Thoughts on gender-swapping in video games

The Game Room
1

OK, weak title - I’ll elaborate…

Since my time on earth began, whenever playing video games, I (a biological male who identifies as such without much hesitation or ambiguity) have opted to play with a female character or avatar. I think this began with Golden Axe and Streets of Rage, but evolved through sports games in my teenage years and then into my adulthood, MMORPGs.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never had a beef with games where you have been obliged to play as a male character (at least some of the time) - I have nothing against dudes, either IRL or in video-game incarnation. But when there’s been the option of playing as a female, I’ve always felt an inexplicable urge to do so.

Why might this be? I’m not sure - but a few possibilities arise upon meditation on the issue:

1. It’s about trans-stuff. Very deeply-buried within me is some kind of embryonic interest in or flirtation with transsexuality. On a hidden and murky level, I at least am interested in the idea of what it is like to be female, and perhaps on some level even identify as one. This only manifests itself in ways which are and can be markedly differentiated from the real world; in other words, in the virtual or alternative reality of video games - as it is a uniquely ‘safe’ and consequence-free arena for me to indulge in something which my subconscious has rated as too taboo, risky or ego-threatening to try in real life.

Sure, perhaps. But on the whole, I’m not a ‘keep things buried’ kind of guy. I’ve done all kinds of shit which goes against what polite society deems appropriate, including sex-stuff which lands safely in the category of ‘Straight-up Weird’ - if a trans-woman identity is hidden deep inside of me, it must be very deep indeed. I should add that of all my various interests, flirtations, fetishes and phases throughout the years - sexual and non - the concept of cross-dressing or playing any kind of effeminate role has not once interested me.

2. It’s aesthetic. As a (mostly) heterosexual man, I generally prefer viewing the female human form to the male one (lots of exceptions notwithstanding). In video games in particular, player avatars tend to be athletically-built and good-looking - so this applies especially here. So, goes the logic, if I’m going to spend hours staring at a digital character on a screen, it would make sense for it to be one that I find pleasing to the eye.

Except that, well, I can and do happily play video games where there is no human character visible at all, or where you are controlling a robot/alien/whatever. Plus, frankly, if I am in the mood to ‘aesthetically appreciate the female form’ there is a tranche of websites out there specifically to aid that purpose - firing up Tomb Raider pales in comparison.

3. It’s about escapism. I play video games to escape reality. In reality, I am an unremarkable 42-year-old man. In World of Warcraft, I get to be a 20-something woman who can throw fireballs. So, it’s not really about woman-kind, femininity or feminine sexual identity per se at all - it’s simply due to me choosing to pretend to be someone as far away from the real me as can be.

Okay, perhaps. But in World of Warcraft, I can choose to be a panda, or an orc, or a goblin (female or male versions). I rarely do; I typically opt to be either a human woman, or a species aesthetically close to it (such as elf or gnome). Clearly, then, there is something about the whole ‘being a woman’ thing which resonates.

4. It’s about control and violence. This is the darkest and most sinister of explanations. In the innermost reptilian parts of my mind, there is a part of me that wants to control women; what they look like, what they say, what they do, where they go, etc. Having had a liberal upbringing, of course, these desires have been buried deep within - and so, much like #1 - the only safe outlet for them is video games. To go even darker still, invariably video game characters are in near-constant physical peril. Could it be that not only do I want to control women deep down, but I am actually gratified or thrilled by the prospect of doing so in ways which threatens their safety? (In other words, some form of sadism - fuck I hope not! anyway…)

Well, maybe. IRL, I find submissive and ‘obedient’ women both tragically-sad and boring. A casual inspection of my dating history will reveal that I have preferred and tended towards women who are quite the opposite - my current partner included. I am sure that as a teenager I concocted ludicrous fantasies of living in hareems full of scantily-clad sex-robots who would do whatever you wanted (I mean…we all did that, right…?). However, there is nothing else substantial in my life or life’s behaviour which would indicate a secret desire to have complete control/dominion over a woman, or women generally. I am also thrilled to report that when playing video games, I go out of my way to prevent harm from occurring to my (female) avatar(s) - if my thing was watching women suffer, then I wouldn’t be indulging in said fantasy very effectively.

Of course, I don’t expect the SDMB to have any better idea than me as to why it is I do something - but I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the aforementioned themes more generally.

Thanks in advance

2

I don’t have any better ideas than you. But thanks for posting. I found your speculations interesting and frank.

3

May I suggest another one, you want to kick some ass as a woman/girl. Traditionally it’s a larger insult to those who’s asses you’ve kicked, to be beaten by a woman/girl. It’s a you are so macho, you can beat them as a woman/girl type of thing.

4

Based on most of the modern action movies, this possibility may very well be it. Guys like “action babes” even though the action shows them doing things that are pretty much impossible such as beating up several 6 foot 200+ pound men with her bare hands. I had extensive self-defense training, and the objective was always stun, hurt, and escape. It was never, “Here’s how you beat up the 3 guys who want to rob you.”

In video games, however, you can do all of that just like in the movies your demographic enjoys. I see no sinister underlying reason for your choice. LOL

5

It may be tied to control / fantasy. You can design and inhabit the “woman of your dreams.” But for me, there’s a limit to how I feel using such opposite gender characters in an MMO, where an embarrassment factor creeps in. So I made a policy:

  • For “toons” that I intend to use when playing with other players (co-op or PvP): Same gender and general appearance as me; human or elf characters only.
  • For toons that I use solo, for PvE only: Anything goes; opposite gender, orc, furry, different race, whatever. But no child characters, thanks. This is where I draw the line.
6

If given a choice in a game, I’ll almost always play the first time as a female character and then the second time (if there is a second time) as a male character.

