I will never understand why people feel threatened by having a games industry where all people and walks of life are represented fairly and equally.
And it makes me sad that people now seem to think that they should have as much influence over every decision as the individual artists do, and that if they don't bend over and succumb to their demands then they're being racist, sexist, etc. If somebody wants to make a game featuring a man, that's their prerogative. That's not sexism. If somebody wants to make a game specifically about a woman, go ahead, I'd like more games featuring and made by women, and more featuring and made by minorities. It would be an interesting change of perspectives and I actively seek out films that offer that. The solution isn't to crowbar people into a game, the story of which had most likely previously been built for a white male character, because that doesn't offer any different perspective. They're doing the same thing as the original character. The solution is to hire these people in creative roles and encourage games lead by minorities that offer a different perspective than what we're used to. Of course if the original game is an RPG, it would be ludicrous for them to not be offered as alternative characters to the default anyway, but I also find it ludicrous that people expect to be able to turn up and complain to studios and individual people, regardless of whether or not they are interested in the game, or the film, or the book, or the whatever, and have that complaint influence the art in any way. It's not meant to be universally loved. Some art is made by utterly detestable people, but even they offer unique insight into those people. That's another perspective too. We need more perspectives, rather than the same perspectives with different people replacing the old ones.
I don't believe I have said anything about making people bend over or succumb to my demands and I haven't called anyone sexist or racist.
This is why I find this debate so frustrating. Instead of asking me to expand on my viewpoint or trying to actually be interested in what I have to say you have just sent me a big wodge of text where you decide my opinions and then proceed to tell me how wrong I am.
I wasn't attacking you, and none of that was even influenced by your post in any way. You said the thread made you sad for whatever reason and didn't expand on that, I replied, saying that something else about this argument makes me sad and chose to expand on it. None of it was aimed at you in particular, and I would be interested in your viewpoint so if you want to expand, carry on.
I will never understand why people feel threatened by having a games industry where all people and walks of life are represented fairly and equally.
And it makes me sad that people now seem to think that they should have as much influence over every decision as the individual artists do, and that if they don't bend over and succumb to their demands then they're being racist, sexist, etc. If somebody wants to make a game featuring a man, that's their prerogative. That's not sexism. If somebody wants to make a game specifically about a woman, go ahead, I'd like more games featuring and made by women, and more featuring and made by minorities. It would be an interesting change of perspectives and I actively seek out films that offer that. The solution isn't to crowbar people into a game, the story of which had most likely previously been built for a white male character, because that doesn't offer any different perspective. They're doing the same thing as the original character. The solution is to hire these people in creative roles and encourage games lead by minorities that offer a different perspective than what we're used to. Of course if the original game is an RPG, it would be ludicrous for them to not be offered as alternative characters to the default anyway, but I also find it ludicrous that people expect to be able to turn up and complain to studios and individual people, regardless of whether or not they are interested in the game, or the film, or the book, or the whatever, and have that complaint influence the art in any way. It's not meant to be universally loved. Some art is made by utterly detestable people, but even they offer unique insight into those people. That's another perspective too. We need more perspectives, rather than the same perspectives with different people replacing the old ones.
A lot of people in this thread going for the 'I expected better of you, Giant Bomb' card and expecting everyone to bend over immediately and agree with them, and then calling for a lock because they don't agree with the rest of the thread
When does that stop becoming 'a problem' then? Must every game have a female lead, regardless of the story? I think the only time I can see myself agreeing with this is when the characters are user created and for some perplexing reason they've excluded the option to play as a woman.
Otherwise, the only people who I think can decide the protagonist are the ones involved creatively, so the problem is probably the amount of men involved in those decisions rather than the amount of women represented in leading roles currently
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