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[Morrigan Stark]

In almost every game where you get to dress your character, the guys usually always get way less nice stuff as compared to the girls, and that's always bothered me. I want cool gear for both genders. :/

What? I find it's the opposite. Unless by "cool gear" you mean lingerie chain mail or something. >_< In so many games, the female armour is egregiously stupid, and the same armour when worn on a male character looks just fine. The most obvious example of this is Monster Hunter, but even a less cartoony game like Dragon's Dogma has this (the silver chest plate is a perfect example). In fact, "looks nothing like the male version of the same outfit" is a square in the Female Armour Bingo card.

I think there's not enough women in games, so in most cases I will play one if I'm able to.

This. If I really love the game enough to make new characters (e.g. Souls games), I mix it up with male characters eventually, but my main/default is always female.

In games where there's a choice of pre-defined protagonist, I'll usually go with whoever has the abilities that appeal the most to me, but I still tend to sway towards the female ones. A notable exception is Borderlands; I played Mordecai (and eventually Roland on a second playthrough), and Zer0 (though I eventually picked Maya and Gaige on other playthroughs), because I'm a sucker for sniper and assassin types.

I nearly always play a female character when there's a choice, and generally prefer games that star female characters. I just find it more interesting.

Ghost Song has a female protagonist confirmed!

 

[Windforce]

Playing a female warrior is a no-no for me. I'm breaking immersion all time thinking "nah, a girl just can't hit like that".

So I just play male all the time as if he was a version of me kicking some ass.

 

[TheBaronOfNA]

What? I find it's the opposite. Unless by "cool gear" you mean lingerie chain mail or something. >_< In so many games, the female armour is egregiously stupid, and the same armour when worn on a male character looks just fine. The most obvious example of this is Monster Hunter, but even a less cartoony game like Dragon's Dogma has this (the silver chest plate is a perfect example). In fact, "looks nothing like the male version of the same outfit" is a square in the Female Armour Bingo card.

Well, Pokemon X/Y has a lot more of custom options for female Avatars and I doubt there is lingerie there.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Playing a female warrior is a no-no for me. I'm breaking immersion all time thinking "nah, a girl just can't hit like that".

But guys can totally lift giant swords and cast magic and make physics defying jumps, right?

Spoiler

I sincerely hope this post was a joke that flew over my head...

 

[VanillaCakeIsBurning]

Playing a female warrior is a no-no for me. I'm breaking immersion all time thinking "nah, a girl just can't hit like that".

So I just play male all the time as if he was a version of me kicking some ass.

I've seen others say the same thing (even if you are being sarcastic) and I think it comes from an inflated sense of what men can do.

Male characters routinely defy actual human limitations. Usually handling weapons and doing things that real humans cannot.

Female warriors can only be immersion breaking for you if you absolutely ignore all the things that male characters in the same game do.

 

[Kadin]

I love playing female characters but the only time it gets weird is if the game, SWTOR for example, allows for any type of romance/flirting options. Yeah that I just can't do. Beyond that, I enjoy them as much as playing male characters for many reasons already mentioned.

 

[Maligna]

I love playing female characters but the only time it gets weird is if the game, SWTOR for example, allows for any type of romance/flirting options. Yeah that I just can't do.

Why can't you do that? Are you that uptight and insecure about your sexuality? Never understood this.

 

[Authority]

I found some interesting stuff.

Ms. Male Character - Tropes vs Women in Video Games

Guardian

Female gamers are used to putting up with sexist claptrap - both from the companies that design games and other players. So a study by psychologists at Nottingham Trent University showing that 70% of them chose to construct male characters when given the option by online games, should come as no surprise.

As the psychologists suggest, one reason could be the sexism and sexual harassment to which women are subjected online. A cursory glance at the comments under almost any YouTube video featuring a woman demonstrates that just being female is enough to draw a vicious response from a stream of misogynist and anonymous commenters. Technology blogger Kathy Sierra abandoned her website after the harassment directed towards her escalated to unbearable levels. When Second Life millionaire Ailin Graef appeared on a chat show in the virtual world to discuss her success on the platform - which is more 3D chatroom than game - her character was swarmed by flying pink penises (the attack was arranged by "griefers" - users who spend all their time harassing others).

