The tawdry female bosses are tiresome, and we could do with more male fanservice.

[Theodric]

I'm not convinced that a lot of straight men are even bothered by such things these days - I'd wager many would be happy to see more tasteful and conventionally attractive fan service aimed at male characters.

[Krotoan]

Ah, so as soon as something offends the fragile straight men, then it's an issue.

If you're an investor who doesn't like an uncertainly profitable product.. Yeah?
Social progress isn't something they care about.

I'm not convinced that a lot of straight men are even bothered by such things these days - I'd wager many would be happy to see more tasteful and conventionally attractive fan service aimed at male characters.

honestly wouldn't know.. the current new gen of gamers aren't a demographic I interact with on that level a lot. .. Ya'll watching the tiktoks and doing the streamies.. get off my lawn.

[linayar]

But for bosses, it's usually just sexy girls for some reason.

It could just be as simple a reason as developer preference. As you've said, male characters can wear skimpy clothes if the players want to represent them that way. Bosses, on the other hand, are not player characters and are up to the developers.

Ah, so as soon as something offends the fragile straight men, then it's an issue.

Offense is the wrong word to use as it's not an issue. The developers made a stylistic choice according to their own preference (and perhaps others' as well) and it's not an issue for them and are not meant as an offense other than for people who can't help but take offense at partial nudity.

[Theodric]

If you're an investor who doesn't like an uncertainly profitable product.. Yeah?
Social progress isn't something they care about.

Japan doesn't have a track record of shying away from fan service. It's extremely popular over there, as evidenced by many JRPG's having a whole bunch of fan service for both male and female characters. FFXIV is a strange exception, which suggests that any issues are due to the development team itself - because other titles in the franchise do not suffer from the same limitations and do not shy away from, say, displaying a bare chested male character with his nipples intact.

[Krotoan]

Japan doesn't have a track record of shying away from fan service. It's extremely popular over there, as evidenced by many JRPG's having a whole bunch of fan service for both male and female characters. FFXIV is a strange exception, which suggests that any issues are due to the development team itself - because other titles in the franchise do not suffer from the same limitations and do not shy away from, say, displaying a bare chested male character with his nipples intact.

Could be the market it's trying to get into in western countries? Honestly there are many decisions that don't particularly make sense unless there's some sort of strange frame of mind making decisions at the top. I'm just saying a lot of times things gotta make it past someone who knows where the money is to be grabbed and who they'd like to make sure wants the product.

[linayar]

Honestly there are many decisions that don't particularly make sense unless there's some sort of strange frame of mind making decisions at the top.

Maybe, but lack of male nipples aside, the choice in boss clothing is not necessarily one of those decisions.

[Fourbestintoner]

Part of the issue is having eyecandy ONLY for straight men.

Says who? The straight women I know love those kind of bosses more than the straight men I know and are always mad the only way to make their character cute or sexy is through mogstation or mods.

[Goji1639]

The male nipples thing is kind of funny because it makes sense. Either nipples are offensive or they aren't; I'm not sure how we ended up in a place where women's are offensive but men's aren't.

If we're going to be awkward and prudish about the human body then we should at least be consistent.

[craybest]

The male nipples thing is kind of funny because it makes sense. Either nipples are offensive or they aren't; I'm not sure how we ended up in a place where women's are offensive but men's aren't.

If we're going to be awkward and prudish about the human body then we should at least be consistent.

It was like that in the states. Untill the 1930s or so when men fought for their right to go around shirtless and won.
Now some complain about women doing the same... Funny how things change.

[Vahlnir]

I'm not convinced that a lot of straight men are even bothered by such things these days - I'd wager many would be happy to see more tasteful and conventionally attractive fan service aimed at male characters.

I see a boss, I kill a boss. Generally I don't take the time to stare at them. I can appreciate some good eye candy though, sure, but it isn't really a necessity. My "eye candy" is more or less making my character look awesome nowawdays, but there was a time when playing scantily clad females was my jam. I was younger then. Either way, eye candy for all isn't a bad thing. I have no issue with it.