I’d say my reasons are:

  • aesthetics (e.g. female characters often have more tailored outfits and male characters often have baggy/bulky outfits)
  • variety (there are lots of games where you have no choice but to play with a male character, so a female character can be a change of pace)
  • often the female voice actors are just flat out better than the male voice actors (I’m looking at you, Mass Effect)
7

I’m a cishet kinsey-0 male, and, like you, I greatly prefer the opportunity to play female avatars in video games. Lara Croft, Uncharted Lost Legacy, Aloy in Horizon, Femshep, TLoU2… I take the choice when it’s a choice and I seek out games where it’s the default.

And like you, I don’t have a good answer as to why. My best guess is that VG males tend to be kinda boringly same-same, grizzled hero after grizzled hero, blank ciphers into which the player is expected to project himself as a straight power fantasy, and I just don’t find that interesting. But a woman in a similar situation is more interesting as a person, and interesting people are good.

I do think about it a lot, and I don’t have anything better than the above. I do explicitly reject, though, for myself, the aesthetic explanation, that as a guy I want attractive female forms on my screen. I’m deeply annoyed by game pandering, and I don’t engage with it (e.g. choosing the most revealing costume in the character customizer). I want to believe in the game world, not break it.

As it happens, though, my preference has served me well, because my two daughters see their dad connecting with female heroes in his favorite games, and it’s normalized for them. It’s not something I consciously chose to do for their benefit, but it’s really worked out.

And now both of them are gamers, easily switching between games with male and female PCs. It’s just not any kind of issue at all.

8

At some point some number of years ago, I began picking female characters whenever possible. None of your reasons are my reasons. I don’t ‘identify’ with video game characters any more than I do with characters in other media, so the stuff about escapism and control and sexuality are irrelevant to me.

What I have noticed is that there’s a noted perspective shift when you’re playing a female character. Some of the stories hit harder. Fallout 4’s plot was a lot more compelling with a mother tearing up the wasteland looking for her son. Mass Effect’s sequences where the council dismissed Shepherd out of hand feel a lot more pointed when they’re doing it to a woman. This probably has a lot to do with interacting with the story from an unfamiliar perspective, which keeps things feeling fresh and keeps my mind more engaged with what’s happening.

And yeah, in Mass Effect’s case the voice acting for FemShep was much, much better.

9

That’s a very good point…

10

That is good - I wonder how many men would like to but choose not to play as female characters out of fear of emasculating implications (effeminacy, homosexuality, transsexuality, etc…) - probably quite a lot.

11

Another interesting point - although it kind of links back to the whole ‘choosing to see things from a woman’s perspective’ (and, therefore, ‘role-playing as a girl’) aspect of things, doesn’t it? You feel more affected by the story because your avatar is a woman, and you - at least in some sense - inhabit her world and experience her perspective?

12

I primarily play two games: World of Warcraft and Fallout 4.

In the former, most of my characters are male but I have some female characters. It’s mostly random AFAICT, “what do I feel like right now” at the moment of character creation.

I have two distinct characters in FO4, one of each gender. Since a lot of that game is paper dolls in 3d (collecting and wearing gear), one of each gives complete coverage of appearance.

13

Ya know, this thread validates the reasons why I like to watch women’s sports over men’s. Women’s volleyball, women’s boxing/wrestling/judo, basketball, etc…

It’s not sexual, it’s just easier to watch. And I’m not an avid fan of any of the above. But if I’m at a sports bar or something and it’s on the TV, I’ll watch intently. Something I wouldn’t do if it were men’s sports.

14

I don’t doubt it. But why?

15

I’m pretty sure it’s aesthetic for me. Sometimes I find them prettier, or just more pleasant to look at. I also tend to prefer female voices, unless the voice actor is really good. (This is true in nearly everything I watch for the aesthetics, BTW.)

That said, I also just have never been into the whole macho “male empowerment” concept, but can enjoy even the more literal female empowerment—i.e. making women physically stronger.

I do occasionally play as a pretty guy, though. But it’s just rare that this is really a possibility in games, it seems (at least, by my standards). They tend to be more into the macho look. Or just the generic everyman look.

16

This is me. I find it very entertaining to play a female character with the largest weapon possible in the game and KILL KILL KILL! Makes me laugh every time.

17

Another possible explanation to add to the list, then, is that it is satisfyingly different to see women portraying traditionally masculine roles (i.e. killin’ stuff with massive swords and guns).

18

No more than reading a book with a female protagonist is roleplaying as a girl. But I don’t ‘immerse’ in games like a lot of people do.

19

I’ve asked myself this question and don’t like to think about it too much because the answers usually lead to my own insecurities.

I’m hetero male. But I’m also about the biggest girly man you’ll ever meet. I don’t have any interest in any “male” activities. I’m not a sports guy, not into cars, or fart humor… None of it.

I’m much more comfortable in the company of women. And tend to make friends with them easier than I do men.

And yeah, aesthetics. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to that.

20

I don’t play a lot of games with avatars and the ability to choose ones of different genders, but I too apparently mainly choose female type avatars when I can.

My Mario Kart go to is Princess Rosalina and my go to Fortnite avatar is the female soldier type I customized back in season … something.

I think for me it is mainly an aesthetic thing, with a soupçon of enjoying women kicking ass.

The latter is definitely why I kept playing Nina Williams in Tekken 3 (not that I played all that much Tekken 3). Her Bad Habit move allowed for an amusing win chaining three kicks to the balls, one kick to the chin of the kneeling and ball clutching opponent with the same button combo.