Are Female Characters Treated Differently?
In this survey question, respondents were asked, “Tell me a bit about your experiences when you do play as female, in terms of how other players respond to you. For example, do you tend to be treated better or worse than when you play as a male character, and do you notice a difference between genres? For example, when you play a female in FPS’s are you treated differently than when you play a female in RPG’s? All 33 subjects responded; the answers are divided according to game genre. In Role-Playing Games: • • 45% (16 subjects) reported that female characters are treated BETTER than male characters in RPGs. In general, subjects spoke about getting preferential treatment across the board when they play as female characters: you are treated more courteously and politely, you get killed less, female players like to chat with you, male players give you goodies like armor and spells, and try and “save” you from monsters, even if you’re more powerful than they are. One respondent wrote, “…p
