this, you are probably tangled in that gamer gate fiasco and have lost all rational thought.

Personally, if there was a mainline Legend of Zelda with a female Link as the Hero one generation I think that would be a fun way to turn things over and bring some fresh perspectives. Doubt it will happen in that way though any time soon, though. It's too precious a franchise for Nintendo to invite controversy even if it is somewhat silly.

As far as the likelihood of this being real. I'd say it's pretty high. There is not only a crossbow there. It is carefully covered and shows just enough to see that it matches the style in that art book exactly. I'd wager It's an intentional tease.

I honestly don't care about the whole female Link idea, but I would love if they made a brand new main female protagonist for the Zelda series.

@Garo Exactly what I was thinking. However I'm not sure paying homage to that game isn't very likely, either.

If players really want a female protagonist so bad then just make a game where Zelda is playable (you know, the namesake of the game).

Ok, no lie (And I honestly feel like a tool for saying this...) But I would buy this game if I could play as a female Link.

I don't have a problem with a female Link but I think it's a bit uncreative to have her as a "new character". Hopefully her play style is sufficiently unique.

@Ichiban Actually, the number of male and female characters in Hyrule Warriors is exactly equal.

The choice between a Female and Male Link should be the standard in every Zelda game.

I hope not ....
Why is it, that ever male character needs to be gender swapped nowadays?
I prefer male Link and it worked for so many years with him being male, so why change that?
I know that I will get the question "His gender dosn't matter either way because he is a dofferent reincarnation of the Hero every time, so why not make him female in the next game?"
My awnser to that would be:
"If it really dosn't matter why not leave Link like he is at the moment? Secondly, he may be a different reincarnation of the old hero and technically a different person in nearly every new Zelda game, but all in all he is the same character every time isn't he? It's always Link either way ....
If you really wanted a female character in a mainline Zelda game, why not use Zelda herselfe?"

Considering the disaster that female Thor has become, the idea of a female Link 'alternative' looks much less appealing.

I'd never thought of having a female Link, but it really is a great idea. He's not Mario, he's not Star Fox, Link is a role played by multiple characters throughout the history of the series. He's like the Marvel Comics character Iron Fist, there are multiple versions throughout time. I'm a big Doctor Who fan, but one of the things that really bugged me since the relaunch is that he always regenerates as another pale white guy. There have been scenes when he regenerates where he's checked to make sure he hasn't grown a second head, but he can't grow boobs or come back with a darker skin color? There's a similar problem with Link. Nintendo should mix it up a little.

Also, I don't think this qualifies as gender swapping. Nor does the female Thor qualify as gender swapping. Thor was no longer worthy of carrying his hammer, a woman picked it up. Male Thor still exists, the male Links would still exist. It's a different thing. Gender swapping is something like when they relaunched Battlestar Galactica and cast Starbuck as a woman.

Ugh

Say YES to Linkette!

I was hoping for trans-Zelda.

Zelda isn't the sort of game where this would work. It may be "fun and progressive" but takes away from it. This isn't the Marvel multiverse with multiple universes. Why not make Mario a woman or change Fox Mcloud to Racoon McTank. It's doesn't make sense to destroy an established mascot to try to be progressive. It'll offend A LOT of longtime fans and create an identity crisis. Link is one of Nintendo's biggest IP and its a fact they won't ruin him like they they let Phillips do. It'll tarnish the series. If anything, it could be a sister like WindWaker! Why does no one think this. This entire article is click bait.

you know if Linkette is in this game, I imagine she could be Links Twin sister