Then you have the "tits or GTFO" internet trend, whereby new posters on message boards who identify themselves as female are requested to post photos of their breasts or "get the fuck off". When it comes to multiplayer games, such as World of Warcraft, women must also face down a whole set of assumptions about their ability to play. Or they could just sidestep all this and construct male characters and avatars.

Direct Source: Sexual harassment is rife online. No wonder women swap gender
Original Source: Social Interactions in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games

So for the most part guys play girls for the attention and girls play guys so they don’t get attention. Why is that?

Well I can’t speak for the guys as I don’t have the man junk or thinking that goes with it. I would love to hear opinions though from folks with higher testosterone levels than exist in my body.

As for girls, the first thing that comes to mind is:

1. The internet really is a scary and unsafe place.

Face it, safety is a huge concern for females in their everyday lives. Don’t walk down that dark street, check the backseat of your car. We hear it on the news all the time with all sorts of abuse from spousal to atrocious crimes of gender. This is part of our psyche. Without even knowing it, we have to be ever vigilant of our safety, whether it’s a significant other being jealous that other guys might hit on you in the game you play and beyond. We have to be careful, there are plenty of predators out there, certainly not all of them being male, but we learn from a young age that we are not safe. Kinda depressing really when you think about it. But welcome to human reality.

2. Games are Competitive and Men don’t like being beat up by girls.

Sounds funny doesn’t it? We’ve gone through so much evolution but many males hate being surpassed by a female (in the gaming world, lets not mention other worlds please). Girls are very competitive by nature, it’s not something well known. Hell, girls will compete with themselves if they think they will win. It isn’t about ego, it’s about winning and being the best. When I play a PvP game, I want to compete and beat the crap out of my enemies but for some reason girls not only have to compete on a skill base but also the emotional base. It’s rare (but it does happen) that a guy can admit defeat honestly by the opposite sex. Usually, they will find all sorts of excuses as to why the girl beat them at their own game. I’ve heard so many; I was afk, My wife distracted me, I was looking at the TV, Oh I wasn’t ready yet, you cheated, etc. Dealing with it on a one on one basis isn’t that bad. But when the guy’s ego gets crushed by defeat and then is with other males that is when it can get downright nasty.

3. Girls just want to stare at the male avatar butts for hours.

Nope – never heard this one. Not sure why, my assumption is that there are enough male avatars around for the eye candy factor or maybe the artists are so focused on making a girl’s silhouette damn hot that they forgot that a guy can look better than a square lump with a sword.

4. Not on the market for a relationship.

This is an oldie but a goodie. Back when the internet was fresh and new with slow bandwidth speeds, we didn’t have much use for voice chat. Nowadays it’s a staple of playing and communication in games. Who wants to type when they can chat away with their cat meowing or their mother screaming at them in the background? As soon as a voice of a female comes on the chat system (well in a new situation) there is always some kind of audible silence – a pause so to speak. I always imagined the thoughts going through their heads, “Wow she really is a girl?” and then, “I wonder if she’s hawt.”

Just because they are a girl playing games does not mean they are looking for a relationship. (On the opposite end, just because you are a guy playing games doesn’t mean you are hard up and looking to pounce either, I just wanted to be clear.)

5. Girls have been known to wreck happy groups of people.

Just like fishermen think it’s bad luck to have a female on their ship, girls have been known to get the worst of a guild or clan. This is a sad fact, that some girls are out to destroy relationships or create them. Many guilds/clans won’t even admit a girl because of the drama of past times. So playing a male character puts them in a safe zone plus competition. Although note that you better get a voice modulator because it won’t be long before you’ll be forced to chat with your new clan!

Whew, it’s tough being a girl that plays games. I like to win, I love to compete and everything in between. I personally do not play male characters because I do not have that connection with them as I do with the females. Well, I’ve only done that with paper RPGs, where I have to be in the same room with everyone so it’s pretty obvious I’m not a guy.

Credits to Why Women Play Male Characters?

 

[Yopis]

Will play a mixture of both think more people should. Femshep was the best.

