Attention: This article is based on personal opinion. I am an advocate for stories told from a variety of perspectives. Particularly those that are less commonly represented in games.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: I. AM. A MAN *GASP*. But that fact means very little to me as a gamer. It’s often my preference to trade manliness in-game for long flowy hair and a smaller hitbox. Playing as a lady is fun, Guys! But, whether you agree or not, female protagonists had a big presence in the games coming out of E3.
Even so, most Game Makers had little to say about their female leads. Possibly signifying some progressive changes in the industry. Or possibly showing a sheepishness in discussing the significance of gender in gaming.
Badass women popped up in a number of demos at the Upfronts on Monday. Horizon Zero Dawn had one of the most anticipated protagonists. Aloy showed a range of battle mechanics while taking down wild machines. Gears of War 4 also showcased a prominent female character. Kait Diaz backstory was teased out by an intimidating monologue at the end of the demo. Even Dishonored 2 and Mass Effect: Andromeda presented trailers from a female perspective (despite letting players choose their character’s gender).
Female leads are a thing in games this year. But most developers weren’t particularly vocal about these leading ladies.
For instance, Attack on Titan has the player switch between female and male characters (from the original manga). Producer Hisashi Koinuma explained that playing as those characters allows the game to stay loyal to its source material. That choice was dictated solely by the story without any consideration of gender.
The developers of “Gone Home” showcased their newest female protagonist in Tacoma. Producer Steve Gaynor explained that space exploration has a history filled with women. Even so, he insisted that Tacoma’s large female cast was a product of the stories evolution. The game wasn’t created to tell a female driven narrative. Its narrative was built around some complex characters, which happen to be female.
The most interesting comment came from ReCore producer Keiji Inafune. He hinted that the game’s apocalyptic setting might make procreation an important component in ReCore. Implying that protagonist Joule’s gender may serve some purpose in the narrative. But, what that means is pure speculation at this point.
For now developers insist they are creating characters that evolve from story and mechanics. Few expressed any intention to make a political statement. Nevertheless it’s hard to believe developers aren’t aware of the impact these leading ladies will have on the gaming community. Whether it is intentional or not, it’s exciting to see awesome female characters taking the lead in games coming out of E3.
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