When will game developers realize there are female players too?

[SyphonX]

It's about the same as blockbuster movies. When was the last AAA movie you saw that featured a female lead?

There has always been a healthy dose of female characters in video games. Some of my favorite past games featured female leads, or the option to do so. Specifically the Resident Evil series. Resident Evil 1, 2 & 3, plus Code Veronica. Silent Hill series as well, specifically Silent Hill 3.

Bioware is one of the industry leaders in androgynous character casting. Also, let's not forget about Final Fantasy 13, a franchise with one of the largest budgets ever, had a female lead.

Kind of a non-issue.

 

[eddielovato]

how many male players would enjoy games if most of the ones available had women as the main character?

Are you really asking us that question??

you know i really dont mind
i find my self more in the fps side
all you can see is hands
why do you care about hands!?

 

[TraitortoHeaven]

People usually make games with a vision, and if their vision involves a male main character, then who can say otherwise?

 

[Twilight_guy]

Most publishers of 'hardcore' games, which assume your talking about are going for the middle class white teen and early 20 something demographic. I'd be nice for them to start marketing to someone else but this demographic has lots of expendable cash so its profitable.

 

[Shycte]

Of course, but does that justify slapping everyone down who suggests it?
Isn't the try worth it?

Final Fantasy 6 did it and it's commonly refered to as the favorite game of many people.
Metroid did it and it's one of my favorite game series.

If I were so bold to claim stuff, then I'd bet that most people's favorite game is one where there is a female protagonist.

Opening a pork shop in Iran? No, it is not worth a try because they will probably stone you to death.

About favorite games. That as because most games do have a female main character. Maybe you don't always play like one but they are still there.

I really fucking enjoyed Prince Of Persia: Sands of Time. I didn't play as Farah, and the main character did have a penis, but she was there thrugh out large parts of the game. Would it have worked vice versa? Not nearly as good.

I am not really sure what you are after, more games where you play as a girl? I believe we have already coverd that.

Just because a Female is present in the game doesn't make it better.
A main character is one that you play as and the game primarily revolves around.

Aha, and how do you know that?
Slap a rule63 on PoP:SoT and then say it.

1) Why would a game where the player play as a girl be any better? How would that improve the game?

2) Have you played that game? The prince being male in central because he runs around haveing a lot of manly issues, his feelings torwards Farah, etx etc.

 

[Flac00]

Maybe females don' make up a majority of players but they are out there. Every no sale of a game relects on the bottom line and I am a no sale on most current games.

Why don't they realize that most women don't want to play as male characters? I mean just switch it around, how many male players would enjoy games if most of the ones available had women as the main character?

Why is it a problem for them to develop games where gender option is allowed?

I, for one, don't purchase games that only allow a male character. I can't even role play a character like this. It's just not fun.

Usually these characters have a romantic interest. Of course the romantic interest is female.
C'mon, maybe some female players can go for this but not this player.

Maybe someone here can help me understand why gender option on MOST games, is not allowed.

Get Diablo 3 then, you can be a girl in that.

 

[Blue_vision]

Why does it bug you? That's just how the protagonist is. You can't create a good storyline but then just have an option as the protagonist to be male or female. Imagine Half Life 2 where you were a girl, and you had a male support character? It'd ruin the entire game.

And anyways, there are plenty of games where you get to play as girls, with male romantic interests, and I really like the good ones. The only reason it may seem awkward is because you're making it so.

 

[Cheesus333]

To be fair, it's not like the men in these games even represent the men in the target demographic. I'm no grizzled soldier with feet and hands bigger than my head, or a genetically engineered superweapon, or even a theoretical physicist with a taste in hardware tools. You shouldn't get the impression that the character has any reflection on the player in these games, they would be very, very different indeed.

 

[Kuroneko97]

I, for one, don't care. As long as I love the game, I don't give two shits who I'm playing as. And I don't see where you're getting "Most women don't want to play as male characters" out of.

I'm one of those girls that LOVES gore, hence owning Gears of War 2, Halo 3, and Grand Theft Auto IV. I think it would have been a little awkward to be playing as a female Marcus, don't you think? And as someone put before, often if a woman is the lead character, the cover will have her wearing the tightest see-through shirt and pants possible, or strings held together with duct tape.

I MAY BE WRONG, but I think most girls who play games like Halo or Legend of Zelda would be the girls who are interested in violence or, at least..........violence on a lower level, like shooting octopus with arrows...or decapitating Ganondorf. Again, I MAY BE WRONG. In fact, I probably am.

 

[Aesir23]

Who cares anymore?! Just find a game you like and bloody play it instead of complaining that "developers don't know that girls play games too".

