Speculation is surrounding the announcement of Zelda U concerning the gender of the protaganist shown in the trailer. (For the record, I believe that it's just a less masculine male Link) Many people have speculated that this is a new female hero or zelda as the protaganist. It seems like the overwhelming majority of people are  in favor of this idea, and actually clamoring for this link to actually be female. My question to those people is: why?

I am by no means opposed to female leads in games. Not one bit. Samus Aran is my favorite all time game character for crying out loud. But changing Link to a female variant just seems like a cry for attention. I for one, really enjoy playing as this young coming of age boy going on a grand adventure in Zelda. Some of you may say: "Why not a coming of age girl?". Here's the thing, Link is a character that I actually like playing as. He's cool, and I  (as cheesy as it may sound) have become connected to playing with him. The whole: "Link is an avatar for the character" argument is bullshit. Link has never offered any sort of customization, and has shown more and more emotion and personility in each succesive installment. I like that Link, I like playing as link. Link has become a character that I am immensely fond of. Not just some robot that can be swapped out at any time.

If an outrcy to change Samus Aran to a man rang out from the gaming community, it would be scoffed at, and put down. I would laugh and scoff at it. No one's asking for that. In many ways it's the same exact scenario. Character in long established franchise that's known for being mute and devoid of emotion given a gender swap. Now I know that this analogy is not bulletproof, as changing from a female to a man furthers the inequality of male to female protaganists rather than balances it, but I think the basic idea is valid.

Look I understand that females are underepresented in games. It's a crime, and I'm fully behind more females. But let's not just change a longstanding character's gender just so that equality can be reached. Give Zelda or Sheik their own awesome game, make a new IP with a strong female character, for the love of God give me another Metroid. Just don't start making male characters in well established franchises female. I mean, what's next, Marioella?

Link is a chosen hero who is reborn in every generation of the timeline. It would be odd if Link was a girl, but unless the developers have specifically wrote it into the legend that Link is always a male then there's nothing wrong with it. Samus, on the other hand, is just one Samus in every game. It would be like saying Nathan Drake or Master Chief should become a girl.

I think it'd be a cool twist if Link was a girl, but I'm not demanding it and I haven't seen anyone else "demand" it either.

Why? I'm mean considering Link is reincarnated every now and then, isn't there a chance he reincarnates as a girl? Oh, and there are lots of people who want one so they can have wet dreams about Link.

If the speculation somehow manages to be true, I'll be very annoyed.

They must all be sick of fantasising over the other females of the Nintendo world's.

Who's everyone?
Each game in the Metroid series it's the same Samus but this isn't the case in Zelda series. Link is just the playable character and majority of times it's a different person essentially, there is nothing that says he can't be a she.

However these is one thing, gamers need to get over themselves and let the developers make the games they want to make and if this means sticking to tradition like such a simple thing that Link is male then leave it be. But hey, I guess in Zelda games, changing the setting, the story, the landscape, the design, the art style, the gameplay isn't enough for some people.

The idea that in order level up the playing field for male/female protagonists you shoehorn in a well known male role as female suddenly is slightly insulting when instead you could create a game with a female lead of their own right.

What? Just because of a ponytail? Really people?

Crap, I got ninja'd

despite what you say. I don't agree.

imo link has little personality since he's essentially an avatar of you like you said he isn't. Not that I'd want zelda any other way.

I'd rather have female link shown, than the link that was in WW. Honestly, not all the links are the same, so theres no reason why there can't be a female link in this timeline. However, I think he's a dude, he's just more adrogynous.

But really, I do not care that much, it looks neato.

Edit: I also don't have problem with gender/race swaps if the spirit of the character remains intact. So I'm not the one with pitchforks in any case.

I feel like people aren't reading the entirety of my original post, which is disheartening.