Final Fantasy XV's Lack of Female Protagonists

[TwiliDreamer]

Speaking honestly, an all-male party feels almost more approachable for MALE players.

Corrected.

Even the presence of one female in the group will change their behaviour, so that they'll act differently.

Tha would also be true for an all-female group with only one male.

So to give the most natural feeling, to make them feel sincere and honest, having them all the same gender made sense in that way.

They could've been all females (WITHOUT being eye candy, of course, REAL females) and it would be a good game. Still doesn't explain why males mean a necessarily better game.

The world might be ready to see the curtain lifted on what boys do when girls aren't around, when they come out of the tent all prim and proper. That's kind of the idea behind it…

So it isn't a game for everyone. It's a game for MEN.
It's a boy's club.

we think, male or female player, that everyone will feel a certain connection and bond with the four characters.

No,they won't. The sense of identification the player establishes with the characters is lost when you make a game that is meant to be a personal experience from men to men.

Considering Terra, Yuna and Lightning were protagonists, Lulu, Relm and Celes were strong characters, and they all represented a step forward on the whole problematic representation of genders in an industry still dominated by a masculine mentality, the gaming industry, the justification that an all-male game "naturally appeals to everyone" is a MAJOR problem.

It's interviews like that that show how most video game developers still aren't aware of what's wrong with what they are saying and with their mindset regarding genders. Which is appaling, considering half of the gamer population nowadays are WOMEN.

 

[SpiteChaotic]

Does it matter if there is no females? No. Does every single being in the universe have to be included and feel important? No. Personally we had an all female cast and now we have an all male one. So equality yay. Personally I'm just hoping this means no romance plot/sub-plot or those romantic moments. Since they feel so weird sometimes like in FF7 where you went on that date with aerith, tifa, yuffie or barret. Overall I just do not care.

 

[DoomDash]

Does it matter if there is no females? No. Does every single being in the universe have to be included and feel important? No. Personally we had an all female cast and now we have an all male one. So equality yay. Personally I'm just hoping this means no romance plot/sub-plot or those romantic moments. Since they feel so weird sometimes like in FF7 where you went on that date with aerith, tifa, yuffie or barret. Overall I just do not care.

I went on a date with Barret the last time I played the game, it was epic. Still haven't got Yuffie yet.

 

[Misty]

Speaking honestly, an all-male party feels almost more approachable for MALE players.

Corrected.

That's such ****ing bull****. The story and relationships would simply be different with a woman in the mix no matter what gender is playing. It wouldn't be more comfortable for either gender. If you're a boy and you see a girl in the mix, you're going to have some questions same as if you're a woman or a tree-frog.

Even the presence of one female in the group will change their behaviour, so that they'll act differently.

Tha would also be true for an all-female group with only one male.

Yes, it would. That's the point.

So to give the most natural feeling, to make them feel sincere and honest, having them all the same gender made sense in that way.

They could've been all females (WITHOUT being eye candy, of course, REAL females) and it would be a good game. Still doesn't explain why males mean a necessarily better game.

The guy never said males make for a better game. He said in the context of this particular game and story males are what is called for.

The world might be ready to see the curtain lifted on what boys do when girls aren't around, when they come out of the tent all prim and proper. That's kind of the idea behind it…

So it isn't a game for everyone. It's a game for MEN.
It's a boy's club.

As if every game which features a male lead or male led cast is for men. Do you really struggle to care about a story if it does not feature whatever gender you identify with? I personally have spent much of my life reading, watching, and playing both genders and honestly, I never really had an issue identifying with an owner of a willy. Maybe this is just a stunning lack of imagination on the part of most females that they should consider addressing in themselves.

we think, male or female player, that everyone will feel a certain connection and bond with the four characters.

No,they won't. The sense of identification the player establishes with the characters is lost when you make a game that is meant to be a personal experience from men to men.

Never said that in his interview. It is a game for everyone which happens to star men in the lead roles...I didn't need a dick to enjoy Ocean's 11 and I sure as **** don't think I'm the only female to find that movie impressive and entertaining. I didn't need a john thomas to enjoy playing the Last of Us until the three quarters point. This is such sexist regressive **** masquerading as enlightened progress.