Why does there have to be a female character for you to enjoy a game anyway? What's the problem with playing as a guy character? There are plenty of fun games out there where the main character is male. It shouldn't matter what kind of genitalia a freaking digitally rendered character has as long as you have fun.

I'm probably going to be put on probation for this post, but I couldn't care less because I am just so sick and tired of other female gamers whining that game developers don't pay attention to female gamers.

And for the record, I'm a girl too. So no one go and accuse me of being biased towards guys.

/rant

Not everyone wants to play as Jimmy Testesterone.
There are many games out there that are great, and there are some that's almost unknown that are purely awesome.
But they all pretty much share the main character of being a male.

The problem arises when you specifically WANT to play as the gender you are connected with, and the only types of games that allow you to do are biased in pure sexism most of the time or are just plain atrocious.

Ok, I can see where they go a little too overboard with the testosterone such as Dukem Nukem (I'm curious about that one myself though).

But have you tried games such as Dragon Age, Demon's Souls, or Mass Effect? Both games allow you the option of playing as a female and there are no "sexist undertones" as far as I can tell. Though, I'm not a raging feminist, so that could be the reason I don't notice any.

But also, I would like to bring up another point in regards to the "game developers and girls" issues. Remember what the "typical" girl seems to like? Twilight, Jonas Brothers, Beiber, Miley Cyrus, teen girl flicks. Obviously, I'm not saying that all girls like those things, but there are a lot who do. Even if they don't play games, developers will look at them when making a game for girls and try to capitalize on it simply due to the sheer popularity.

Spoiler: Gaze upon the horror

Obviously, it's easy just to ignore and avoid stuff like this. But if gamers were to pay more attention to what they THOUGHT girl gamers would like, there would definitely be a fair bit more of that.

 

[SyphonX]

Bioware is one of the industry leaders in androgynous character casting.

..... I don't know whatever to cry or laugh.
http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Companions
Does any of those character look androgynous to you?

Androgynity refers to Males and Females that "dangerously" look similiar to the other gender.
Cecil Harvey is an perfect example;

Character casts. Not the characters themselves. Try to have some perspective. It was more a figure of speech than a direct usage of the word. I'm not talking about shallow character appearance, there are different ways to use the term androgynous.

Their casting in general, and their usage of characters in the plot, is completely androgynous. It is not masculine, nor is it feminine. You can often choose either a male or female character for the same story, so the entire plot structure must entertain both.

 

[NoblePhilistineFox]

how many male players would enjoy games if most of the ones available had women as the main character?

you really should have thought about it before you posted that >.>
think about it some more and youll know what I mean.

I, for one, don't purchase games that only allow a male character. I can't even role play a character like this. It's just not fun.

that seems a little bias if you ask me >.<
why not?
whats wrong with playing as a guy character?
isnt the whole point of equality to not see people as a man or woman, but as a person?
that should still aply to videogames.
its just a game

 

[TelHybrid]

Wow... feminism has reached gaming eh? Didn't see that one coming.

This comment sums up my thoughts more comprehensively, and clearly than I could:

Spoiler

You mean like Gears of War 3 where there are two female main characters?
Halo Reach which also has one?
Tomb Raider.
Metroid.
Portal.
Mass Effect.
Dragon Age.
Fallout.
Tenchu.
Borderlands.
Mirrors Edge.
Perfect Dark.
Bayonetta.

Quite a few of these are Triple A titles.

I don't see why there has to be a female character for you to enjoy the game anyway. Portal is one of mine and a lot of peoples favourite games and a significant amount of them are males with no complaint.

Granted RPG's should always have a gender option because they are based upon role-play where people frequently like to play as themselves in a fantasy setting, but beyond that you are playing as a character not an avatar of yourself.

By that logic you shouldn't like books written in the first person with a male narrator either. Or television programmes or films where the protagonist is male as you cannot relate to them.

I personally have no issue whatsoever playing as a female character, and not because of the "If I have to stare at a pixellated ass..." argument either.

It's not all Princess Peach and Alyx Vance characters representing the female gender in gaming.

 

[teebeeohh]

because most games are set in male-dominated societies, so it makes sense that it would rather be a man to go out and kill stuff.

I don#t get your argument, most characters in video games are not like me and imho there are more important differences than gender, like Kratos being a total psychopath i would stay the fuck away from in real life, being the puppetmaster who makes him kill gods is still, though

 

[Azure Sky]

Spoiler: Sniiiip

Spoiler: In here, will be a picture that you want

Ganondorf as well? Now I really want them to make it.. =(

Though, the whole garudo thing with Ganondorf might be a little much.
Reversing the whole 'one male born every 100 years destined to be king' thing could be taken really badly. XD

While we are at it, Prince Ruto? Actually, that's kinda creepy..

