Female Protagonist vs. Male Protagonist

[Ataios]

I have some preferences for both male and female protagonists, these are:

Male protagonists:

+ Has to be a grown man, no teenage virgin and no creepy grandpa. NO shota protagonists for me, especially in mom-son games.
+ Has to be dominant (or at least not submissive).
+ Has to be the only man involved in sex scenes.
+ Has to be (playable) straight. I respect gay people, but I don't want gay sex in my porn games.

Female protagonists:

+ Has to be (playable) lesbian. I play female protagonist games for lesbian scenes and stories, no need for straight female protagonists.
+ Has to be reasonably intelligent. Male protagonists may be primitive in some sort of games, but when it comes to female protagonists, I don't want them to be bimbos.
+ Has to be a grown woman. Ideally a curcy grown woman. NO loli protagonists for me.
+ I have a slight preference for the protagonist to be the dominant part in her lesbian relationships, though this is certainly not a strict rule. She may e.g. play the submissive part when the dominant woman has some mysteries to be uncovered by the player.

 

[SAFFID]

Honestly, it depends on the game.
If it's one where the female protagonist (and by extension the player) has agency removed from her to satisfy a fetish, then I'm not touching it with someone else's 40ft barge pole.
If the female protagonist retains agency, and the player chooses what to do, then I'll have a look and give it a try.

The same goes for male protagonist games.
I'm not into NTR/Cuckold games, or sissification/feminisation games where it happens against the player/character's will, or has no means by which the player can counter such things. Removing character/player agency, again is a hard pass.
Transformation/feminisation games where the content is at the player/character's control, I'll give it a shot. Might even allow for some roleplay/replay value. The same goes for games with potential NTR/Cuckold themes.

Outside of porn gaming, in the more mainstream, CRPGs and other games that allow for choosing character gender are fine.
I'll typically only make one female character, just to see the differences, if any, but I'll still do it.

Great points, man. Really well written and explained.
I'm with you all the way and I agree with you completely. But if you were to then generalize a bit and pick between the female or the male protagonist (in general terms), what would you choose? Meaning; which genre (male or female) have you found to be most suiting for those criterias. Or, to put it differently; what did you vote on this thread? (I could have just asked that to begin with. FUCK!)

 

[SAFFID]

---Male Protags---
+I am male as well, easier to play threw their eyes.
+Often more girls since art is only ever about the cute girls.
+Often dominant, so no fear of getting cucked unless your an idiot or its that type of game.
-Often lacking in personality. They're fairly simple characters.
-Lack of risk thus lack of thrill.
-Never any corruption unless its a decent into jackassery.

---Female Protags---
+I am an open minded person, I can get into the perception of a woman.
+Focus' on one or a few girls.
+More to lose, Female Protags get to be virgins in some games so you can risk and tow the line between losing something and not. After getting deflowered it can happen again this time with tempting pregnancy.
+Monopoly on exhibitionism.
+Monopoly on clothes changing systems.
+? Monopoly of rape/Forced.
-Many male characters are ugly, super stereotypes, or even cut outs with no eyes.
-Easier to fuck up the game when making it.

Well put, man.
You're analysis of the pros and cons of female vs. male protagonist actually hit really close to most of the general conclusions we've reached together on this thread. Well done, man. I might actually try to do a general recap of the thread so far. I hope, it would be okay with you, if I steal your structure of + and - for each genre.

 

[Flecc]

No vote from me as i play both.my criteria doesn't lie with the protag more with the story and how the characters are portrayed

Male protag to me has to be strong in character and fair minded,Female protag not a complete slut opening up for any dick passing her way

Basically it is about the story the game play and the substance of the game rather than the gender of the protag

 

[exer]

I mainly like games with a male protag. I've always thought of most adult games as a kind of self-insertion fantasy. So being a woman is really uncomfortable for me. At least when it comes to English games where I'm told I'm the protag or can read the thoughts of the protag. Which is basically all of them. I can play japanese games with a female protag, because I can't understand it and it just feels like I'm just watching what's happening, instead of any kind of self-insertion. More like regular video porn. I also just like games with more than one female. I just get bored watching the same girl for too long.

 

[GroPin]

I have no preference, since I never put myself into the games. So gender doesn't matter (stupid MC's is a whole other can of worms thought, but this ain't the place ot time xD).

