Government of the city-states

[DSCH]

Does anyone else find it interesting that several leaders/authority figures in Eorzea are female?

 

Gridania- Kann-E Senna

Limsa Lominsa- Admiral Merlwyb

Ul' Dah- the sultana (I can't remember her name)

[Valan]

the sultana is named: nanamo ul namo

[D R E N]

Does anyone else find it interesting that several leaders/authority figures in Eorzea are female?

 

Gridania- Kann-E Senna

Limsa Lominsa- Admiral Merlwyb

Ul' Dah- the sultana (I can't remember her name)

 

Interesting? I find it awesome that several leaders/authority figures in Eorzea are female!

[Naunet]

Does anyone else find it interesting that several leaders/authority figures in Eorzea are female?

 

The more notable fact surrounding this phenomenon is that their worth as characters is not dependent on some male companion/lover/mentor/friend/whatever.

[Myxie Tryxle]

Doing a little research on the subject, I found these results from Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR).

 

"In a sample of 669 action, shooter, and role-playing games selected by EEDAR in 2012, only 24 (4%) had an exclusively female protagonist, and 300 (45%) provided the option of selecting one. Examining the sales data and review scores of these games, EEDAR found that the games that included the option of selecting a female hero obtained better scores, but the ones with male-only protagonists sold better than the others. However, games with a female-only protagonist had, on average, only 50% of the marketing budget of female-optional games, and 40% of the marketing budget of games with male-only protagonists."

 

Not only are games with female protagonists less common, when they are made, there's less effort to advertise them. The trend is changing though, which is good. I'd be interested to see a breakdown of American versus Japanese games, but I couldn't find that information, if it exists. It's rather interesting and counter-intuitive that games with the option of a female protagonist receive higher ratings yet don't sell as well as games with no female options, though that probably has to do with the marketing difference.

 

I think it's encouraging, though. The game industry seems to be evolving towards more equitable and realistic female roles. I think as more games like this appear and attract more female gamers, this perception in the industry that female protagonists aren't as profitable as their male counterparts will disappear.

[PerkPrincess]

Does anyone else find it interesting that several leaders/authority figures in Eorzea are female?

 

The more notable fact surrounding this phenomenon is that their worth as characters is not dependent on some male companion/lover/mentor/friend/whatever.

 

Oh my god this. Like, even if we look beyond the typical aura of misogyny and sexism present within the industry and community, there's just this weird trend in MMO's to -always- under represent female characters.

 

Just look at WoW. Tyrande -still- hasn't done a -single- -thing-. In fact, ever since her lover's come back, she's almost mechanically stopped being presented as the Night Elf faction leader.

 

So yes. I like this and I don't want to see it change.

[K'tahrl]

@Perk what about the Undead Queen Sylvanas? She is still a strong staple in her faction as their leader, I don't recall her having any male in her backstory that she would relinquish her control to.

 

For the general case of the topic though, there has been a growing trend of female protagonists and I for one am happy to see this forward progression.  The problem that I've heard a lot, is in the marketing departments trying to tell publishers/developers they can't have females as the lead or on the cover because they won't sell as well.  There was if I recall a pretty big conflict going on about having Ellie centered on The Last of US, as well as with Remember Me.  

 

I think I'll put my parking brake on now because I was about to trail off with the attention span I have.  I like that each leader of the city-states is a female, and for the most part are self-reliant in their actions and concerns.  (Taking out that Nanamo has Raubahn lift her up for her speeches.)

[PerkPrincess]

@Perk what about the Undead Queen Sylvanas? She is still a strong staple in her faction as their leader, I don't recall her having any male in her backstory that she would relinquish her control to.

 

For the general case of the topic though, there has been a growing trend of female protagonists and I for one am happy to see this forward progression.  The problem that I've heard a lot, is in the marketing departments trying to tell publishers/developers they can't have females as the lead or on the cover because they won't sell as well.  There was if I recall a pretty big conflict going on about having Ellie centered on The Last of US, as well as with Remember Me.  

 

I think I'll put my parking brake on now because I was about to trail off with the attention span I have.  I like that each leader of the city-states is a female, and for the most part are self-reliant in their actions and concerns.  (Taking out that Nanamo has Raubahn lift her up for her speeches.)

 

Sylvanas kinda has her own problems going on, mostly in her character direction.

 

Like you can have two kinds of female leaders in Warcraft lore: The foil for the male. Or batshit insane. I've not really been a fan of her direction for a while, mostly the whole thing with Blizzard setting her up to be Lich King 2.0. Which I feel is kinda counter productive to the development she's had since WC3.

 

BUT THAT. Is a whole 'nother topic for an entirely different forum.

[Naunet]

Like you can have two kinds of female leaders in Warcraft lore: The foil for the male. Or batshit insane. I've not really been a fan of her direction for a while, mostly the whole thing with Blizzard setting her up to be Lich King 2.0. Which I feel is kinda counter productive to the development she's had since WC3.

 

BUT THAT. Is a whole 'nother topic for an entirely different forum.

 

As an ardent Forsaken player for many, many years, I could go on a rant for so long about this!

[Gideon Aryeh]

Just the fact that the Grand Companies are lead by two women and a black guy is something in itself. Bravo Square Bravo.

[Tivahlt]

Just the fact that the Grand Companies are lead by two women and a black guy is something in itself. Bravo Square Bravo.

So much of this. I think it's actually kind of hilarious-in-a-good-way that a Japanese company (a country that is often stereotyped, for a reason, as xenophobic and full of misogyny) is leading the way in female and non-white characters in positions of power. Hell it's so great to see it at all, and it really says something about where humans as a whole are going, not just in video games but in every facet of life.

 

Square Enix, keep doing that. It's awesome.

[K'tahrl]

Wait is Raubahn the leader of the Immortal Flames? I'm guessing with Ul'dah the Sultanate and the GC aren't governed the same with Limsa and Gridania?  Or am I mixing city-state leaders/Grand Company Leaders into the same bracket when they're different?

[Zyrusticae]

I like this thread.

 

I should also mention that the Sultan is not only a woman, but a midget, too. Oh, I'm sorry, I mean 'vertically challenged'... huehuehuehuehue.

 

I'll just leave these here:

[Gideon Aryeh]

Wait is Raubahn the leader of the Immortal Flames? I'm guessing with Ul'dah the Sultanate and the GC aren't governed the same with Limsa and Gridania?  Or am I mixing city-state leaders/Grand Company Leaders into the same bracket when they're different?

 Raubahn is leader of the Immortal Flames but the Sultana is in charge of Ul'dah

---

Just the fact that the Grand Companies are lead by two women and a black guy is something in itself. Bravo Square Bravo.

So much of this. I think it's actually kind of hilarious-in-a-good-way that a Japanese company (a country that is often stereotyped, for a reason, as xenophobic and full of misogyny) is leading the way in female and non-white characters in positions of power. Hell it's so great to see it at all, and it really says something about where humans as a whole are going, not just in video games but in every facet of life.

 

Square Enix, keep doing that. It's awesome.

 Fantastic and sad at the same time since most Western mmo devs don't do this very often (Well aside from Funcom but those guys always trailblaze even if their games aren't always the best in execution)

[Xenedra]

I used to constantly have this argument back i the day with a friend of mine. He claimed that Eorzea MUST be stereotypically misogynistic because of the dark ages feel he got from the game. My argument was always "Then why are ALL the city-states' leaders women?" He never had an answer for that one : P.