On Character Creation And Gender Locking In Games

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Character creation is the defining moment of an MMORPG player’s beginnings. It takes pieces of who we are and molds them into who we want to be—to create another entity that represents the core of our selves. Without the weight of the real world to burden us we are given a chance to re-envision ourselves, and to exist in a virtual landscape. Why is it then that some games force us down a path limiting our options of what we could be?

Gender-locking is typical in East-Asian MMORPGs. But recent Eastern releases to the West have brought locked customization to gamers worldwide. Rather than being able to freely create our in-game personas, we are being forced into predetermined molds that often do not fit our fantasy. We can see examples of this with games such as TERA and Black Desert Online.

There are many reasons both positive and negative that a company might choose to do limit customization. It can save a company money on expensive animations by removing an additional gendered set alongside race and class. Others may opt to have the players represent specific characters within their story, which can save even more on art costs.

While these may be worth limiting from a monetary standpoint, are they important enough to remove a vital aspect that rings at the very core of a player who wants to build an intimate relationship with an MMORPG? As a long time player of MMORPGs who has sought other worlds through them, I say no.

Creating an alternate persona makes MMORPGs stand out as a sanctuary that players can confide in. Typically players looking for that are loyal gamers who are willing to invest many hours into creating strong social structures (such as guilds) that become the foundation of a community. When a company is willing to cut corners in one of the most important aspects of creating an MMORPG where else might they cut corners that are less immediately apparent?

I personally enjoy being able to craft another self within games. As a person who yearns for release from societal pressures, being able to make an in-game persona for myself is an important factor. Some people might see this as lame self-insertion, but gaming has always been my refuge and the place I could truly be myself. Its definitely something I ask game developers to not take from me.

In the end the question of worth might rely on a game's target demographic. If players that only fleetingly enter the game for an initial spin are what the company aims for, then perhaps deep character customization doesn’t matter. In a world where cash-grabs and upfront monetization are becoming more prevalent, I can only wonder if the MMORPG days when I felt that sense of “another world” are limited. Perhaps the type of MMORPG player I am is simply a distant echo of the past.

I've been playing MMOs since the MUD days and I loved UO and Ragnarok Online. I'm a game designer and have worked in the industry for several years now, most notably on League of Legends. I love Anime, Dungeons & Dragons Tabletop and my current love is Fate/Grand Order.