Do You Play Games As Your Opposite Sex?

[Guest TheFearfulOne]

Many games allow you a choice to play as a male or female character. Do you ever use this opportunity to play as a character opposite of your physical sex? I do it whenever possible; I play as a female character whenever the opportunity arises. It just feels better to do so. I played as Blaze in Streets of Rage, Tear in Tales of the Abyss, and the female protagonist in Persona 3 Portable, to name a few examples.

If there is a choice of character sex in a game. 99% of the time I will choose female. In WoW and other games (have never played Sims, or other things like that though), I used female characters. I have never actually experienced much different in the way people treated me. There were the occasional times someone asked me to be their ingame-gf. One, I am a G.I.R.L. would usually turn them away. The fact that I am now questioning that, is kind of scary.

Character sex in a game doesn't really concern me, though, a lot of people do appear to find playing a character not of your biological sex not your own.

Having a choice is nice, but it doesn't make or break a game for me. In truth, I have started playing some Pen & Paper D&D with some friends. Haven't played a female character because I thought others might think it odd. I think, I might like to try it.

I say "Biological Sex" and not "Gender" as "Gender" has has been pointed out to me, is an incredibly broad term. "Gender Identity" works better in my opinion. Thinking about that statement now, the statement "Biological Sex" also asks how one is going to define that. I suppose, I still don't really know how to discuss these things. Not without potentially offending someone at least.

[Guest Andro-Ruu1991]

I remember playing pokemon and getting this shiver of desire to chose 'girl' when Oak asks for your gender. Unfortunately I played it with my brother (who doesn't / didn't know) and so I just picked male, but I did play a digimon game as a girl. when my brother asked me why i just said ".... rather watch a girl than a guy"

Tifa x

[Guest Hlali]

I always play a mix of male, female, and in-between characters. Since I do a lot of role-playing online, I tend to just go with whatever gender seems to go with the idea of a character that I have in mind. In games that aren't multiplayer (i.e. the ones I won't be able to roleplay on), I tend to just go with whatever as well, usually choosing one that will look good in whatever clothing I feel like putting them in. Sometimes it's fun to play a hardcore guy with guns and big scary armor; sometimes it's fun to play a girl with guns and big scary armor.

[Guest Kelly-087]

I very commonly do choose female characters in MMOs.

However on world of warcraft, I probably have more male characters as I was never fond of many armors that were available for females.. I also had appreciation for a giant and bulky warrior, it just looked cool.

However whenever I pick up WoW again, I plan to either make a new female character or continue with some of the ones I already have. I also feel as though this will help me in my transition, however this was never a thought in the past. (Im hoping I can manage to bring out my female voice by then, that would be really great.)

[Guest Uppertuck]

I always always always play as male. lol

[Guest Mew_Peaches]

I always play games as my gender: male. If there is a choice, there is. For example, Pokemon, which is the only one I can think of at the moment.

If there isn't a choice, it's no biggy. I'm fine playing Chell in Portal/Portal 2. It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other.

[Guest Abner]

I usually play games as male, although it depends on what I think reflects me best.

I have something I go for which I call the 'Pokémon trainer aesthetic', since the male lead in portable Pokemon games tends to look how I'd want to present myself.

[Guest Nicole Thrace]

I play as female whenever I can.

[Guest Enigmana]

I've preferred playing as female characters for a long time now, even before realizing that I was trans. I would even play games specifically because I could be a female character.

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

No, I always play a female character.

However, in WoW I tried playing as a female Tauren but I really like the male Tauren /dance better.

and I swear I should have been a female Blood Elf. They have a diva attitude that I can totally relate to.

Out of all my WoW characters, I think 3 of them are female Gnomes..because they're totally cute. Lol, my main character is named Petite, which is ironic because in real life, there's nothing petite about me.

[Guest jenna.jones]

YES!

