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Gay mag "Hot" for Link

The Legend of Zelda protagonist named "Hottest Video Game Character" by gay and lesbian monthly Out.

The Legend of Zelda series has won numerous awards in its near two-decade run, but one magazine is calling out the game's hero, the boyish elf Link, as a perfect 10. The June issue of Out, a magazine focusing on gay and lesbian culture, named the green-leotard-wearing hero as the Hottest Video Game Character in its "What's Hot Now" section for his role in the upcoming GameCube and Wii release, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

From the mag: "When darkness enshrouds the land, Nintendo's sexy farm-boy-turned-wolf sets out to save the day in this upcoming game. His weapons: a sword, a bow, arrows, and kick-ass grooming skills."

This isn't the first time Link has been associated with gay culture--he was the inspiration for Xandir P. Wifflebottom, the homosexual video game character in Comedy Central's Drawn Together.

Gay characters have largely been passed over by game designers, with many leading men and ladies being the prototypical alpha male or buxom sexpot. The Sims, Fable, and a few others allow same-sex marriages, but most games fail to even broach the issue. For more on the history of homosexuality in gaming, check out a past edition of GameSpotting.

964 Comments

  • Clockout1

    Posted Nov 20, 2011 10:36 am GMT

    And this is news...how?

  • ThirteenChords

    Posted Nov 16, 2011 9:14 pm GMT

    LOL

  • Shtinky

    Posted May 26, 2009 3:37 pm GMT

    The Link in TP looks nothing like that concept art.

    In-game, I couldn't tell him apart from Ila - the girl. I suppose it's fair to say, anyone who finds him attractive would also find Ila attractive.

  • _Larxene_

    Posted Oct 29, 2008 6:15 pm GMT

    And Honestly, How could argue?

  • _Larxene_

    Posted Oct 29, 2008 6:13 pm GMT

    Now, If you all actually READ the artical, it said nothing about link actually being gay just that he was voted "Hottest Video Game Character" in a Gay and Lesbian Magazine.

  • ScrapBrainZone

    Posted Aug 15, 2008 7:30 am GMT

    Zelda is the hottest video game character ever! Hm... Her, or Samus. I can't decide. Samus has nice assets...

  • Linkluigipwned

    Posted Aug 12, 2008 5:37 pm GMT

    ok now im pissed i hate it when cool things are assoticated with disgusting things dear god people

  • emily186275

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 7:41 pm GMT

    links not gay but he sure is sexy

  • Samurai_Raijin

    Posted Jul 30, 2008 8:59 pm GMT

    Well I'm a guy, so I can't have a good opinion about Link's appearance, but he does not seem gay to me... Nowadays I think a lot of video characters are gay (points at Devil May Cry and Kingdom Hearts) but Link does even come close to that. ... Of course there are always people who think Sheik is a boy and do some fan fiction about it, but that's beyond me.

  • -Katsuri-

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 8:17 pm GMT

    I actually find this pretty funny, but I don't Link is gay.
    Atleast I hope he's not.

  • Thewbacca

    Posted Jun 21, 2008 4:47 am GMT

    This is hardly conclusive. Gay guys like Brad Pitt, and he's currently married to, arguably, the hottest woman on earth. Besides, there's no way any of the Links could be gay because each of them had a child, continuing on the Link bloodline, thus creating the heroes of the next games.

  • HispanicWii

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 10:15 am GMT

    wat the hell i mean come on u guys know he's straight right

  • kentieboy

    Posted May 26, 2008 12:02 pm GMT

    Sigh @ all the gamerkids who feel the need to make dumb comments to assert their heterosexuality. Gratz on your immaturity. They weren't calling Link gay they were just saying he's hot. And to all those ppl out there say "ZoMG he's not gay look how he acts with Ilia and Zelda!!!!" You've clearly never seen a homo and his hag interact.

  • BlythB

    Posted Apr 13, 2008 7:53 am GMT

    What's wrong with that exactly? :O

  • ShippudenNaruto

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 4:01 pm GMT

    everyone has great design. i dont know about gay

  • Aquachild

    Posted Dec 4, 2007 2:19 pm GMT

    Ah remember the first Zelda game!? When people were NORMAL!?

  • sizzlemebacon2

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:32 pm GMT

  • Mikazukinoyaiba

    Posted Apr 15, 2007 7:14 pm GMT

    "hahah.....gays are pathetic."
    ...

    Funny, what exactly makes them pathetic? "Proof that Link is straight, thank God"

    Why does it matter?

    he is a video game character? Would you like him even less if he wasn't straight?

