A Legend of Zelda Player’s Girlfriend Is Finishing His Save to Honor His Death

They met in college, during class. When the professor asked everyone to say their names and favorite movie, Peyton’s pick was a niche Japanese biographical drama. Chrissy turned around to see who had such a pretentious answer, and there he was. She thought he was cute, and quickly concocted a scheme to become friends. Two weeks later, they were dating. When friends were told of the romance, some of them couldn’t believe they weren’t already a couple.

Peyton introduced Chrissy to all sorts of things, she told Polygon in an email. He worked as a theme park ride operator, and kept a spreadsheet of every coaster he’d ever ridden. He also loved video games. Chrissy knew how to build a dramatic soap opera in The Sims 4, a game she had played since middle school, but she didn’t exactly consider herself a gamer. Peyton knew she just hadn’t tried the right games yet. Not long after they began dating, he got her to work the land in Stardew Valley and to do errands for villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

They played a number of games together, and some games apart. With games like Tears of the Kingdom, the single-player didn’t prevent them from approaching it like a team effort. Peyton was great at exploring Hyrule and killing monsters, while Chrissy had an eye for the puzzles. Sometimes, when Peyton was stuck trying to save a Korok, Chrissy would give him a nudge. Other times, she just liked to watch him figure out shrines on his own. She was watching a beautiful mind at work, and had front-row seats.

After Peyton passed, Chrissy was left with a digital detritus of his adventures. She tried playing some of these games once more — on her own terms. Roller Coaster Tycoon was a game she had played since middle school, well before she met Peyton. Yet it was impossible to detangle the theme park game from his memory. Everywhere she looked was a reminder of what could have been.

“When he died so young, it felt like our lives weren’t complete … there was still more to accomplish, outside of our relationship,” she said.

When Chrissy tried revisiting Animal Crossing, she stumbled upon an old letter from Peyton.

Dear chrissy,

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From peyt

It was “so stupid, I know,” Chrissy told Polygon, “but it made me cry because I could hear him say it and laughing to himself before he sent it.”

It was nonsense, but it was also “proof that he existed,” Chrissy said.

Image: Nintendo

And so, for years, much of it went untouched. It wasn’t until Chrissy moved across the country that she found herself once again going through Peyton’s possessions. The first time around, she was only 22 and had no idea how to wrangle her feelings. Now she was 25, and a student in law school. After years of avoiding Peyton’s games, Chrissy began to see them as an opportunity. Chrissy started her own save file in the spring of 2026.

“I want to see what he saw,” she said, “solve the puzzles he did, and find whatever enjoyment he got from the game.”

The plan was to finish Peyton’s playthrough, but she knew Tears of the Kingdom was a difficult game. Before facing whatever Peyton left behind, she wanted to make sure she knew what she was doing. Since then, Chrissy has made her way through Sky Island, Goron City, and Gerudo Town. She butted heads against Colgera and Sludge, and helped Gerudo Town with its election. She was yelled at in Kakiriko Village, and banished to the depths.

When Chrissy struggled through portions of the game, she started musing about what Peyton would do. She was convinced that many of the places that had given her trouble would be a breeze for Peyton. He was good at combat. She runs away from Lynels and consults countless guides before making progress.

“I wish he were here to help me, or at least cheer me on,” she says. “I loathe the battles and wish I could give him my controller so he could do it for me.”

Image: Nintendo

Though Chrissy discounts her own skills in the game, she’s now progressed further than Peyton did. She’s uncovered more of the map, and defeated more bosses. She could fight Ganondorf if she wanted to, but it might be a while before she does. Before she goes any further, she wants to beat The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. She wants to understand TotK‘s story better, and deepen her appreciation for a game her sweetheart loved.

“I think playing his save is not just a way for me to remember a small piece of him, but also a symbolic way of moving on … finishing his game would be like closing another chapter of our lives. Something to look back on as an accomplishment that both of us contributed.

Chrissy knows it will likely take hundreds of hours, but she doesn’t mind. That’s time she would have poured into the relationship, if she still could.

“Zelda waited years for Link to find her,” Chrissy said.