Survey data on player gender and character gender preference.
Well, as a guy, I've been asked multiple times why I systematically play games female characters in video games, to the point of skipping a game if I'm forced to pay a male one, with a few exceptions (I really liked Albus from Troubleshooters for example). Whenever there's romance in a game, I'll also take the F/F route. Yet, I don't think I fetishize those in general. There's a thing about not liking most M characters in games, but also something about playing someone really different from who I am. We've had an interesting conversation about this with my gf who always plays F characters and woyd never play M.
Although I'm a straight guy, I've always more identified to female friends and characters, although I have a few male friends too.
So I'm wondering who else does that (playing a character not matching your gender), and if you found your own explanation.
Edit : It's not really an oversexualization drive for me, I try to play a female character that looks like me, even though I've never thought about actually becoming a woman.
Edit 2 : So far, I think we have, hmm..
Playing someone that differs from one's irl identity
Same dude. People make a big deal of this shit all the time but it literally does not matter to me.
If the game wants me to create a character I’ll just make a dude like me and spec him out with the stats I want. If there’s preset characters to choose from, I couldn’t care less who they are. If I want to play a necromancer and the only one is an 8ft pink lizard lady that farts rainbows, fuck it, I’m playing an 8ft tall lizard lady necromancer that farts rainbows.
Yeah, but that's an interesting thing to talk about I think.
My gf always creates characters looking as closely as possible to her. I do the exact opposite. What's funny is that.. she lacks self confidence and I do not. So it's not about that. I suppose it's something else that determines us that way. I have an idea, but I wanted others opinions.
Well if you want my opinion, I do it out of sheer laziness. Like I said above, I’m way more into tuning the stats in RPG builds than appearance. Sure, if I need to be a non-human to get a particular buff or ability I want, then I’ll do that. Otherwise, it’s human male, olive skin, short black hair, beard, done.
Yes, generally if it's new to me, I don't have an appreciation of how their individual play styles will match mine, so I'll default to the malez same as me. However, where I'm familiar with the characters and their game style, I'll choose what suits the game in the style I like to play.
So for instance, street fighter is chin li for life.