 

[twinturbo2]

Guilty as charged, and since my name is a dual-gender name (Alex), it's not a big deal either way.

 

[rObit]

Yeah I choose female for pretty much any 3rd person game that gives me the option. I do so because I am shallow and like looking at pretty computer ladies more than handsome computer guys. I will look forward more to leveling / getting new gear to see how my character changes aesthetically.

 

[G-Fex]

I have a Tauren Druid named HassleHoof.

It continues to be my main whenever i slip up and go back to WOW.

goddamnit why didn't I think of names like this.

 

[JLeack]

I play as a female whenever I play magic classes. I don't wanna be a dude in a dress.

 

[Velcro Fly]

In WoW I roll female for certain races because they just look better model wise. I default to male but I always thought male human was dumb. I walk around as a male human 24 hours a day. So female I roll human.

Has nothing to do with class. I'd roll a female warrior if I was making a blood elf. I'd roll a male caster if it was a troll. Just some models and races look better or worse to me. Sometimes it's even dance animation that decides. Tauren is harder because I do like both models.

 

[encephalon]

her PSP adventure from 2010—The 3rd Birthday—was well-received

What the fuck is this.

 

[Gbraga]

I don't wanna go around saying "you're wrong about yourself", but I never believed the "I wanna stare at a woman's ass" thing. Feels like an excuse.

I always play as a female character when given the chance, the only exception that I can remember was Dragon Age II because I really liked the default male Hawke (that was his name, right?).

I'm not sure why, to be completely honest, maybe I indentify myself more with women? Or maybe I just like cute girls, and guys in gaming are rarely cute. I don't have a problem with the sausage party in FF XV (cause they're cute), but I never keep a man as the leader of my party if that means I control a female character while walking around.

Though for dating stuff I'd most likely always choose a male character, even if I have the option to make everyone gay if I play a female. If Persona games start to give you the option to pick your gender for every game now, I'd always do my playthrough as a male. In the other hand, I have absolutely no problems with the idea of a Persona game where a female is your only option.

...

yeah I have no idea.

Yeah I choose female for pretty much any 3rd person game that gives me the option. I do so because I am shallow and like looking at pretty computer ladies more than handsome computer guys. I will look forward more to leveling / getting new gear to see how my character changes aesthetically.

Oh, right, the dressing game is really important too. Fashion Souls wouldn't be half as fun if I was looking for male clothes.

 

[Jobbs]

Ghost Song has a female protagonist confirmed!

suffice it to say I think no matter what some of you will be surprised by the nature of the protagonist(s).

 

[Gbraga]

suffice it to say I think no matter what some of you will be surprised by the nature of the protagonist(s).

It's a tgirl then? Awesome!

 

[Htown]

Perhaps women choose women more because they're underrepresented as playable characters in gaming?

This would be my guess.

 

[SPACECADET]

I play male characters when i play games because being male it helps me feel like i am actually immersed in the world, i like when games have customization because the closer i can get the character i'm controlling to resemble myself, the more i am able to lose myself in the game. rather than know at all times i am just controlling this model on screen.

of course i also don't want every game to only do customizable characters, aside from games like rpgs like fallout where you can be anyone and it doesn't effect the story, because then you would lose out on variety and iconic characters with their own identity.

for me, i play the guy, preferably the big guy, preferably the big guy with glasses. i want to be myself in these new worlds. but i also see the value of someone using that opportunity to be someone they are not, or someone they would rather be, or simply a character model that makes someone comfortable because:

Word. I don't want to stare at a dude's ass for 100+ hours.

(btw c.dark.dn, you don't have to stare at anyones ass for 100+ (or any+) hours to play/beat a game)

 

[Gbraga]

I always play as a female character in any game. It feels, comfortable , I guess? The only series that I don't is Pokémon.

Comfortable is actually a really good word to describe it. I mean, it probably says nothing to the people who don't get why we play as females, but if you do, you know what that means.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

In RPGs I usually roll male in my first two playthroughs, as they're usually characters based on me (The second playthrough is always New Game +). On my third time around, I play female as not only can they be made attractive, it also gives a fresh feel to the game, as well as opens up more dialogue and choices.