  • alexclopes

    Posted Apr 8, 2007 12:33 pm GMT

    what the hell is that zelda is gay

  • tekmet

    Posted Apr 7, 2007 11:48 am GMT



    And i`m supposed be understanting, and forgiving... This guys are making it really hard for me.

  • mr111111

    Posted Jan 17, 2007 10:09 pm GMT

    Well isn't that just special....I wish I was here when this article first game out....I woulda been raisin hell.

  • Zel-duh

    Posted Jan 14, 2007 9:21 am GMT

    What the hell,,,

  • Poodishplayer

    Posted Jan 5, 2007 2:48 am GMT

    Too bad homosexuals out there. Anyone who played the game would see that there is something between Link and Llia (i think thats her name). There is obviously something there, but it is never mentioned in the story. Proof that Link is straight, thank God!

  • jiggaloj

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 1:14 pm GMT

    Link looks like... well.... Link to me.

  • chickmagnet_1

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 10:12 pm GMT

    -Dark-Arrow-
    -Dark-Arrow-
    What the fux its a game character so who cares and the only one who's able to say he is is the designer and not some stupid mag. where everyone is able to send their post to btw I just think they want him to be gay to be their playmate -bleg-

    Dude, I don't think they are saying that Link is gay I just think that they are hot for him.

  • chickmagnet_1

    Posted Nov 25, 2006 9:14 pm GMT

    Well, at least they weren't saying that the Link from Wind Waker is hot. Cause then they would be a pedophilia magazine and not a gay magazine. Instead of "Out" (as in Out of the closet), it would be "Out" (as in Out of jail). lol And yeah, for Twilight Princess, blonde haired, elf surfer dude who kicks but with a sword, I can understand their reasoning.

  • Gum_Horror

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 6:15 pm GMT

    gays+Link=WTF?!?!?!?!

  • Nicks-A-Pimp

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:14 pm GMT

    Gays Like Link How ......



    Gay

  • LiquidSnake24

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:05 am GMT

    Thats funny as hell

  • -Dark-Arrow-

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 12:23 am GMT

    What the fux its a game character so who cares and the only one who's able to say he is is the designer and not some stupid mag. where everyone is able to send their post to btw I just think they want him to be gay to be their playmate -bleg-

  • sithgamer

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:13 pm GMT

    ...BAHAHAHAHAHA...

  • nandissimo

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 7:17 pm GMT

    I think the Gay mag was right on the money Link is hot!!!!!!!!!

  • westpoint2009

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 11:17 am GMT

    evchoate999

    Thank god I live in Canada where gays can get married and don't have to be afraid of being beaten to death if they hold hands in public.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I don't think Americans in general hate gays. And it is a huge leap from the truth to say that gays get beat up if they hold hands in public. That was years ago. The actions of a few people should not represent a whole country.

  • Erebus

    Posted Nov 17, 2006 8:44 pm GMT

    I would call this gay but that's already been taken care of.

  • starwars0000

    Posted Nov 11, 2006 8:45 am GMT

    Lol thats crazy

  • Rolls1931

    Posted Nov 10, 2006 11:10 am GMT

    Christ I don't get how you people could be so insensitive. I know plenty of people here who think Samus is a good lookin' polygon, so let link be

  • josephmadde2005

    Posted Oct 14, 2006 11:38 am GMT

    Oddy enough Link is also at the top of congressman Foley's top ten game Characters.

  • evchoate999

    Posted Oct 11, 2006 7:21 pm GMT

    The comments here are disgusting...

    Are you so insecure about your sexuality that you can't like a character that gays find attractive?

    I can't believe I am even responding to this, if these kind of comments were being made about, say, a religious or ethnic group, they would all be deleted instantly. The tolerance for hatred in American culture is staggering.

    Thank god I live in Canada where gays can get married and don't have to be afraid of being beaten to death if they hold hands in public.

  • Syaoran

    Posted Oct 2, 2006 2:51 am GMT

    "bear" is a man who is hairy, has facial hair, and a cuddly body.
    And yeah bears are hot. Facial Hair FTW.
    Link is not hot he looks like a girl and defeats the whole purpose of being gay (i'm gay

  • komali248

    Posted Sep 29, 2006 7:05 am GMT

    okaaaaaaay.......

  • Kon-Kai

    Posted Sep 22, 2006 11:24 am GMT

    I'm stunned speechless...

  • viewtiful_joe99

    Posted Sep 17, 2006 12:17 pm GMT

    What?

  • screwmtv

    Posted Sep 15, 2006 6:27 am GMT

    Thuper!

  • Lithavalon

    Posted Sep 14, 2006 7:15 am GMT

    the hell?

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