Why I Love the Zelda Fanbase

I’ve been a

Zelda fan dating back to 1993. The first game I played was Link’s Awakening, a game I stole from someone else on the bus. I was mesmerized and completely hooked, and thus my many adventures through the series began. However, I’ve told my story of fandom before, so instead I’d rather talk about my fondness for the Zelda fanbase.

I’ve been running

Zelda fan sites since 1998. I could go into some deep backlog history of all the things I have done at various Zelda sites, but what does that matter? In the grand scheme of things, I do everything I do because I love this fanbase so much – maybe even more than I love the games. The constant debates, the never ending conversations, and yes I love being proven wrong – in fact I find it a humbling and often enjoyable experience when someone does prove me wrong. I feel I have the ability to learn not just something new every day, but something new about the series every day.

The fanbase can be brutal – if you hold an opinion that goes against the popular stance, they will chew you up and eat you for breakfast. I’ll probably never live down the fact I don’t actually find

Ocarina of Time to be one of the better games in the series. Damn me and my personal tastes. I can never seem to land on the right side of the debate for those that want and don’t want a Majora’s Mask remake. The timeline debates over the years have been fun though.

You see, for how up and down the fanbase for this series can be (and likely, for every other fanbase out there) I find great joy in connecting with them. I have often said I write and work at Zelda Informer to provide for the fans, but I don’t know that I have ever truly felt that way entirely until lately. For those who aren’t aware, I just brought on a dozen or so new writers to the website – all Zelda fans that used to step into heavy debates with me over social media and our regular comment section. I know before I write something generally how the reaction will be, but I care less about the reaction, and more about sharing my passion. Popular opinion or not, I love the discussion.

A big reason we started the Daily Debate was to spurn more discussion – something I love doing. I may know a lot about the

Zelda series, but it doesn’t mean I think about it the same way others do, and I find it fascinating the impact this series has on us all.

When I look back and think “why this series and this fanbase,” all I can think about are the numerous smiles I crack every day reading what you folks have to say in reply to something we have done, or some news post we have put up. Sometimes you make me laugh, other times you make me cry, and there are even moments where I get frustrated (those moments make the good times all the sweeter). I may never get to know each and every one of you, and you may never get to know me. But I feel like you are all a vital part of my life. I have kids, a job, school, and all the complexities that brings with. I also have you, faithfully showing up here every day, once a week, or however often you fancy. Here to talk about something that matters to you out of a video game series – the same reason I started writing about this series sixteen years ago.

I may not be able to accurately describe my love of the fanbase, because it’s all so personal to me. The fanbase picks me up when I am down, and puts me down when I’m too high on myself. It gives me something I seem to be lacking in other aspects of my life. Reality is, you guys are all awesome. Even if you’re a hater.

I’m here first and foremost because you folks matter to me. Even if I can’t give you everything you want – many fans want us to be many things – I still enjoy you and this site all the same. For that, I thank you. You are really the only reward I’ll ever need.