In games such as Saints Row however, it doesn't matter which gender I play as I usually switch it up mid-playthrough once I get bored of playing a male or female. It's also nice to be able to play as females in certain game genres I'm interested in.

 

[Kadin]

Why can't you do that? Are you that uptight and insecure about your sexuality? Never understood this.

All I can say is that it just feels odd to me. No other reason than that.

 

[Pirabear]

Will almost always roll female for a variety of reasons already stated, but I guess it just feels comfortable for me. I also prefer sleek looking characters over bulky warriors anyway.

The most recent time I played as a male was in Pokemon Y, which I regretted once I saw the customization options female characters had.

 

[Bogus]

Playing a female warrior is a no-no for me. I'm breaking immersion all time thinking "nah, a girl just can't hit like that".

So I just play male all the time as if he was a version of me kicking some ass.

I really like that both genders are equally strong and capable of smashing stuff with giant weapons in most MMOs.

What I don't like is how sexual dimorphism is almost always in favor of the males being way bigger and stronger-looking, no matter what the species. Okay, have the humans be familiar, I get the reasoning behind that. They're the token race half the time anyway. But why can't I ever create a female character -- human, orc, goblin, five-eighths-ling, whatever -- who's physically larger than a male one, or at the least is the same size?

It's boring when all of the women across all of the species are scaled down compared to the men, and proportionally way skinnier. The women are usually hard-coded to look like mages, and the men are usually designed to look like warriors. It's a total bummer.

 

[Authority]

I think there's not enough women in games, so in most cases I will play one if I'm able to.

More young girls are being exposed to console games, especially as their fathers introduce them to that world as a way to bond with them. In late November, president of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime presented several data points outlining the current gender breakdown of console play in the U.S. Reggie estimates there are 45 million people playing video games as the primary players in the U.S. Of those, Nintendo is estimating 26% are female, or roughly 11.7 million.

Of those, 80% are on the Wii, 11% are on the Xbox 360 and 9% are on the PS3.

Wii - 80% = 9.3 million
X360 - 11% = 1.29 million
PS3 - 9% = 1.05 million
Total = 11.7 million Females

M2 Research estimates there are roughly 130 million women currently playing online PC games worldwide, and 140 million men. And we see that figure growing steadily over the next several years for both men and women.

It is estimated that close to 40% of all World of Warcraft players are female, or almost 3 million players. In November, Blizzard announced its first virtual pet would go on sale. In a 2 month period the company sold over 200,000 for $10 each, equaling $2 million on one virtual pet item.

Credits to The Next Frontier - Female Gaming Demographics

And that is for 2010.

Edit: Did I read your post wrong?

 

[Subtervotion]

How has no one mentioned Ellie yet? Should definitely be in the OP.

 

[SeriousApes]

I always play as a female named Dia in games that have character creation. As a second character I play as an old man named None (I got the name from the original Fallout when I forgot to name my character. "I am None" sounded so cool).

 

[Authority]

How has no one mentioned Ellie yet? Should definitely be in the OP.

Unfortunately I have reached the limit with words. Will try to squeeze in.

Back to the topic, I have never made my character look like a female on any MMO but I think most female gamers with male characters do that to avoid online harassment. Can't prove that since I do not know how the online community has matured or not in that sense.

 

[Hollycat]

The only game I ever regret playing a female protagonist is Skyrim. For some reason most of the armor gains a skirt when worn by a female. And that sucks.

 

[FourMyle]

I always play male characters if given the chance, and I like to customize my avatar so it looks most like me. It's all about immersion.

 

[Velcro Fly]

Also I will say the armor in WoW across genders is so fucking sexist. Armor for males will completely cover them and make them look badass. Same armor for females is a short skirt and a top that barely covers the breasts and is pretty much skin tight. My girlfriend used to joke about how all females looked like whores in their armor sometimes but seeing it now it's just sad.

 

[jroc74]

I have no issue with it either.

I play as Peach on Mario Golf...because I value control, accuracy over power.