Fable 2-3

Oblivion

Skyrim

WoW

SWG

Soon SWTOR

I'm a girl on the inside, if i've got to stare at a butt for 80 levels, it's going to be mine! : )

[Guest Lady_Robin]

I like roleplaying, so whatever gender seems best suited to the character I have in my head is what I go with. However, if I don't have any particular idea to go with I tend to prefer female or if it lets me, very androgynous male characters.

[Guest UnfortunatelyMatt]

Definitely, I've done it in both Dragon Age 1 and 2 . Usually I'll beat the game 3 or 4 times as a female character. My brother comes in and asked me why I was playing as a female, and I responded because it alters the storyline a little, which it does, but I didn't tell him the whole truth.

[Guest Lady_Robin]

My brother comes in and asked me why I was playing as a female, and I responded because it alters the storyline a little, which it does, but I didn't tell him the whole truth.

That's one way to do it. Or as a lot of guys do, "If I'm going to stare at the backside of my character for hours I'd prefer a hot chick instead of a dude." It's not technically lying.

[Guest RainbowGoth98]

Hell yea!!!

Fallout 3 and New Vegas

Red Dead Redemption(free roam)

WoW

Gaia

Mass Effect 2

Dragon Age 2

Dragon Age:origins

And soon SWTOR

[Guest Eyja]

The first time I can remember a game giving me the choice was Pokemon Crystal, and that would've been back in 2001 when I was 8. I picked female without thinking because it just felt natural. Since then I've always picked female characters, using the excuse that I'd 'rather look at a female character for hours on end than a male one' to avoid judgement, though that couldn't be further from the truth.

[Guest Just_Lucas]

i never started doing that until a while go and i played runescape and starting to get bored of that game and trying other games so ya i guess i also have an online girl name on call of duty ... hehe

[Guest xthermina]

Always. Sometimes someone would ask why, then I simply tell them: "if you're going to look at the back of a character for 2 hours, which would you have them rather be? Male or female?" That usually shuts them up ... I don't have that problem anymore though.

[Guest Just_Lucas]

Yes i do i play a female character in runescape and has an online female name in call of duty hehe

[Guest Irielle]

I *always* play as a female character. One time I played as a male to see what it was like and was uncomfortable the entire game. Even though I made myself look feminine it just didn't feel right. I love being female, especially when the character creator will let me make my character look the way I would love to look if I had been born in a female body. I can really behave as a real female and in online MMORPGs guys always think that I really am female and I love that. Especially when they help me and take good care of me. If only it could happen in real life lol.

[Guest Kallum]

I've always chosen the male character ever since i can remember. Back then I didn't think twice about it but now I look back and it makes a lot of sense.

Kal

[Guest Angelicious]

In RuneScape I play as a female. =)

[Guest LauraJen]

I always played as female characters wherever I could, although I'm not really the gamer I used to be. Pokemon Crystal was the first game where i did this - the first five versions forced you to play as a boy and that's why I didn't used to like them very much. The moment Crystal came along I got into it right away, much to the bemusement of my school friends (I was 11 at the time!).

There were also instances of me playing strategy games like Red Alert and trying to "girlify it" a bit by changing the colours such that my units and buildings were pink. I've also played a few RPGs online as female characters. I remember as well a game that was based on Star Wars Episode 1 and there was a cheat code that changed the appearance of your character, and always used it to look like Queen Amidala (shame it didn't change the voice, though).

[Guest S. Chrissie]

Laura, you should try Fable 3, Oblivion (or skyrim if you can stomach the more violent nature of it), Star Wars Kotor 1 and 2.

[Guest S. Chrissie]

Oddly enough, I think the first game for me to choose a gender was a Pokemon game too. O.O can't recall if it's Gold or Crystal. Now isn't that interesting? Pokemon popping up a few times. I generally would choose a female avatar if given a chance, but I wouldn't shy away from games just because they have a male protagonist. As long as the games are fun, you would bet that I will try 'em out.

I played Resident Evil 5 as Chris (gawd is he hot!) and ran through the whole game a few times using Shiva.