 

[Snugglepuff]

Great points, man. Really well written and explained.
I'm with you all the way and I agree with you completely. But if you were to then generalize a bit and pick between the female or the male protagonist (in general terms), what would you choose? Meaning; which genre (male or female) have you found to be most suiting for those criterias. Or, to put it differently; what did you vote on this thread? (I could have just asked that to begin with. FUCK!)

Male Protagonist.
I'm a guy, and relate more to things concerning a male protagonist.

 

[Carion_Crow]

Well put, man.
I hope, it would be okay with you, if I steal your structure of + and - for each genre.

Steal away my dude. Im glad you like my post.

 

[SAFFID]

Aight ma' dudes!

We've been discussing this issue for a while now, so I thought I'd make a short re-cap of the thread so far. The idea being, to formulate a list of the points and opinions made by you, the participating members; a state of the union type thing.
So... I've read through the thread and noted the points people have made. If a point/opinion was mentioned by 2 or more users, I added it to the list. So... the list goes as follows:

-------------------------------------

Male Protagonists:
+ Character immersion for male players (16 user mentions)
+ More female characters to interact with (5 user mentions)
+ Good for impregnation fetish (2 user mentions)

- Protagonist often a creep (4 user mentions)
- Less character development (3 user mentions)
- Lack of personality (3 user mentions)

-------------------------------------

Female Protagnists:

+ More lesbian content (5 user mentions)
+ More character development (5 user mentions)
+ More character customization; clothes, hair etc. (4 user mentions)
+ Playing as a woman is an interesting experience for male players (2 user mentions)
+ Often NTR, and user likes NTR (2 user mentions)

- Character is naive and is thus sexually exploited/abused (8 user mentions)
- Often NTR, and user doesn't like NTR (4 user mentions)

-------------------------------------

OK. So the thread has generally been surprisingly even-minded, but yet leaning towards a male protagonist favoritism. The most common reasons for the male protagonist being favored is clearly reflected in the list above, with the two most user mentioned points being: 1) Character immersion is really important, and for male players that works better if the protagonist is male as well. 2) Female protagonists are generally portrayed as naive and stupid, and therefore get exploited/abused, and the user doesn't dig that kind of thing.
Whatever other conclusions you guys might want to draw from these results, feel free to do so.

Personally, I've just found it really interesting to get some perspective on this, listen to people's preferences and their reasoning for those preferences. The dialogue has been greatly insightful thus far and hopefully we can keep getting to know and understand each other on a plethora of subjects. I haven't personally changed my opinion on the issue of Female vs. Male Protagonist, but (through our discussions) I've been able to gain a better understanding of my own preferences.

See ya fuckers! SAFFID.

 

[lupy30]

Male.

For main reason am male and find it more fun and exsiting to play as male.

 

[SAFFID]

OMG!

I know this thread has died out a bit but...:
At the moment of typing, Female Protagonist is winning the poll 74 to 68 against Male Protagonist. This is a huge surprise (to me anyway). I really thought I would be in the minority on this. But so far, it seems like female protagonist games are more popular than I would have thought. Just wanted to take a moment to commemorate this epic occurrence.

So if there are any developers out there... You no longer have to feel constrained to the male protagonist genre. There is definitely a market out there for Female Protagonists. So please make more of those... pretty please... SO HAPPY:

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[SAFFID]

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[Ellordrings]

Joining late, but still going to say my piece.

I enjoy playing as both male or female, but depending on the content and subject of the game, I tend to prefer one over the other.

In corruption themed games, one of my sins, I find myself enjoying more games where the MC is female, maybe because there are more made that way that suit my taste. I enjoy some NTR elements in games, and the ones where we play as a male character are often made to make the player suffer, lol, and what I'm interested in is the corruption element, not the jealously part.

What excites me is watching the characters slowly walking towards the path of corruption; to witness how they change over the course of the game, and to see them conflicted about their own values and morals vs the pleasure they may obtain if they bend them, and/or abandon them altogether, in order to seek sexual pleasure.

 

[Snugglepuff]

In corruption themed games, one of my sins, I find myself enjoying more games where the MC is female, maybe because there are more made that way that suit my taste.