 

[Gbraga]

That might be sexist in a weird way, but for some reason I also trust women more. The fact that she was a woman was a big factor when choosing where I was gonna get my tattoos. I don't think I'd get one with a man.

Don't know how much that would impact my decision to play as female, though.

I always play as a female named Dia in games that have character creation. As a second character I play as an old man named None (I got the name from the original Fallout when I forgot to name my character. "I am None" sounded so cool).

IT WAS ME, DIA

The only game I ever regret playing a female protagonist is Skyrim. For some reason most of the armor gains a skirt when worn by a female. And that sucks.

Really? I never noticed it. I played most of the game wearing Krosis' mask though, so I'd be lying if I said I was 100% sure I played it as a female.

 

[jerry1594]

I donut give a shit who I play as, except in l4d2 where I gravitate to zoey more than the others.

 

[John Kowalski]

This is like the tenth time i write about this subject on gaf.

I always choose female characters. In Star Ocean 2, i always chose Rena, even if Claude had a much more interesting intro sequence. In Bethesda games, always female. In Souls games, always female. Bioware games as well. Femshep as well (though in her case, she grew to be less and less of an avatar as the series went forward). There is a great degree of gender preference influencing the decision, i have always felt great affinity with female characters in all sorts of media and i find that it is rarely as fulfilling to play as a male.

I've never quite understood how people require the insertion of their physical appearance in a game to feel immersed, that strikes me as something that would be very problematic in other mediums and i honestly feel very sorry for people who do need to see themselves in something to be immersed in it.

 

[Astral/H3X]

I can't remember the last time I voluntarily played as a male. Yeah, started off as a "hey sweet I can check out ass for 40 hours", but when I found myself obsessively shopping for adorable clothing in Pokemon I've come to accept that part of it is probably to escape being a male for a bit.

As an addendum to that, I like "feminine" armor. Seems to appeal to the same bit that can't stop dumping pokedollars on dresses and hats. But I think armor like in Tera where it literally is a bikini is ridiculous.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Credits to The Next Frontier - Female Gaming Demographics

And that is for 2010.

Edit: Did I read your post wrong?

I mean female characters, I don't doubt there are a lot of women playing games.

 

[tasch]

many of the characters you listed as positive examples of female characters are punctuated by masculine tendencies and I disagree with your summation about them.

Characters like alyx vance are masculine in every sense of the word baring the genitalia to make them male characters, she is not a positive female role model imo. The fundamental flaw with this approach to reasoning is that there's no clear distinction as to what should dictate a "good" or "bad" female character. Instead we look at ideological demarcations through some pseudo-science and social science readings. As a feminist, i'm becoming increasingly un-impressed with the arguments that people make with the feminist doctrine, they bend and manipulate the ideas behind the movement to fit whatever sort of reading they desire on the characters. What should be happening is asking whether or not the character, regardless of the gender, is appropriate and a good representation of characteristics that express more than feminine or masculine tropes.

I think the larger focus needs to be put on male characters, as of right now there is absolutely no discussion on the disposability of the male character, and the subservient nature of the male character in games. Not only are male characters the primary characters, they're also seen as expendable in majority of cases since they encompass the vast majority of enemies and villains we see. They're also usually forced into the role of protector or sacrificial lamb on behalf of others. I dont think this is a good trait we should be wanting to foster in men and boys, things like "saving the princess" places women on a pedestal, that they have value. The damsel in distress trope is as negatively impact on male representation as female representation, it lowers male perception, and is extremely damaging as it fosters a mixed message (men should self sacrifice for females... even though all life should be equal).

I'm also a man who tends to play as a female character in games.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

I've started doing this in create your own character games/3rd person games, who wants to watch dude ass running around all day.

 

[Vermillion]

...I just play as a guy. A black guy if I can.

 

[BocoDragon]

I've played as women in MMOs.

It's funny how guys will start giving you free shit.... Even as you insist you're a dude, they will treat you differently as a woman.

 

[Despera]

Only game I played as a woman was Fire emblem Awekening just because Chrom was already the other main character and he was a dude. Had to balance that shit.

 

[params7]

Are there women who play as men?

It's funny how guys will start giving you free shit.... Even as you insist you're a dude, they will treat you differently as a woman.

