POE 2: Class Gender Lock is a Step Backwards

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1453R#7804 wrote:

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ArthurEagle#3488 wrote:

"...We will probably eventually have MTX's that swap the entire character out for a different one (which we would then also have voice acting for). If we did that, we would likely start to alternate gender versions of all our character classes since that is something that I think quite a lot of players would like to have."

This is a quote supposedly from Jonathan Rogers in a conversation about this topic. I googled "poe 2 gender lock" and this site came up, not going to link the siter because I don't know anything about the specific rules regarding that on this forum.

I watched that quote live*, though I don't remember which streamer was asking the questions. Normally I have a great deal of respect for Jonathan Rogers and encourage people to listen to what GGG says about their development process, but in this case the subject has never been brought up again and even at the time Jonathan was very clearly spitballing ideas rather than laying down plans. The context of the quote, if I'm recalling correctly, was not a promise of future development or even any real interest in doing the thing, but instead mostly throwing out a random idea to slap-patch an issue the company consistently encounters but has little interest in actually fixing.

There's also the fact that charging players several hundred dollars for the ability to play their desired gender is a pretty dubious tactic. Saying "You can play the Warrior as a super cool strong girl, but you need to pay $249.99 for the privilege!" is just...not great.

It's better than nothing, I'll grant that. I'll be as surprised as anyone else if it ever actually materializes though. Just does not seem to be any kind of priority for GGG which absolutely sucks. before I get twelve other snarky pithy comebacks, yes - obviously GGG can decide its priorities however it likes. And the rest of us can think of those priorities whatever we like, as well.

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JoeShmo#1872 wrote:

I mean .. it's not a step in any direction if it's the same design they had before.

Also, I guess we should complain in stories when there isn't an alternate gender option to use, like why does Frodo have to be a boy? Why can't he be a girl?

Why isn't there a girl Ryu in Street Fighter?

Why isn't Laura Croft a large 300lb man?

Why isn't there a straight tracer option?

Henry Cavil is holding back Scarlet Johanson from playing Geralta The Witcher.

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But seriously, the PoE "classes" are actual characters in the game, they're not generic players that just don't have customization sliders for.

I am disappointed though that they said they would work on having two options available, but never did it.

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exsea#1724 wrote:

pretty weak argument. the people you mentioned are all named.

poe are all exiles.

also it depends on the game genre. mass effect is centred around the main character and even then you get to choose between male and female.

as for all the things you mentioned, lara croft not having a fat option, tracer having a sexual orientation in a certain way, those games are centered around players playing as named characters.

which exile is named? there are none. we name the character. characterization is important for overwatch because each character has a name, a distinct look and personality.

poe? there is SOME personality, there is SOME look but theyre all nameless.

since you mentioned frodo, frodo is written with very distinct features. you can describe his looks and personality. he matters a lot. you cant simply replace frodo.

poe? each and every exile is so replaceable that they get hung if you dont choose them lmao.

heck even in diablo 1/2/3/4 which is much more story oriented than poe, the events of the story play out the same way regardless of which class/character you chose with arguably very little change in between.