Bit of a tangent here, but I enjoy some of the corruption themed games with a female MC, though very few. Largely because they're mostly centred on corrupting the woman we are in control of.
I prefer to either be the one corrupting (oh the UNLIMITED POWAH!), or to have at least a modicum of control over how much the MC is corrupted.

 

[N1K17Y]

most of these games are made by men. men know what it is like being a man. and even if a lot of such games are brainless fuck fest, some have actual story and good writing. but men cant portray something from woman's perspective so the only reason to make a game with fem protag is the turning her into a slut fetish. almost all of them are just some stupid bitch getting raped by old or fat dudes.

 

[Ellordrings]

I tend to go for immersion so female MC is the way for me but I also tend to go for lesbian content which isn't exactly in abundance and there is a lot of content involving female protags that isn't my kink like corruption and rape.

I do generally avoid male protag games.

I feel you; immersion is a big deal for me too and I wish there was more lesbian action in some games.
I do enjoy corruption themed games, however, but I have to agree with you on the rape; it just turns me off.

 

[Snugglepuff]

but men cant portray something from woman's perspective so the only reason to make a game with fem protag is the turning her into a slut fetish. almost all of them are just some stupid bitch getting raped by old or fat dudes.

Whilst I've never made a game, let alone one centred around a female MC, I'd venture that it's as much about appealing to those interested in female degradation, and any devs who enjoy making female degradation content. That, combined with generic porn/slut themed characters.

I'd guess that it's relatively easy for a guy to write a female MC for a game (porn or otherwise), for the most part.
The only real differences are with times when women are interacting with each other, just like with how guys interact with each other. Outside of that, from a plot/characterisation point, that's really where the differences (socially speaking) end.

 

[Ellordrings]

most of these games are made by men. men know what it is like being a man. and even if a lot of such games are brainless fuck fest, some have actual story and good writing. but men cant portray something from woman's perspective so the only reason to make a game with fem protag is the turning her into a slut fetish. almost all of them are just some stupid bitch getting raped by old or fat dudes.

Exactly! And the female protag getting raped is just a huge turn-off for me. It takes my immersion instantly away.
While I enjoy playing as a female in a corruption themed game, I need it to have some sense; not just fuck every penis at sight. I need to understand the character's motivations and what makes them want take the leap. Because there are many things at risk when you invest in a way of life that isn't necessarily in line with the vision of the other significant people in your life, and I enjoy that drama. What I'm searching for is a believable, but still exciting story.

 

[SeventhVixen]

It's all about quality of writing and theme.

In SFW games I always play as a woman if the game let's you (I'm a man IRL but that doesn't concern you ). It's more interesting for me to see how the game develops from a more different point of view from reality from me. And also, I like badass women in movies so I like to roleplay a Badass woman on games.

In NSFW I would prefer first just a well written game xD I nearly don't prefer man nor woman as they are usually portrayed, so I just have to alienate a lot from myself in order to play, to see the main characters as something very exterior with no relation to me (like some silent protagonist). I facepalm while playing sometimes... They're just cringeworthy xD The extreme bipolarity between naive and horny that many characters have... It's outlandish xD

If I'd had to vote best game of the year to two well written NSFW games one with male MC and the other female MC, I will choose the female one, because making a man enjoying a well written NSFW game as a woman is more difficult (alas need more writting quality) than as a man.

 

[Heresiarch]

I don't know how we feel about necromancy here, but I'll cast a spell and join in.

TL;DR will play both, strong preference for female protagonists.

As someone that most likely would be defined as 'queer' - even if I just call it bisexual myself - or something similar by today's status quo, I don't really mind playing as either male or female. I do however, have a strong preference or even fetish for lesbianism, so if I'm given the option I'll almost always play as woman for that very reason. And most of the time, I will look for strictly homosexual narratives, male or female. And oh, do I wish we had access to more strictly lesbian experiences in the erotic games market in general. And preferably not 'Just Another Googly-Eyed Girl x Girl Kinetic VN'.

I guess that puts me in some kind of homosexual-fetish closet, or whatever that would be called.

However, there's something that usually eek's me out when it comes to male protagonists, the rapey feel so many games with straight male PCs give off really creeps me out. I don't mind characters being submissive or dominant, but the sheer amount of domination by force present in so many games eek's me out. This seems to be especially strong in Japanese VNs, where a high amount of sexual violence* seems to be the norm rather than the exception. I'm not judging people here, just saying that this really isn't my cup of tea and scares me away. But even here, I do have exceptions.

