Fans urge Nintendo to name 'Zelda' character after Robin Williams

Robin Williams fans are asking Nintendo to name a character in the next instalment of its popular "Legend of Zelda" series after the Oscar-winning actor, who died last week. There are more than 100,000 signatures on an online petition calling for the Japanese gaming giant to honour the renowned comedian and avid gamer, who appeared in numerous Nintendo commercials. Williams was a huge fan of the Zelda series, even naming his own daughter after its titular princess. "Robin Williams was loved at Nintendo," the company's US unit said in a statement Friday. "We appreciate the outpouring of support from the gaming community, and hear the request of fans to honour him in a future game. "We will not be discussing what might be possible for future games during this difficult time, but we will hold our memories of Robin close," it added. A Tokyo-based Nintendo spokesman said Monday that "nothing has been decided, but we won't rule out the request". The designer of popular video game "World of Warcraft" said last week that Williams would be honoured as a character in the game. The actor was found dead last week of an apparent suicide at the age of 63. He had been suffering from depression and was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease, his wife said. The veteran of movies, stand-up comedy shows and hit television series was one of Hollywood's most popular entertainers and his death triggered an outpouring of grief. AFP