It's interviews like that that show how most video game developers still aren't aware of what's wrong with what they are saying and with their mindset regarding genders. Which is appaling, considering half of the gamer population nowadays are WOMEN.

A: Women are not even close to half the "hardcore" gamer population. Just because a lot of women play words with friends doesn't make them gamers and it doesn't mean they should hold any sway over the gaming market.

B: This interview shows nothing of the kind. It shows someone is being forced to defend their idea for an interesting and fun story because of sexism.

C: The reactions to this interview show just how far we have to go until it'll be ok to have a game led by any number of any gender.

 

[Lozjam]

This is an artistic choice, not a game that proved that "Videogame developers are sexist and are against women".

This is Square guys. I mean, Square was the first company to have strong female protagonists in RPG's. May I remind you all that the past THREE games had a main female protagonist?

I admit, I was worried about there being all boys because I thought it would make an uninteresting plot and make boring character interactions, but Square has proven that this is not the case.

Just let developers make the games that they envisioned, and quit it with your "gender equality". I stand for equality. However, messing up with the artistic integrity of a work of art in the name of "sexism" is not equality.

 

[Ventus]

oy vey goyim. typing this on Wii U (TM) so it will be slo. but to the poster who complained of muh sexism mufugga, let me ak u a question: are YOU the one writing the story, characters, and designing the game? or is it Square that's doing it? even if you think it's sexist (it isn't, it's simply reality that guys muh dick around girls), demanding that sqex change their story to needlessly include a female character for gender equality is riidiculous. write your own game if you want to crusade for GE, and vote with your dollar by not buying FFXV. Don't ruin the writing for a female character, familio.

AYO WHO DA FUQ UP CLICC DAT LYK [smiley face] [ok symbol] [100//]

 

[Spirit]

It sucks that there are no playable/noteworthy girls in FFXV since FF girls are usually damn fine.

I see what they're doing with XV though, its a bro-mance story. Its what an FF game would be if every party member was a Cloud clone... Which they do seem to be, I'm sure a lot of people have been dying to see such a game.

Why have one Cloud when you can have several and go to American roadside cafes, play pool, have your car break down, hug (in a totally manly way) and watch the sunset together, wrap your arms around each others shoulders (in a manly way) and order steak together.... I mean, who would want to do that with a girl, right?

 

[Dan]

I just watched the trailer, have the Social Justice Warriors already been lashing out about it or something? I'm not the biggest fan of BRO-MANCE stories as the story NEVER results in them getting together and wind up having an orgy, like ugh.
From the trailer anyway it does look like a pretty exciting game. Perhaps @Jamie will purchase it for me?

 

[Jamie]

I just watched the trailer, have the Social Justice Warriors already been lashing out about it or something? I'm not the biggest fan of BRO-MANCE stories as the story NEVER results in them getting together and wind up having an orgy, like ugh.
From the trailer anyway it does look like a pretty exciting game. Perhaps @Jamie will purchase it for me?

maybe when im rich

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

I think the biggest problem is that he felt the need to explain himself at all. He should have made the game, and let the work speak for itself. He didn't need to justify his actions to a bunch of morons.

The problem is the morons will complain, but most of them never play the games. They complain to complain. They take issue with things because they take issue with things. Once the game is "fixed" are they going to get it? No? When Fatal Frame was censored, did more SJWs buy it? No? No.

The arrogant ****s will force change on our preferred form of entertainment just because they can. For no reason other than they don't like it.

I don't want to get started on a rant on those people. They're a cancer.

Speaking honestly, an all-male party feels almost more approachable for MALE players.

Corrected.

Wrong. If you're a male and can't play a female protagonist or a female and can't play a male protagonist, that means there's something wrong with you, not the game. I'm sure no one complained that males couldn't relate to Lara Croft or Jill Valentine or Bayonetta (aside from the fact they all do things no normal person will ever do, like fight zombies or angels).

So to give the most natural feeling, to make them feel sincere and honest, having them all the same gender made sense in that way.

They could've been all females (WITHOUT being eye candy, of course, REAL females) and it would be a good game. Still doesn't explain why males mean a necessarily better game.

Show me where it says "better game". You can't. But this is typical of the progressive: straw men.

