Gender locked race?

[NahuNa]

Agreed, Hrothgar obviously had a fanbase following the leaks. That being said, the gender lock was still something nobody "wanted" for either race.

Yeah, memes aside, I understand there's people who wanted a more beastly race... but nobody wanted it to be at the expense of other, just as wanted feature. And going by the numbers, the big, muscly races just aren't nearly as popular as the prettier ones. This decision seems to be practically one of personal (dis)taste, and a rather pathetic one at that. That an entire team of devs can't get over themselves to deliver what people ask for (and asked for as far as 1.0) is disappointing and rather insulting.

[AriesMouse]

I was already pretty much certain that this would be the outcome all the way back during Paris fanfest when they were so clearly avoidant about mentioning male Viera, but I wanted to wait until it was officially confirmed to make my statement about it.

Obviously, this is a massive and frustrating disappointment. I had no personal stake in male Viera, I wasn't interested in playing one. However, I'm not so blind that I cannot recognize when something is an obviously good decision. When you run a business, selling a product, the feedback you receive from customers about that product is a valuable asset. When customers overwhelmingly give you direct, earnest, specific and voluminous feedback about specific changes they want to see, you should be thanking the gods for your luck. An obvious choice, a clear path on which to direct your work, that you know for certain will please your customers, drawing praise and attention to your product and business.

Square Enix did not do that.

In a game that secured its entire existence and success on the concept of correcting past mistakes and humbly listening to your customers, it feels like nothing less than a total betrayal for them to fly in the face of such overwhelming feedback. The customers and community, in this instance, were patently ignored. There's no other way to slice it, the fans were totally ignored. Square knew what the fans wanted, but ignored them. For what reason? Nothing but the whims and caprice of the producer and director? This decision appeases (effectively) no one, and does nothing but attract criticism and bad press to your game. Yet they went ahead and did it anyway.

It is so frustrating that my only route for feedback is this insignificant, impotent little post that will simply be buried and ignored under thousands of posts just like it. What I really want to do is grab Yoshida by the shoulders and shake vigorously while yelling "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Can you actually give satisfying reasoning for your business decision, or was it purely a flight of fancy? To not only deny the choice that your users are asking for, but to go with something that has never been introduced, mentioned, or even hinted at, in a style (big beefy dudes) that both historical polls and in-game data suggest is not at all popular or desired?

Based on previous interviews on the topic of Viera, this whole thing reeks of something Yoshida did on his own, against the advice of his co-workers, which only makes it all the more baffling. After building the game this far, carried by the good will of the users and an honest intention to correct the mistakes of the past and deliver something that people want to play, it's nothing short of shocking and depressing to see this team repeat the mistakes of 1.0.

If Yoshida and the dev team have any respect left for their players, they must offer the following: A formal apology for introducing genderlocked races against the will and wishes of the community, and a promise that the missing genders will be introduced and implemented into the game before 6.0. Obviously they will not do this, so I can only hope instead that a large number of people cancel their subscriptions and their Shadowbringers preorders. I hope that Yoshida is made to see the rewards that pride and arrogance earn him.

To addend: This is bigger than just some genderlocked races. It's a decision that shows without a doubt that this dev team does not care, and will not listen. It shatters the good will and confidence of the users they had built up over so many years. Even if it's not something that bothers you personally, your faith in the game should be shaken. Yesterday it was limited jobs, today it's genderlocked races. Tomorrow, who knows? Certainly nothing good.

This more or less sums of the feeling of this decision. It's a bad move, and not a small one by any means.

I just hope they fix it in the future, or at least announce it will change with time. Even if it's a "Soon™" kind of deal, just knowing it is something that won't be forever would be nice.

[Tramontane]

Gender locking these two new races is deplorable. And it's no surprise that the valence of the gender lock exactly patterns onto stereotypes and fantasies of how male and female characters "should" look, not to mention the dividing lines of gender locking seen in the past (male Roegadyn, male Highlander, female Miqo'te).

