Gaming

It depends on what kind of character I want to RP; sometimes that's a dude, sometimes not.

For me it's definitely an RP choice. I don't always choose one or the other, but in games that give character creation options I tend to go for a quick "non-canon" play test to get a feel for the game and setting and get an idea of how I want to play it. Then I start a new file and create a character to fit that. Sometimes I go for a lithe rogue or a buff fighter, and the gender usually depends on either how I'm feeling or possible story/world stuff that makes it fit better, or sometimes just something interesting. Like in early Cyberpunk there was a glitch where you could start with a male character, then switch some settings and you'd get the female options but it would keep the original genitalia, so I played through as a trans woman because it wasn't something I'd done before and it was interesting and fit well into the setting. It didn't change anything in the game and I kept my character clothed so you never saw her hanging dong. But then I hit the story with the trans woman NPC and my V found a friend who they could connect with a little better. It was a fun role-play opportunity and I felt like it helped my connect to the game and the world even better when my avatar wasn't just a puppet I used to interact with the game. Even in games like the Witcher where you're given a named character, my Geralt always developed his own personality. I once accidentally sold all my boots and didn't realize for a few days that he was running around without shoes. When I noticed it immediately became part of his personality that he doesn't wear shoes. He like feeling the grass when he fights and he's more connected with nature. It kinda fit with the default personality but I leaned heavy into the more nature-focused choices where possible and it changed how I played.

Though I'm probably not an average case-study. I tend to eschew gender norms while identifying as a straight cis guy. I wear what I want, paint my nails or wear makeup if I'm feeling it. And I do lean heavy into the single player RPG games and avoid MOBAs or shooters. I think I've mostly just been playing DnD in all my video games, lol.

Speaking of DnD, my BG3 playthrough started with a female Drow monk because I haven't played any of that in DnD before, but as I played I knew I wanted a rogue so I restarted and as I built it I started with a human male but ended up with a Gith male rogue because I liked the look a bit more for it and knowing what little I did about the Gith in the opening it would be fun RP. But in my head, he's not from a creche but was lost as a small Gith and raised in some small village by human parents. So he doesn't fit in with the Gith he meets but also faces the fear that most people in the world experience when they see him. It just adds so much more depth to the game when they have their own personality.

There are some exceptions -- I like playing Nightmare, who is male, in the Soul Calibur series, due to his moveset -- but absent broader gameplay considerations coming up, I'll default to a female choice. I'd rather look at the female character through the course of the game.

considers

I play very few multiplayer games. The last time I was playing a 3D multiplayer game much was a long time ago, probably a Quake 2-based Team Fortress-style game, and then I played a male character, an engineer, because of his role.

I haven't played MUDs for ages, but there I generally played a male character.

Sometimes games attach some sort of gameplay benefits on a gender-basis (e.g. male or female characters have slightly different stats or characteristics), and then I'll sometimes choose the main character's gender based on that, but that's become less-common, maybe not politically-correct. Mount and Blade: Warband does that -- it's a medieval world and male and female characters have significantly-different roles there; there I'll play a male character. The Fallout series had a long tradition of having the Black Widow/Lady Killer perk work differently based on a character's gender; it's generally advantageous to play a female character there.

I like vidya waifus

Idk, might as well ask me why I listen to women pop singers and virtually no men. The only ones I do listen to are wearing wigs, makeup and heels. I see you, Adore Delano. lol

https://midwest.social/post/4051752

Well, for one, I play role playing games. So, I like to experience different roles, different ways of thinking, and playing as someone like FemShep or female V in Cyberpunk offers a much different perspective on life than if I played as a male. I'm a male, I go outside as a male, why do the same thing in gaming?

And for a second reason, if I'm playing a third person shooter why would I (a straight male) want to stare at a man's ass for 120ish hours?

But I never do? :(

I don't mind what sex my character is, my character is not me and I don't see why I would mind what sex my character is. Like, especially in a video game, the scenario is usually quite fantastic and nothing that my character does (e.g. acrobatics, shooting, running for more than 18 seconds without collapsing out of breath, etc.) gives me a sense that they are a version of me. My character should be random or whatever the writers thought would be most appropriate for the themes or story or whatever.

(I did not watch the linked video)

They're trans and just don't know it yet. There may seem like there other reasons, but that's just the denial speaking.

It depends on the game. If the gender has an effect on the stats or gameplay, I may choose a female character if I think it would either benefit my character build or make the gameplay more interesting. If it's just cosmetic, I will play as a female if I think the male characters look ugly and the game doesn't have a femboy option.

When I was young I learned to pick a female character and people would be way more nice to me and helpful when I was new and give me stuff.

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield. Oh yeah. <3

It makes no difference to me.

I tend to play both, as I have set builds for set character names. First time playthrough in a soul's game? Maxwell is the name (though Maxwell is one of the few characters that I have played as both male and female.) Making a sniper build? Novikova is da girl for the job. A viking or warlord? Kaytlyn is my go to. Stealth? Garrett will get in and out.

I like having a roster to characters of any gender to pick from. Though, I admit, I tend to gravitate towards making femboy type characters lol.

I don't, mostly because I watched Asmongold talk about it, and now I feel weird playing with a female character online.

Though singleplayer I don't feel any problems: Lara Croft, Rynn, Chell, Rayne, Jade - it's all fine.

Maybe it's just for customizable characters?

Young me : because egg