During yesterday’s Nintendo Direct, a new Legend of Zelda game was announced where you play as the titular princess herself: Echoes of Wisdom. It’s not often we get to play as the heroine the series is named after, and while most people are excited, some are downright angry.
The game, due out on Thursday September 26, features Zelda as the main playable character after regular hero Link gets trapped in some sort of alternate dimension. Rather than the typical sword and gadget gameplay we’re used to when playing as Link, Zelda has a magical staff that allows her to copy items she finds around the world and enemies she defeats in battle. These copies can be used to solve puzzles or just throw at foes.
In the comments for the YouTube trailer for Echoes of Wisdom, most people are excited for the game, speaking about the new mechanics and how cute it is that Zelda is wearing Link’s cloak, and what a hero he is for saving her just before being captured himself. However, over on Twitter, some people are angry that you are forced to play as a woman in a series that’s been named after her since its very inception.
Some angry gamers have been calling Nintendo “woke” for choosing to have Zelda as a playable character. It should be noted that this isn’t the first time she’s been playable. Notably, Zelda was available as a character in the Smash games, but she was also playable in the CD-i era of Zelda games a few times. Still, some people see this as a sign that another male character is being replaced by a woman, even though the series is, in fact, named after Zelda.
In other news, Assassin’s Creed Shadows fans can enter a competition to voice an NPC in the upcoming game.