Some here have expressed the opinion that the game doesn't "need" slim or "pretty" men because they are already catered to by Miqo'te, Midlander and Elezen. But the same could be said about slim, conventionally attractive women, whether they're short (Midlander, Au Ra, Miqo'te) or tall (Elezen, Highlander, Roegadyn). Yet I don't see any perorations on how female Viera aren't "necessary," despite them being literal existing faces with bunny ears and longer legs.

The broader principle is that the imperative of gender availability isn't about whether you or I personally want to play as any particular race/gender combination. Whether something is "needed" is not really a standard for making this type of argument because it's a subjective judgment. Someone could say that 95% of what's in this game isn't "needed" and not be wrong. But the fundamental unfairness of gender locking characters is not subjective, even if I personally wouldn't play as a female Hrothgar or male Viera. Honestly I'd thought that that was so blindingly obvious that it wouldn't need to be propounded.

One of the main reasons I decided to start playing FFXIV was because of its reputation for equal treatment. I brought along my friends and we've been playing together for years now. I've felt annoyed at some things, like the imbalance in glamour options, the pricing of the cash shop and most of the design choices in Eureka, but this gender locking decision is on a completely different level. It's a massive step backward for the game and cannot be justified on any grounds--lore and artistic integrity are utterly inane points in defense. I will not be purchasing the expansion or renewing my subscription to this game unless and until this backward and insulting decision is reversed.

[Bec]

Couldn't agree more

[InkstainedGwyn]

I don't want folks not to have their hrothgar males. I'm super happy for everybody who wanted it. I just think the gender lock is a terrible, terrible step backwards, especially as this falls into all of the trope categories: "sexy, flowery ladies" and "beastly, rough men". Had there been sexy, flower men and beastly, rough women as well, I would have been all for all of it.

The lore that they themselves create is not an excuse. Especially when it's been debunked (male miq keepers, such as myself, are rarer, etc.) time and time again.

[Chilliwack]

"You don't NEED male Viera or female Hrothgar."

Yeah well we don't NEED to play this game, do we? But we still play it.

I mean technically nobody reading this needs to have a computer, or a TV to survive, right? Do you really NEED windows in your house, or a car? Do you need friends? Do you need a smartphone, when you could just have a landline? Do you really need an email address when you can just write a letter on paper and send it by post? Do you need a bed? The floor's right there. Do you need MUSIC to survive? Imagine a world without music.

Just taking the "you don't need it, so don't complain" argument to its logical conclusion. Just because you don't NEED something, doesn't mean you'll be happy without it.

[SpiritMuse]

Well. That is a disappointingly giant step backwards for SE. I wasn't expecting them to return to archaic, sexist genderlocks. I really thought they were better than that, after 1.0.

[Eloah]

Stop using japan to justify your own misogyny and move on.

In the west, anything can be misogyny. So forgive me if I don't take you seriously.

Actually not to get in the middle of this but what you are referring to isn't misogyny, at least not the part I believe you are referring to.

What this is is actually Misandry, which is the term to describe dislike of men. Male Viera would be misandry, female Hrothgar would be Misogyny.

[NahuNa]

Actually not to get in the middle of this but what you are referring to isn't misogyny, at least not the part I believe you are referring to.

What this is is actually Misandry, which is the term to describe dislike of men. Male Viera would be misandry, female Hrothgar would be Misogyny.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Actually, the hatred of male viera IS misogyny, because it's the hatred of feminine features on a man. The man isn't the problem - the problem is this man resembles women too much. Misandry is not real.

[manickitty]

I too am in the boat of disappointment. I wanted Male Viera as well. I wanted another Male Race I could change into for a little while, but looks like that is dead. I just can't change Celi into most of the Male races other than lala.

These Hrothgar are just not what I am looking for in a new race. I have never been a fan of bestial races or buff ones like they are. Them being gender locked and the Viera being female only doesnt sit well with me. I don't like gender locked races in any game. Hopefully it never comes to gender locked jobs. Just let me play what I want. They may grow on me, we shall see, but still won't be able to play one.

For now, Miqo'te for life!

Agreed. What made them think they needed another overly-masculine race, I have no idea.