General Zelda The Zelda Fanbase

[CynicalSquid]

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.

 

[surferguy7]

It sucks, I'm the only good one out of all of you.

 

[DKMac]

 

[Ventus]

I like the fanbase, I don't mind that we all hate this and that title. I rip apart the next title comparing it to shizzle like OoT because it's my opinion that OoT is (was? tentative) the best...and it's only natural to compare a similar product to the best one out there. But even so, that's just me. There are those who manage to love every title as if its their baby. While I don't agree, it's still an interesting point of view and I love to hear more about it...again even though I disagree. ;p

So no, our fanbase isn't bad at all. We're multicolored if anything.

 

[Azure Sage]

I generally see a lot of "It's different so I hate it!" or "It's not what I was expecting so it sucks!" and of course the classic "It's not like Ocarina of Time so it sucks!" coming from Zelda fans (not necessarily in those exact words, of course). I think if anything, there are more closed-minded people in the fanbase then there are open-minded people. They seem to need to find something to hate in every new game, and then things end up getting exaggerated and blown way out of proportion a lot of the time. Frankly, it's annoying. Of course, people are allowed to hate something. There's nothing wrong with that. But it can still be annoying to see it blasted all over the Internet.

Me personally, I prefer to judge Zelda games on their own. When I first try them out, I look at them as their own entities. I don't compare them to other games right away. When I do compare them to the other games in the series, it's just to see which games I like most. I also try not to go in with too many expectations, as it staves off disappointment. But I really haven't seen much disappointment with Zelda. I'm usually pretty pleased with the games.

 

[ihateghirahim]

the fanbase may be prone to harsh words and stupidity, but it is OUR stupidity and harshness.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

i've seen plenty of comments the fanbase has made in youtube,each time i read them it makes me hate the fanbase even more

hey where sroa link be at,i bet he'd get a kick out of this

 

[DarkestLink]

We have one of the worst video game fanbases. It's unpleasable and could most easily be compared to customer service. When you work on customer service, it's rare that anyone calls unless they want to complain. Once their complaint has been rectified they are and are replaced by new customers with complaints. As such, you shouldn't judge your company solely based on what you've heard in customer service.

Sorta like the Zelda fanbase. I remember when I joined in 2003...yep, I was here to complain about Wind Waker...just like everyone else. Wind Waker was universally hated and MM was nothing more than a disappointing sequel in the eyes of the fanbase. Then Twilight Princess came out. The customers who complained about Wind Waker were satisfied for the most part. And most of the then-current fanbase left and was replaced with the fanbase we know today...these fans actually liked Wind Waker and felt that Twilight Princess had disappointed them. Then Skyward Sword came out. It didn't quite satisfy the crowd that had come to hate TP, so many stayed and a few new ones joined.

As such, the the online fanbase isn't quite the same as your real world fanbase. The real world fanbase are pretty much the same people and you'll find a fair amount of love AND hate for the newer or newest title(s). The online fanbase has an overwhelming amount of hatred for the newer title(s). It's not a good place to celebrate the series, but it is decent for convenient discussion.

 

[CraptainFalcon]

The Zelda fanbase is what's gonna start World War 3 soon.

 

[Mangachick14]

I really do try to stay open-minded with Zelda, because I find that it's a very unique series. Each game has it's own quirks, it's own gimmicks and it's own style. It really does make me sad that modern Zelda gets such a hard time, especially right after it's release.
Everyone's entitled to their likes and dislikes, but what really irks me is when people say a game is bad. It isn't bad just because you didn't like it, it's still of good quality--and of course it is, Zelda's one of Nintendo's leading franchises. I really can't stand it when people just sniff out excuses to rag on that one game they hate, even if the conversation didn't call for it. If you don't like it, fine, but please try to be courteous to those who do.
I think the worst of the absolute worst of the fanbase--or of any fanbase, really--are some of the people on Youtube. Not all of them, mind you, but I honestly don't think you'll find a bigger hive of haters anywhere else on the internet. What bothers me isn't that people have different opinions than myself, but simply that they talk about their opinion as if it's 100% undisputed fact. That if you think differently, then you're just wrong. And to be frank, that sort of mentality makes me want to punch someone. I apologize if that sounds extreme, but there's nothing that I utterly despise more in this world than being told what to think. I don't care if you hate something I like, or like something I hate, that's your business. But when you start telling me I'm wrong for having my own opinion, then we're going to have a problem.

What do I think of the Zelda fanbase? Well, we're far from the worst fanbase out there, but we're just as far from being the best. I think the people on this site are respectful to other people's opinions, but there is also no shortage of fans who are... well, for lack of better words, utterly unpleasable and stubborn. Some people see change as if it were personally insulting, while others welcome change with open arms and mind alike. Every fanbase in existence is split one way or another, and Zelda is no exception. Yeah, I really can't stand the single-minded people who think they're always right, but it's something every fandom has to deal with.

 

[Salem]

Guys, it's impossible to make a general statement about the fanbase, so I suggest you should stop trying.

 

[Azure Sage]

Guys, it's impossible to make a general statement about the fanbase, so I suggest you should stop trying.

We're trying our best to sum up our thoughts on the fanbase in our own words. What right do you have to tell us to stop just because you think it's impossible?

 

[Salem]

We're trying our best to sum up our thoughts on the fanbase in our own words. What right do you have to tell us to stop just because you think it's impossible?

It was only advice, I didn't impose anything on anybody.

 

[Azure Sage]

It was only advice, I didn't impose anything on anybody.

Well, it kind of seemed imposing to me, so sorry that I misunderstood you.

 

[Ventus]

Honestly you guys, can you really expect the Fanbase to be pleasable? After Nintendo treated us to amazing game after amazing game, then started leading us on with good games? Anyone would be disappointed if they were given a B film after several AAA films except for the most curious. That's how the Zelda Fanbase is: we were given all these great things (Nintendo spoiled us with AAA titles), then later on we were given lower quality things (Nintendo started making average games). Disappointment should be in the volume that it currently is and also completely expected. Sure, it'd be great if we could just bite our lip when something not-so-great comes our way, but you can't really expect a dog not to bark if it sees a stranger, now can you?