I know someone in college who posed as female in Steam. He barely ever bought a game.

 

[breadtruck]

Memphis on UT2003/2004 was the only character I ever played in those games. Best dang female design ever made

 

[C.Dark.DN]

I will never understand this "reasoning". Why are you staring at your avatar's ass in the first place?

I strongly feel that people just use this as a bullshit excuse for "I want to remove as much non-essential gear from my female avatar to look at her tits".

Why would you stare at the ass for any length of time?
Is there more important things you should be doing like, like saving the galaxy or something.

Why would you even care? Are you supposed to find your character sexually appealing?

Never understood this, unless you're joking, which is kind of overused at this point. Try zooming out or paying attention in combat. Very rarely do I actually get the chance to look at my character .

I mix it up in reality since I'm an alt guy. After playing the same MMO for multiple years, it gets boring playing the same races and genders.

I don't RP or see characters as an extension of me. I just try to make the best looking character I can to rip it up in the world.

In new mmo's, it's usually a female first. Part of it is because I get enough of guy protagonists in other genres. But I'd be lying if I said a pretty female wasn't more visually appealing. Especially when you get bikinis in FFXIV:ARR.

 

[Reszo]

I always create a guy if i have the choice because I see that character as me in the video game world haha

 

[gngf123]

I always play as a female character in any game. It feels, comfortable , I guess? The only series that I don't is Pokémon.

Interestingly, Pokemon is the series that finally made me stop picking male characters all the time. I disliked a couple of the male character designs so went for the girl instead. Then eventually X/Y came along and I picked the dude because you can change how he looks now, but ended up regretting it because it looks like the female character gets better clothes to buy.

I now play female characters a lot more than I used to.

 

[Harpuea]

I generally avoid games with only female leads. I have siblings so I grew up that way. It is the same way I don't want to be caught playing with a barbie doll. I don't care if they saw me playing with an action figure. It just push my buttons the wrong way when they tease me so I avoid giving them ammo in anything. Even now I stick to the habit even though I don't live with them anymore. I guess what is appropriate and proper for a guy is pounded into me so hard by parents and siblings that I bring it into the gaming arena. Single player games with only female lead does not appeal to me nor bother me a bit when a guy plays them. I do find it weird that others play with female characters in MMOs even though they are a male. it is like knowing that they choose to play with dolls over GI Joe action figures. However, everyone have their own way of doing things so I find it too trivial to make a big deal out of it and keep it to myself from my MMO buddies during college. I guess they like eye candy, but I got other means for that and keep that out of my own gaming hobbies instead of combining it. However, I do think less of them when they start baiting other players to give them items for free. The only time I giver another gamer in game items is because I know that girl personally and actually invited her to play with me. Games with only female leads definitely lose sales from me. If they have gender options, no big deal. Gender locked classes in MMOs for example just annoys me enough to not play the game.

 

[UpsideDownAce]

I generally avoid games with only female leads. I have siblings so I grew up that way. It is the same way I don't want to be caught playing with a barbie doll. I don't care if they saw me playing with an action figure. It just push my buttons the wrong way when they tease me so I avoid giving them ammo in anything. Even now I stick to the habit even though I don't live with them anymore. I guess what is appropriate and proper for a guy is pounded into me so hard by parents and siblings that I bring it into the gaming arena. Single player games with only female lead does not appeal to me nor bother me a bit when a guy plays them. I do find it weird that others play with female characters in MMOs even though they are a male. it is like knowing that they choose to play with dolls over GI Joe action figures. However, everyone have their own way of doing things so I find it too trivial to make a big deal out of it and keep it to myself from my MMO buddies during college. I guess they like eye candy, but I got other means for that and keep that out of my own gaming hobbies instead of combining it. However, I do think less of them when they start baiting other players to give them items for free. The only time I giver another gamer in game items is because I know that girl personally and actually invited her to play with me. Games with only female leads definitely lose sales from me. If they have gender options, no big deal. Gender locked classes in MMOs for example just annoys me enough to not play the game.

Nothin wrong with playing with dolls. Especially when the cool gi joe is savin barbie.