Maybe make Saria and Mido swap places? =3

Hah
I'm not very knowledged with Zelda games. My favorite is the second one on NES.
Gametrailers do have an awesome retrospective on it though.

I am basing my self of Ocarina on the 64 - what that picture depicts.
Other than Link himself, and Ganondorf, there are almost no male primary characters. Those that are are so by default (I have yet to see a female Goron, I suspect the race is unisex) Or are minor in their roles.
Mains being:
Zelda (obviously, Hyrulian, Female)
Saria (Forest Sage, Kokiri, Female)
Princess Ruto (Water Sage, Zora, Female)
Darunia(sp?) (Fire Sage, Goron, Male?)
Impa (Shadow Sage, Hyrulian, Female)
Desert chick (No idea on name, I really need to replay the game)(Spirit Sage, Hyrulian, Female)
Rarui? Ramius? Something like that (Light Sage, Hyrulian?, Male, Has like... 2 scenes in the entire game)
Malon (Hyrulian, Female, Original owner of Link's horse)
Talon/Ingo (Hyrulian, both male, both play second fiddle to Malon in the story)
That gravekeeper dude, Dampe? (Dead, Hyrulian, Male)

I can't think of any others off the top of my head.
I think that Zelda (Ocarina in particular and on) are very much catering to the female aspects of society, as even the archtypical damsel in distress buggers off and works her ass off keeping things from completely going to hell and then still holding Link's hand during 7 years the game is set over and Ganondorf doesn't manage to catch her until really late in the game. (Can't remember the details)
I can't actually think of a female character that is used as an 'object'/love interest for the main character (Which if this thread is to be believed is one of the main issues?)
Except maybe Malon, but I have a sneaking suspicion that is just the Fanfics/Defiant art talking a little too loudly.

Well.. this turned into a wall of text, and it's only on one game! XD
My bad =3

Yeah I agree.
Zelda, while depicted as a damsel in Distress in the first one, "killed" in the third and awoken in the second one, she is a rather competent fighter if we look at SSBB.

I need to play Ocarina. I've only played it briefly. I think I have it on ROM somewhere.
Good enough, they're remaking it for N3DS though ^_^

Spoiler

PS. Did you mean Ganon or is Gonon another thingy?
If Ganon, I actually have two pictures of a Female Ganon x_O It's not too bad actually!

And my fave character in SSBB to boot!
As far as Ocarina, it really needs a controller. I have played it with a keyboard before and it's not pleasant. That and even the best ROMs emulate poorly for the N64. Hooray for it being on Wiistore though.

And yeah, I meant Ganon, 7:30AM with no sleep means I kinda fail at proofreading. XD

 

[Shycte]

1. What makes a male lead better? How many games have you actually played that contained a female lead, and how many of those games did you like?

2. No, I have not.

1) Because I can relate too such a character better, just like maybe 85 % of the other male gamers. Mirror's Edge was quite good, but WET was horrible no matter how you look at it. There are more of you want to hear them

But that would be missing the point. The point is, that it is up too the devs to judge what is best for their games. Because trust me, they can do that better them both you can me. And is it really that strange to you that they try to make money?

2) If you had, you would have known that it wouldn't have worked.

 

[Direwolf750]

Maybe females don' make up a majority of players but they are out there. Every no sale of a game relects on the bottom line and I am a no sale on most current games.

Why don't they realize that most women don't want to play as male characters? I mean just switch it around, how many male players would enjoy games if most of the ones available had women as the main character?

Why is it a problem for them to develop games where gender option is allowed?

I, for one, don't purchase games that only allow a male character. I can't even role play a character like this. It's just not fun.

Usually these characters have a romantic interest. Of course the romantic interest is female.
C'mon, maybe some female players can go for this but not this player.

Maybe someone here can help me understand why gender option on MOST games, is not allowed.

Almost every bethesda game, fable, metroid anyone? And my bet is that plenty of times guys DO play as female characters. Also; Lara Croft, 'nough said. Males play as girls lots of times.

This sort of argument is mostly idle complaining, without considering complications. Predominately video game characters are male, yes. Predominately, the AUDIENCE for video games is males. There are TONS of games that allow you to chose your gender, or different characters with varying genders. Games that give you the choice are about your story, games that don't are often telling a story, and changing whether the main character is male or female doesn't really bring much to the table.

Having different gendered characters choices on more modern games (anything with voiced characters instead of text) brings a lot of problems to a coder, different cutscenes, different voice actors, and different scenarios, all need to be created.

Also, it's far easier for people to complain about things in a game when a character is a girl. Insults, violence, regular dialogue can all be construed as sexist for anyone willing to misread into it enough. That's why, in my opinion.