Do you prefer protagonists that have the same race and nationality as you?

[Zhukov]

So... yeah... slightly awkward topic.

It can't have escaped people's notice that just about every game protagonist ever is a white American. And as often as not said protagonists spend most of their respective games killing various flavours of jabbering foreigner.

The obvious and most commonly cited reason for this is that most game developers are American. Furthermore, Americans make up the single largest market for video games. So even those developers who are not American tend to tailor their products to American tastes. And, of course, one of the ways this tailoring is made manifest is the prevalence of American protagonists.

Even games with settings that make modern nationalities irrelevant still show this trend. Case in point, the first Assassin's Creed game. The main character, ostensibly of Middle Eastern descent, still managed to sport a hilariously anachronistic yankee accent.

So my question is this: are developers actually on to something here? Do people actually prefer a protagonist of their own race and nationality? Do people have trouble sympathising with a character who is different to themselves?

Please be honest. And don't worry, I'm not going to scream "racist" if you say yes. (Although other people probably will.)

 

[tharglet]

I don't mind what race or nationality of the protagonist. In fact, it can be more interesting to RP a character that's different from me.

I wouldn't make a good protagonist though So I don't think "myself" will be a protagonist

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I guess technically, because my biggest preference is the mass effect/saints row style "make this mothafucka look like you" system. Though with preset protagonists I suppose as long as I can relate to the character, race and ethnicity don't matter. Maybe if I get fat enough to develop boobs and not be able to see my penis I'll be able to comfortably play as a female protagonist as well, but I'm fairly skinny so it seems like that day aint never gonna come. :<

 

[OniaPL]

In fantasy games i always end up playing an elf, so yes.

 

[grimhammer]

A moot point as I'm swedish.

 

[Gigano]

I suppose it could be less of a strain on suspension of disbelief, and thus perhaps heighten immersion for some, but personally I've never really given it any thought or weight. Not that my nationality is likely to be featured in anything anyway.

 

[Bon_Clay]

I'm sure I could enjoy playing characters of any race or nationality if they were written well, but yeah a white American (even though I'm Canadian, but really its the same shit but slightly colder) probably helps with the immersion a bit. Its someone who looks and talks more like me, and you instinctively feel you can associate with their life more so than people who are from different cultural or socioeconomic upbringings.

This probably goes doubly so for gender. While there is the issue of most female characters being either submissive princesses or bitches devoid of real personality (and eye candy regardless), I still always feel as if I'm a male playing a female character. I'm still going to think as a man so not having my character match that doesn't do anything interesting for me.

 

[Captain Pirate]

I'm not fussed, but yes, I do slightly prefer white males. It's totally natural for someone to do that with someone of the same race.

I don't mind protagonists of other races though at all.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Never thought about it. And I still don't care. And I'm playing an Asian or Saiyan more commonly then an American.

Oooh, plus, if I play Wolverine then I'm a Canadian! Woot~

 

[John the Gamer]

I usually do take the same gender, but I wouldn't mind playing a different 'race'.

I wonder why there are loads of games where you can personalize your protagonist, but not the antagonist...

 

[Knusper]

I'm not fussed, especially since not many protagonists are my nationality (English) and so I don't have much choice. Besides, my favourite protagonist is French, but that's a book, so does that still count?

 

[Vrex360]

Actually, not being American means that in almost all games I'm never playing as my own nationality or ethnicity. There are so few Australian video game characters.
Also:

This is my favorite game protagonist of all time, or at least so far. He is not only not a white male, he is not even human. I loved playing as him and seeing his story a lot more than I did with Masterchief in the same franchise, and when I play Halo 3 co-op with friends I always asked if I could play as the Arbiter.]

In fact in Halo: Reach, in addition to playing around with my standard Spartan, my 'preferred species' remains Elite, and in fact I recently replayed the campaign as a female Spartan and truth be told, I think I like it better that way.

Also, while I am a white Australian boy, in Saint's row 2 I play as a black British Gangster... and I love it. So I actually don't have any preference really in terms of ethnicity in protagonists. Just so long as the game itself is good.

 

[Ilikemilkshake]

Im British, so when i get the chance i do like playing British characters, but only because its so rare that im not playing an American. And for role playing games, if we're talking about "race", if you get the choice i'll normally play as an Elf or something else non-human as i generally find playing a human boring in that context, Or i'll play as a girl just to mix it up a bit.

 

[[Insert Name Here]]

Doesn't matter, so long as the character isn't a plank of wood reading out a list of "witty" one liners and exposition-specific dialogue that my 4 year old nephew could work out.
As a matter of fact, one of my favourite protagonists is Niko Bellic, a character that isn't only interesting, but also foreign (the horror!).

 

[Andantil]

I don't care if they're white, black, yellow, red, or green. If I can identify with their motives or personality I can get into the character.

 

[The_Fezz]

Not really, in RPG's I prefer to look, act and dress like a lunatic shcizophrenic or a badass with remarkable facial hair.

I am neither...

 

[SpAc3man]

Thats just racist...

My favourite character ever is CJ from GTA:SA and I'm white.

 

[NewYork_Comedian]

I don't care if they're white, black, yellow, red, or green. If I can identify with their motives or personality I can get into the character.

You stole the words right from my mouth good sir. Yes, it doesn't matter what you are as long as you connect with the character and understand their motives and goals