What do you think about gender selection in otome games?

[Arisara]

I played a lot of games on itch with otome tag and most of it have gender selection.

For me otome game is a game where you play only as a girl who romance guys.

But the biggest problem is that even if I chose the female gender,portrait and even a female voice but MC can have male futures like

chest , CG or mini portrait. Personality is alosy blurred. Sometimes idk i play fem or male.

On picture below i play as girl with set female voice. But when she take off her clothes turn to male.

She is also naked and 3 naked guys are swimming in the river around her. How she is ok about it??? lol

I often come across this in Western otome games.

What do you think about it?

 

[nerim-w]

Im open to the idea in theory because even though otome is female oriented it doesnt mean only girls can enjoy otome. But at the same time, otome is used by alot of women to escape mainstream media which is usually more male dominated - so it would really feel like a slap in the face when you play otome (to escape that) only to be met with poorly matched gender cgs and your supposed female mc being depicted as a guy...

 

[Stella123]

I get vexed when authors of otome or female MC games are pushed to add different MC portraits, pronoun options, or more customization. I do appreciate the inclusivity Western games often provide, but I notice this expectation is usually placed on female MC stories, not the other way around. People rarely ask BL games to include a female MC, or ask male MC games to center female MCs too and studios changing it.

 

[Stella123]

I wouldn't mind it if it didn't affect the quality of the story or my enjoyment of the CGs. But a lot of the time, it does. The MC ends up feeling flat, with no real background, no face, and no presence in the CGs. It takes me out of the immersion. At that point, I'd rather read a Twine story.

 

[Arisara]

Im open to the idea in theory because even though otome is female oriented it doesnt mean only girls can enjoy otome. But at the same time, otome is used by alot of women to escape mainstream media which is usually more male dominated - so it would really feel like a slap in the face when you play otome (to escape that) only to be met with poorly matched gender cgs and your supposed female mc being depicted as a guy...

I like Bewitching sinners so you can play male or fem but Cg is different. Also Dating crush similator coz when I chose to play as a male some Lis dislike it. Or mushroom oasis i can easly imagine myself girl. But many "otome" games by default MC is male... It's sad. Thats why i dislike it.

 

[myfrral]

When I play otome games, I definitely choose female players to play. I prefer playing otome games from Japan because its art style is very exquisite, and the female lead looks like a girl, which gives me a sense of immersion.