The world might be ready to see the curtain lifted on what boys do when girls aren't around, when they come out of the tent all prim and proper. That's kind of the idea behind it…

So it isn't a game for everyone. It's a game for MEN.
It's a boy's club.

Obtuse SJW is obtuse.

Just because the game may or may not showcase the "intricacies" of an all-male party, doesn't make it a game for men.

we think, male or female player, that everyone will feel a certain connection and bond with the four characters.

No,they won't. The sense of identification the player establishes with the characters is lost when you make a game that is meant to be a personal experience from men to men.

If you can't open your mind and try to experience a game from the perspective of someone else, then maybe you should just stick to playing Candy Crush.

Considering Terra, Yuna and Lightning were protagonists, Lulu, Relm and Celes were strong characters, and they all represented a step forward on the whole problematic representation of genders in an industry still dominated by a masculine mentality, the gaming industry, the justification that an all-male game "naturally appeals to everyone" is a MAJOR problem.

You people love that word.

It's interviews like that that show how most video game developers still aren't aware of what's wrong with what they are saying and with their mindset regarding genders. Which is appaling, considering half of the gamer population nowadays are WOMEN.

I didn't even know where to begin dismantling these last two quotes. First of all, what's problematic about an industry, of which the vast majority of its consumer base is male, catering to its main consumer base? No, real gamers aren't split 50/50. If you're going to quote statistics, quote them right. Half of overall gaming is done by females. Most of which are older women who play "games" on their tablets. The vast—VAST—majority of gamers that play games on PC or dedicated gaming devices are male. The vast majority of gamers that play games with protagonists and/or stories are male. The VAST majority of people that have ever played a Final Fantasy game are male.

If males, the majority of gamers, can play a Final Fantasy game that has an all-female cast, then a female gamer, surely, could play a Final Fantasy game with an all male cast.

 

[DoomDash]

Oh I didn't notice someone snuck that 50% of gamers are female comment in there. That's false as all heck.

 

[Ventus]

Oh I didn't notice someone snuck that 50% of gamers are female comment in there. That's false as all heck.

Candy Crush is in fact a game. and girls play it. gamer gurls confirmed:^)

For serious and I guess this is my last post in the thread, we've gotta stop taking issue with non existent issues. There's nothing wrong with XV except its frame rate and the fact that it's taking a decade to release. let writers write their characters; if you take issue you're more than welcome to not buy the game, make your own game, or even write some fanfiction. I actually prefer you do the latter, it's what I did when Link and Saria were canonically impossible to be together in the zelda series (i cry every time)

 

[Dan]

Oh I didn't notice someone snuck that 50% of gamers are female comment in there. That's false as all heck.

I never really cared much to look into it but admittedly it did surprise me when people said that as I've rarely ever heard Female players online, in video game stores, or met many that play video games apart from Candy Crush like Ventus said.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

It sucks that there are no playable/noteworthy girls in FFXV since FF girls are usually damn fine.

I see what they're doing with XV though, its a bro-mance story. Its what an FF game would be if every party member was a Cloud clone... Which they do seem to be, I'm sure a lot of people have been dying to see such a game.

Why have one Cloud when you can have several and go to American roadside cafes, play pool, have your car break down, hug (in a totally manly way) and watch the sunset together, wrap your arms around each others shoulders (in a manly way) and order steak together.... I mean, who would want to do that with a girl, right?

im not even gonna lie,you made the game sound extremely enticing for me

 

[CrimsonCavalier]

I never really cared much to look into it but admittedly it did surprise me when people said that as I've rarely ever heard Female players online, in video game stores, or met many that play video games apart from Candy Crush like Ventus said.

Oh, they exist. Don't get it twisted. And yes, half of all games are played by females. But like I said, most of them are older women, not young ones in their teens, 20s or even 30s (I'm not saying being older than 30 means you're old!!!). And most of those older women are playing puzzle/casual games like Bejeweled, Candy Crush, and Sudoku. That doesn't mean they aren't playing games. It doesn't make those games not games.

What it does, though, is take the statistics out of context. No data exists in a vacuum. You have to present the data within the context in which it exists. To say that half of gamers are female is accurate, but extremely misleading if you're trying to convince someone that half of the people playing Bloodborne or Devil's Third are female.

They aren't.