This. So much this. BioWare games are among the most egalitarian games out there right now, but they still have a problem with marketing, alas.
Marketing is only a problem if it does not work. Whether or not you agree with their marketing strategy is an entirely different matter.
In my opinion while showing lots of stuff at E3 is a good thing, they are missing an Iconic character like Shepard to entice the wider audience.
Totally agree about the female friendliness being a draw. Bioware isn't perfect, but the fact that it is actively trying to be more diverse, beyond just gender, is incredibly important to the industry. The fact that that diversity isn't reflected in the marketing is quite annoying, but maybe that will change. However, I'm a bit spoiled now. After being able to customize my character's gender, ethnicity, race, hair, etc. other games with one unchangeable default (no matter their gender or race) seem "blah" to me now.
I was very happy to see the LadyInquisitor in action yesterday. Hoping we'll see more of her today
The FemQunquisitor looks reeeaaally good from today's footage. Thank you, Bioware!
SO MUCH WIN. Today's footage was so awesome. ILU, DA team. I love you so much.
Just saw this on AWR's twitter account.
Alix Wilton Regan@AlixWiltonRegan22m
“@SaraXenite: @AlixWiltonRegan Imdb hasn't lied to me before, and it better doesn't now! pic.twitter.com/M2AY8jXhuW”the rumours are true 
As for Cassandra's jumping to conclusions this is also in DA2 where she assumes Hawke was responsible for the bomb and trying to subvert the Chantry (even if he/she sided with the templars and became vicount smh). Varric calls Cassandra out on her jumping to conclusions several times over the course of DA2.
I'm trying to understand.
Again, not trying to be rude..but... but... Thedas.. Dragon Age itself.. is ****** awesome. How could someone not already be drawn in?
Just to elaborate on what I mean a little bit.
I think the human noble and Dalish origins work better with a female, for example. Even despite the marketing. I can't help but think they were written more with females in mind. Fergus is the gruff male sibling going out to battle, while you're "pup" who is being protected a bit.
And the connection is much better with Alistair later on, imo. As far as I'm concerned, he sucks as a male "bro" type. I think they failed there. He's no Garrus or Varric. But he is a good romance option.
I always play Bioware games because I know they are female friendly, but the marketing has always been a sore point for me. It does affect how I think the company views me as a consumer. It does make me feel like an afterthought when the male version is regularly displayed and made the "face" of their games while the female one is more of a footnote.
So far, their showing at E3 is good. It feels like we're being listened to an acknowledged. It feels like we're considered part of their community now. I hope they keep this up, and actually update the official site now.
That was awesome, showing the gameplay completely with a badass female Qunari.
Too bad that I had to mute/watch away when they showed that cutscene because I didn't want to see too many spoilers, but from waht I saw she looked great.
Did you catch her voice? Was it a different one than the one from the trailer?
Did you catch her voice? Was it a different one than the one from the trailer?
It was different and deeper...couldn't really hear it though. I'd say it's the 'American' voice.
Marketing is only a problem if it does not work. Whether or not you agree with their marketing strategy is an entirely different matter.
Marketing won't ever get everyone as a customer. It's about getting the largest base and focusing on them.
I loved the qunari inquisitor! Wish we'd gotten a better chance to hear her voice though. Lots of talking during the cutscene...
I loved the qunari inquisitor! Wish we'd gotten a better chance to hear her voice though. Lots of talking during the cutscene...
Someone posted this if it's any help.
Just wanted to add guys if you watch the FemQun video on twitch I'm almost sure that Joan Allen does the American accent for Femquisitors. It has to be her, I've heard Delphine speak a lot in Skyrim.
I am Jack's complete lack of self description...wait what!?
Marketing won't ever get everyone as a customer. It's about getting the largest base and focusing on them.
And you know that a demographic you've traditionally ignored would not / could not be the largest base because... ?
Because although the % of gameplayers are relatively even, the type of games they play are not.
ME3's % Of people playing MShep was up from ME2 despite Femshep being advertised. Which she was not for part 2.
Because although the % of gameplayers are relatively even, the type of games they play are not.
ME3's % Of people playing MShep was up from ME2 despite Femshep being advertised. Which she was not for part 2.
BW also only took those numbers from Gold players so those who had XBsilver (the free version of XBL) weren't a factor in how many players chose fshep (or mshep as well) deliberitly skeweing the numbers on both sides. She also was only advertissed offically in ME3 given a web trailer its why you can bring up Mass Effect when talking about games a person should play and you get 1 of 3 responses: 1. What's that?, 2. Isn't that the game where you can be a girl in the 3rd game? or 3. I would play the game if I could be a girl.