Akubar's games have been hilarious, despite dabbling wholeheartedly in genres that I really don't feel comfortable with. I do believe it's the disjointed and clashing themes that helps me through. The artstyle and humor stands in such stark contrast to what I'm actually doing in the game. The same could be said about Maverik's '

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', a game that isn't up my alley on paper. But with enough mind-games and repression of guilt, I can roleplay it as far less slave-rapey game and something a heck of a lot more "softcore" or even "meek". Something that wasn't possible in, for example, Slaves of Rome which just made me feel horrible.

And I guess I'll voice my concern for the female protagonist in heterosexual games as well. The whole idea of the female PC just being a mindless penis devourer has always been very off-putting for me as well. The only game that comes close to this that I've enjoyed was '

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'. It felt somber enough to kinda-sorta justify the madness. And I do believe the game contains the only character in an erotic game that I've ever felt invested in, even if that investment was slight. And the bi-curious exploration part of the game made me smile, it's cute and quite heartfelt despite the gloom and doom.

This is also applicable to the paper cutout male PC that we see in some games. With their only ambition being to release their seed in as many holes as possible. If all I wanted was animation loops and pictures of characters shagging, I'd just use my browser instead. Or heck, pick up an erotic comic. But games have to dig a little deeper than this to attract my interest. It's an interactive medium, exploit it.

*I do not include BDSM here. Shouldn't have to state that, but there's a clear difference.

I expected it to be split in the middle. The vast majority of players being straight male, it's split between the more immersive players who relate to their characters and thus prefer male protagonists and those who simple react to optical stimuli and thus favor female protagonists. It's a fairly similar situation with main characters in MMORPGs.

It would be interesting though, how many players like futa, trans, inter or otherwise gender bending characters (it's clearly not my cup of tea).

I personally love the option to play as a transexual, futanari or "sissy", or dabbling in gender bending. Given the option, I'll gladly descend into this kind of content. Feminine characters carrying a gun is one of my other sins, I suppose. But I do feel like these games suffer just as much as strictly homosexual games do however. They're usually not very well written*, they don't seem to have the userbase to be sustainable and most of the interesting games in this regard seems to end up in the graveyard way too early. '

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' is probably the most infamous example I know of. And maybe the poor guy or gal that developed '

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', they have received such scorn for not wanting to finish that project.

What I wouldn't do for

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to join up with some developers for a short bi-curious adventure!

*Especially futanari games, or rather, the narrative and writing usually isn't what I'm looking for. And there's something about the futanari community I never understood, why does a penis have to be gargantuan? Just, why?

Personally I can't stand it, when a male character, whether he's the protagonist or not, interferes with a lesbian scene. For me it ruins the scene and is like pouring cold water over my dick.

So I'm not the only one who find this distasteful in porn!

In NSFW I would prefer first just a well written game xD I nearly don't prefer man nor woman as they are usually portrayed, so I just have to alienate a lot from myself in order to play, to see the main characters as something very exterior with no relation to me (like some silent protagonist). I facepalm while playing sometimes... They're just cringeworthy xD The extreme bipolarity between naive and horny that many characters have... It's outlandish xD

I wholeheartedly agree with this x'D

OMG!

I know this thread has died out a bit but...:
At the moment of typing, Female Protagonist is winning the poll 74 to 68 against Male Protagonist. This is a huge surprise (to me anyway). I really thought I would be in the minority on this. But so far, it seems like female protagonist games are more popular than I would have thought. Just wanted to take a moment to commemorate this epic occurrence.

So if there are any developers out there... You no longer have to feel constrained to the male protagonist genre. There is definitely a market out there for Female Protagonists. So please make more of those... pretty please... SO HAPPY

I must say that this is surprise to me as well. But it could just be that people are actively seeking female protagonist focused games and end up here, like me!

But judging from what we can see here on F95, the most popular games seem to be male protagonist centric, with a couple of exceptions. Or that's what I've gathered during my silent years of lurking here anyway. Here's hoping that more developers pick up on the hint; there are in fact people who crave the female perspective as well.