- Feb 28, 2026
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The only time that I am fine with that is when they do it to voice lines. I would prefer if I was given the option to have the og name voiced or to have a custom name but silent. But I do undertand when they do that.
What would you think of otome games without the option to change the MC's name?
- Thread starter osanajimimi
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- otome otome discussion
- Jun 23, 2025
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Because I care a lot about the little details that shape an MC,
her original name is also pretty important to me.
If I can't change her name,
I feel like that gives me even more reason to look forward to seeing the writer dig deeper into her character and bring out all kinds of distinct and interesting personality traits.
And when the other characters say the MC's name,
I can feel even more deeply that it's something that belongs to the emotions between them —
like they're all resonating on the same frequency.
her original name is also pretty important to me.
If I can't change her name,
I feel like that gives me even more reason to look forward to seeing the writer dig deeper into her character and bring out all kinds of distinct and interesting personality traits.
And when the other characters say the MC's name,
I can feel even more deeply that it's something that belongs to the emotions between them —
like they're all resonating on the same frequency.
Last edited:
- Dec 18, 2013
- 119
- 156
I prefer to keep the MC's name rather than changing it.
I want the other characters to call her by her actual name. If you change it to your own name, her name is always muted or replaced with a weird, robotic sound. That feels quite awkward to me, so I always use the default name. I also love how the LI's sound when they call her by name in certain situations.
Especially in romance scenes, the LI's voice is always so endearing when he says the MC's name!
I want the other characters to call her by her actual name. If you change it to your own name, her name is always muted or replaced with a weird, robotic sound. That feels quite awkward to me, so I always use the default name. I also love how the LI's sound when they call her by name in certain situations.
Especially in romance scenes, the LI's voice is always so endearing when he says the MC's name!
Adoris
New member
- Aug 2, 2026
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I always keep the MC's name so this function won't influence me anything...but I guess I would rather not to play it unless the scripter gives me a valid reason to show why her name is so important. I mean, family name and given name, if there is any important information then just fix one of them. I love to think about whether the MC's original name carries the scripter's own expectations, but it doesn't mean that the scripter can force me to take that name.
- Aug 18, 2025
- 230
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Bishoujo games usually don't let you change the protagonist's name, and honestly, I don't think that's a bad thing.
I used to like changing the protagonist's name to my own in otome games, but when I really think about it, it didn't actually make me feel more immersed. The protagonist's personality and mine are usually nothing alike anyway.
Also, in a lot of modern games, when the love interest actually calls the heroine by her default name, I find myself enjoying the story more from a third-person perspective rather than trying to self-insert.
There's only one game where I genuinely wanted to self-insert and felt really immersed in it, though: Uta no Prince-sama.
I guess when it's a male lead I REALLY love, I do want to see my own name as the heroine's name.
I used to like changing the protagonist's name to my own in otome games, but when I really think about it, it didn't actually make me feel more immersed. The protagonist's personality and mine are usually nothing alike anyway.
Also, in a lot of modern games, when the love interest actually calls the heroine by her default name, I find myself enjoying the story more from a third-person perspective rather than trying to self-insert.
There's only one game where I genuinely wanted to self-insert and felt really immersed in it, though: Uta no Prince-sama.
I guess when it's a male lead I REALLY love, I do want to see my own name as the heroine's name.
- Jun 26, 2015
- 80
- 21
I always keep the MC's original name anyway, so I wouldn't mind! 
If anything, I kind of prefer it that way. I like when the MC feels like her own character rather than a blank slate, especially when she has a strong personality and her own story.
If anything, I kind of prefer it that way. I like when the MC feels like her own character rather than a blank slate, especially when she has a strong personality and her own story.
- May 3, 2025
- 178
- 330
If I can't change the default name, I'll just treat it as a visual novel instead.
For me, it's not about how pretty the official name is — it's about whether the game world is willing to let me step into it. Even if I end up keeping the default name in the end, the simple fact that the "edit" button exists already feels like a psychological invitation — it shows that the developers at least acknowledge the possibility of "player = protagonist."
It's about freedom of experience — the freedom to choose who you want to be.
Giving players the option to rename the MC allows for different ways to enjoy the game:
· For those who self-insert, they can put in their own name and enjoy the sweetness of "he's calling out to me."
· For those who prefer to watch a story unfold, they can keep the default name and enjoy the story from a more detached perspective.
Neither way is better than the other — but a good game should have options to suit both types of players, instead of forcing everyone to play the same way.
For me, it's not about how pretty the official name is — it's about whether the game world is willing to let me step into it. Even if I end up keeping the default name in the end, the simple fact that the "edit" button exists already feels like a psychological invitation — it shows that the developers at least acknowledge the possibility of "player = protagonist."
It's about freedom of experience — the freedom to choose who you want to be.
Giving players the option to rename the MC allows for different ways to enjoy the game:
· For those who self-insert, they can put in their own name and enjoy the sweetness of "he's calling out to me."
· For those who prefer to watch a story unfold, they can keep the default name and enjoy the story from a more detached perspective.
Neither way is better than the other — but a good game should have options to suit both types of players, instead of forcing everyone to play the same way.
- Mar 14, 2015
- 215
- 116
If the name is lock it should be something that makes people curious why the name is locked and whether it is linked to the "true route" of the story. If it is just lock and nothing else different from other games, that's kind of meaningless~
b3rryb3rry
New member
- Aug 11, 2026
- 16
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I usually use my own name but I don't think I would particularly care either way.
- Apr 26, 2024
- 78
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I think a lot of games bypass this by using a nickname like Jeanne and Olympia in CC and OS and it will probably be more common in the future! But I don't know, even if you change the name and hide the heroine's face it still feels they're addressing her to me ! Even sympathy kiss felt that way tbh