GTA V: No female PC; Houser clarifies: "Concept of being masculine was key in story"

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shinobi602

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"We liked the idea of a protagonist retiring with a family, and how awful that would be," he observed of Michael in particular. "We've never done anything like that and you don't really see it in games - to feed into these concepts of parenting and pseudo-parenting."

GTA 5's script runs to 1,000 pages, and the smaller narratives woven into its colossal west coast setting are the product of fearfully in-depth research. "We spent a minimum of 100 days in Los Angeles on research trips, probably more," Houser commented. "Out and about, all night long with weird people, strange cops showing us around, a lot of first-hand research.

"We spoke to FBI agents that have been undercover, experts in the Mafia, street gangsters who know the slang - we even went to see a proper prison. These poor buggers in the middle of the salt flat desert, miles away. It was eye-openingly depressing."
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Given these ambitions and Rockstar's perennial taste for social commentary, the absence of a female lead seems a strange omission - a missed opportunity to contribute to an important discussion. As Houser fleetingly observes elsewhere in the piece, however, "the concept of being masculine was so key to this story". Naturally, it's impossible to judge this remark without playing the game through, but still - what do you think?
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Via OXM
 
I don't understand this sudden outrage over a form of media having male protagonists. This game's story is modeled similarly to the movie "Heat", and that movie was a bunch of males in a heist crew. Did the movie "Heat" catch a lot of flack for not having a female lead?
 
I don't really see the issue here. The story they want to tell is the story they want to tell. Don't force in a female PC if it won't work.
 
So it's a story for guys, which is fine. There's nothing wrong with that.

I think a lot of people just wanted a story that went in a different direction since all of their stories have been stories for guys. Though thematically aiming for 30-54 year old's is pretty bold.

The narrative should be fine. I just hope all the jokey shit that's remained as a holdover from the older games don't pull me out of it.
 
BigDug13 said:
I don't understand this sudden outrage over a form of media having male protagonists. This game's story is modeled similarly to the movie "Heat", and that movie was a bunch of males in a heist crew. Did the movie "Heat" catch a lot of flack for not having a female lead?
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There's no outrage (that I'm aware of). Just maybe a bit of disappointment since there were rumors of a female protagonist a while back.
 
One day it'd be nice where every game isn't pressured to have a female character just because. It'd be nice if we could let them make whatever character they feel fits the story they want to make.

While I think the reason they gave is weird it'd be nice to just have someone respond with "because I didn't fucking want to".
 
I guess the point of contention here is why would having a female player character hinder or limit a focus on "the concept of being masculine?" I can imagine plenty could be said about the concept of being masculine when viewed through the lens of a woman.
 
DarkChronic said:
I don't really see the issue here. The story they want to tell is the story they want to tell. Don't force in a female PC if it won't work.
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BigDug13 said:
I don't understand this sudden outrage over a form of media having male protagonists. This game's story is modeled similarly to the movie "Heat", and that movie was a bunch of males in a heist crew. Did the movie "Heat" catch a lot of flack for not having a female lead?
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I don't think anyone said there was... at least, so far. :)
 
Next time, just say "There's no female player" and when asked why say "I don't know" or something cyclical like "We decided to focus on _______ instead."
 
What does "being masculine" mean? How do we measure and define that?
 
I'm sure a GTA game with a female protagonist would sell gangbusters. There's people still whining that CJ is black, come on.
 
I would give $100 to have them kick off Trevor and add a female character.

Biggest missed opportunity.

It seems like a narrative angle that could have been fresh and new.
 
Your online player can be female though, right?


kittens said:
What does "being masculine" mean? How do we measure and define that?
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Don't be blind to gender. I really love that Wasteland 2 is making changes to the ways NPCs react to you dependent on race and gender. All of these things play into identity, and even when there are tabula rasae for player building, the dialogue is still generally "white male."

To more directly answer your question, I think GTA V is really playing up male anxiety (having money to provide in a rough economy, trying to be legitimate in a hood that respects gang bangers).
 
oh-boy.gif

Let's not let this happen please.
 
Screaming Meat said:
I don't think anyone said there was... at least, so far. :)
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Well i was referring also to the latest Jimquisition where he mentions that Rockstar is catching flack for having all 3 protagonists as male. This is probably why Rockstar's head guy has to come out and say WHY they're all male. Because he is catching flack.
 
Excellent. No need to change their vision so this is a non issue. I don't care if I control a woman or not. Power to them if in and it fits their narrative and not feeling like they have to toss in a female PC just to appease a crowd.
 
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