Quote Originally Posted by Arnys View Post
(This is posted on behalf of a friend who can't register on the forums because it won't let her select a character. FIX THIS.)

What in the seven hells was Square thinking with this? There are plenty of other threads talking about how ridiculous their stupid excuses were (because they were) and how sexist this is (because it is; check out Sulnas for the proper explanation: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post4914407 ).
I strongly suggest looking into the definition of sexism. Gender locking isn't sexism, nor is supporting traditionalism which gender locking does. Our current social media would have you believe otherwise, but it couldn't be more wrong. Trust me, SE didn't shoot themselves in the foot. Not even close, so I hope you don't get too disappointed when you see all the Viera and Hrothgar running around come 5.0. There's going to be tons without question because the loud voices amongst the forums represents a very small portion of the entire playerbase. Those who are happy about their decision making are also the least likely to come here and start up threads, or reply to the threads displaying their discontentment.

Square knows what people think about genderlocking. They actually got such a backlash for genderlocking that male Miqo'te were made playable! (I believe the same went for female Roes; I'm not up to date on that one, just the Miqo'te) They. KNOW. The playerbase doesn't want genderlocking. And yet they went ahead with two genderlocked races?
Indeed they do know, and they continue to let us know that they don't allow it to dictate their own vision of their game. And it is their game.

But what's worse than that. What's more idiotic, more mind-boggling, is that they did the Number 1 No No No Do Not Do thing in business: they hyped up bad press.

Square knew people wanted male Viera. People asked them CONSTANTLY since the Viera was announced about it. What about male Viera? Will there be male Viera? And their answer was to wait for the fanfest to find out. Which is obviously an implication that they WILL be there because you don't hype an event this way (with smiles and winks) to tell people what they're asking for is NOT included. That is just asking. ASKING. TO get hugely backlashed on.
No, that is player/fan speculation and nothing more. What I will agree with is that they are VERY aware of the backlash they would get once it was revealed that there would be no male Viera, which is why they withheld that information as long as they have.

I preordered Shadowbringers because I trusted Square. They made boneheaded moves, but considering XIV was entirely reworked AND they had already removed genderlocked races in this game? I had thought they would at least have the braincells to realize adding in what they REMOVED would be a stupid, idiotic, bad press, back-lash filled move.
You gambled. Simple as that. There is no disputing that when you place your chips down prior to knowing all the information there will be the possibility that you lose. But a lot of information WAS there. Just not information that supported the implementation of male Viera. In fact, just the opposite. So not only did you gamble, you did so with unfavorable odds. The "removal" of genderlocked races with the addition of female Roes and male kitties doesn't really bring things in your favor when these two races were in fact genderlocked at one point. That should let you know that if SE has shown that they have done it once, that they are VERY capable of doing it again.