Metroid Prime 4 Writer Wanted Samus Aran Transgender!!?

Megan Fausti, who goes by she/her pronouns, seems to be part of a trend where trans individuals often work behind the scenes in video game creation. This trend isn’t inherently problematic, but issues arise when personal ideologies are injected into the games. Unfortunately, it often feels like that’s exactly what happens.

In what could have been a devastating move for the massively anticipated Metroid Prime 4 video game, it's been revealed that the initial writer for the game was a non-binary activist who believed Samus Aran was transgender. This revelation was brought to the forefront by Melonie Mac, who tweeted out her dismay over this person being hired as the narrative lead on the upcoming Metroid game. She posted on X, "So... one of the writers for Metroid Prime 4 has openly said she supported the idea of Samus Aran being transgender before?" This has since been confirmed via the official Metroid Wikipedia page.

In 2015, an article on The Mary Sue titled "Metroid's Samus Aran is a Transgender Woman - Deal with It" created quite a stir. Megan showed support for this article, and while I'm not one to cancel someone over a tweet, it’s concerning when someone involved in the storyline of a game like Metroid Prime 4 supports such agendas. The article claimed that Nintendo of Japan backed the idea of Samus being a transgender character, but this conclusion was reached through a series of tenuous connections and speculative interpretations.

Megan Fausti joined Retro Studios in July 2020 and worked on Metroid Prime 4 until her departure in May 2022. During her time at Retro Studios, she was positioned to contribute significantly to the storyline of the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4. For fans of the series like myself, hearing that someone with such a controversial stance was working on the storyline was alarming.

It's important to clarify that I don't have an issue with trans individuals or their representation in media. My concern lies with the integrity of the original character arcs and storylines. When a character as iconic as Samus Aran, known for being a powerful and strong female lead, is potentially reinterpreted in a way that diverges from her original conception, it raises red flags. Fans who have grown up with these characters expect a certain consistency and fidelity to their origins.

Megan’s tenure at Retro Studios was relatively short-lived, but her influence on Metroid Prime 4 might still be present. The gaming community needs to ensure that beloved characters remain true to their original stories. This isn't about being anti-trans or exclusionary; it's about maintaining the essence of what made these characters special in the first place.

After leaving Retro Studios, Megan moved to Certain Affinity, a development studio known for its work on various popular games, including Hogwarts Legacy and contributions to the Halo series. Certain Affinity has worked on several well-known franchises, such as Call of Duty, Amazon's New World, and World of Tanks. This indicates that the influence of such ideologies isn't confined to one studio or game. It’s a broader industry trend that warrants attention.#nintendo