CynicalSquid
Swag Master General
I've been thinking about Zelda a lot the past few days, but I wasn't really thinking about the games or the lore. I was thinking about the fans. We are what made Zelda what it is today. Without us the franchise wouldn't have flourished and became "the legend of gaming" that it is today. Without us, we probably wouldn't be here today. Some of us have different feelings about the series though, but that's obvious with every fanbase.
I think of the Zelda fanbase as a coin. There are two sides of every coin, and from what I see, there are two types of Zelda fans. I feel like Zelda fans are either open minded, or closed minded. There are people like that in every fanbase though, but I feel like we might be worse and have more distinct differences between the two sides. I am not saying we are the worst fanbase out there, but we are pretty bad because most of us are very picky.
Some fans like to rip apart and trash every new entry in the franchise. Well, maybe they don't necessarily like it, but they do it a lot. I think these people compare every game to the rest of the franchise, which is understandable. I feel like these people don't even give every new title a chance. They claim that modern Zelda is horrible compared to the classic titles, but I don't think they realize that Zelda is Zelda. Zelda was innovative when it was first released. I can't confirm this because I wasn't alive during that time, but I've heard that there was nothing like it at the time. So, it would make sense that one of the core elements of Zelda is innovation. It's something different and something unique. I think it would make sense that every new title should introduce something new in it. Sure, sometimes some experiments can be innovative and some can be failures, but that comes with experimentation. I understand if people don't like some of the new elements added, but I don't think people should bash the game and call it one of the worst because of it. Zelda hasn't really stuck to it's roots ever. Why would that change now?
There are some fans that are open minded about every new Zelda title though. I don't think that people should compare new games with others on their first impression. I know that I try to have no expectations whenever I play a new Zelda game, or a new game in general. I feel like every game should just be treated like it's own game on the first playthrough. Not a part of a franchise. I also like to follow the phrase "don't knock it until you try it". There are obviously some exceptions to that phrase, but I don't think there are when it comes to gaming. You never really know if you like a game before you try it. Sure people have their opinions, but everyone has different opinions on everything. I understand if other people influence your choice on buying a game, but I think people should have their own opinions on games and not take other opinion's into consideration. The same applies to Zelda. I don't think any game should be judged before you play it. This is why I want to get ALBW right when it comes out so I don't have to deal with the constant complaining before I even play it. I also don't get why people bash a new Zelda game and many years later think it's great. What changed? I get that after awhile a game could grow on you, but how does hating a game transfer to loving it years later. I think the open minded fans are more firm with their opinions.
So, what are your thoughts on the fanbase? Do you feel like we are either open minded or close minded? What are your opinions on us? Not as people, but as fans.
I think of the Zelda fanbase as a coin. There are two sides of every coin, and from what I see, there are two types of Zelda fans. I feel like Zelda fans are either open minded, or closed minded. There are people like that in every fanbase though, but I feel like we might be worse and have more distinct differences between the two sides. I am not saying we are the worst fanbase out there, but we are pretty bad because most of us are very picky.
Some fans like to rip apart and trash every new entry in the franchise. Well, maybe they don't necessarily like it, but they do it a lot. I think these people compare every game to the rest of the franchise, which is understandable. I feel like these people don't even give every new title a chance. They claim that modern Zelda is horrible compared to the classic titles, but I don't think they realize that Zelda is Zelda. Zelda was innovative when it was first released. I can't confirm this because I wasn't alive during that time, but I've heard that there was nothing like it at the time. So, it would make sense that one of the core elements of Zelda is innovation. It's something different and something unique. I think it would make sense that every new title should introduce something new in it. Sure, sometimes some experiments can be innovative and some can be failures, but that comes with experimentation. I understand if people don't like some of the new elements added, but I don't think people should bash the game and call it one of the worst because of it. Zelda hasn't really stuck to it's roots ever. Why would that change now?
There are some fans that are open minded about every new Zelda title though. I don't think that people should compare new games with others on their first impression. I know that I try to have no expectations whenever I play a new Zelda game, or a new game in general. I feel like every game should just be treated like it's own game on the first playthrough. Not a part of a franchise. I also like to follow the phrase "don't knock it until you try it". There are obviously some exceptions to that phrase, but I don't think there are when it comes to gaming. You never really know if you like a game before you try it. Sure people have their opinions, but everyone has different opinions on everything. I understand if other people influence your choice on buying a game, but I think people should have their own opinions on games and not take other opinion's into consideration. The same applies to Zelda. I don't think any game should be judged before you play it. This is why I want to get ALBW right when it comes out so I don't have to deal with the constant complaining before I even play it. I also don't get why people bash a new Zelda game and many years later think it's great. What changed? I get that after awhile a game could grow on you, but how does hating a game transfer to loving it years later. I think the open minded fans are more firm with their opinions.
So, what are your thoughts on the fanbase? Do you feel like we are either open minded or close minded? What are your opinions on us? Not as people, but as fans.