So BW did a poor job and they know it of communicating you could be her. Its like if in ME4 we can be different species and genders and yet they put no effort into advertising either they lose players. DA has a simlar response but I only get question 1 and 3 there is no mention of question 2 for DA series. They need to advertise to reach people more because they aren't apealling to non-gamers they're appealing to gamers who aren't playing their series becasue they don't know about options they actually like are present.
The part I found interesting was although they advertised her the % went down. Which means did it even matter that they advertised her, because people who are the most concerned will already know.
ME3 is their biggest seller despite all sorts of issues, so I don't think you can say they did a poor job.
While people may feel misplaced anger towards white male protagonists, they shift games.
FemQunari Mage demo for anyone who missed it.
The part I found interesting was although they advertised her the % went down. Which means did it even matter that they advertised her, because people who are the most concerned will already know.
ME3 is their biggest seller despite all sorts of issues, so I don't think you can say they did a poor job.
So the one that had a female Shepard focused trailer was the best selling one?
So the one that had a female Shepard focused trailer was the best selling one?
Despite the number of people playing her going down and considering it did not reach similiar sales levels of other games with fixed protags I'd say it made no difference. DA may well have a different split, but I've never seen any sorts of figures outside of the PS trophy list which don't track that.
If you ever read the gamespot message board you would get the impression that she's there for male fantasy (S/S). But message boards can give you a skewed view of the world although I expect thats a factor.
Women who play MShep seem to be less common , but probably exist too.
Skewing which way, though? Would XBSilver players be more or less likely to play FemShep? Or just about the same?BW also only took those numbers from Gold players so those who had XBsilver (the free version of XBL) weren't a factor in how many players chose fshep (or mshep as well) deliberitly skeweing the numbers on both sides.
Guest_StreetMagic_*
Skewing which way, though? Would XBSilver players be more or less likely to play FemShep? Or just about the same?
How come they only get data from Gold and PC players, anyway? Is there something wrong with Silver? (PC player, so I really have no idea)
I think Silver only allows access to main XBox dashboard features (the store and such). Gold connects to games themselves. Multiplayer, sharing data, etc..
I think ME3 had the good sales numbers because ME2 did it's advertising for it 
edit: Last I checked, ME2 has slightly more sales as well.
Despite the number of people playing her going down and considering it did not reach similiar sales levels of other games with fixed protags I'd say it made no difference. DA may well have a different split, but I've never seen any sorts of figures outside of the PS trophy list which don't track that.
If you ever read the gamespot message board you would get the impression that she's there for male fantasy (S/S). But message boards can give you a skewed view of the world although I expect thats a factor.
Women who play MShep seem to be less common , but probably exist too.
I imported and beat ME3 with an MShep first (because he was holding out for Kaidan for 2 games and I wanted to see how that would go) I had planned to play through a bunch of times with the army of male and female Shepards I had waiting to import from ME2 but that didn't happen. I couldn't play it all the way through again 
I have to wonder, why do you hang around this thread? Is it just to constantly tell us we're wrong for wanting female characters and female representation in games because you decided it doesn't sell?
Source of that?ME3's % Of people playing MShep was up from ME2 despite Femshep being advertised. Which she was not for part 2.
It appears that Alix Wilton Regan will be voicing the Elven femquisitor
Alix Wilton Regan@AlixWiltonRegan8m
“@bramblefae: @AlixWiltonRegan @bioware @dragonage That is correct. In my game, more accurately, you will be the Elven Femquisitor." YAY
Despite the number of people playing her going down and considering it did not reach similiar sales levels of other games with fixed protags I'd say it made no difference. DA may well have a different split, but I've never seen any sorts of figures outside of the PS trophy list which don't track that.
Because your arguments thus far are focusing on data. My example is to point out that I think you're being too cavalier with the data that supports your position, and dismissive of anything that doesn't, and that data has more than meets the eye in its correlations. Never mind the arbitrary measuring stick of comparing it to fixed protagonists. The multitude of confounding variables in this comparison is staggering. I do not believe that Mass Effect would sell more with a fixed protagonist.
The reality is this: our game had a FemShep themed trailer, and by your own words ME3 was our best seller. It gives a compelling argument that the trailer didn't hurt the sales. It's a similar revelation we had with the inclusion of gay content. "Interesting.... it didn't seem to have an effect."
Because this thread is simply about some people saying "hey show me" and breaking down the convention that "if you do this, it's bad for the game."
As you say: "it made no difference." Maybe that means we can do stuff like this because it doesn't actually matter. Because at its core this thread is a group of fans that say "we'd really appreciate it." And I'm a pretty big supporter of fans going "Hey, I think this company is awesome" and the trickle effect it can have beyond the scope of standard marketing.
It appears that Alix Wilton Regan will be voicing the Elven femquisitor
Alix Wilton Regan@AlixWiltonRegan8m
“@bramblefae: @AlixWiltonRegan @bioware @dragonage That is correct. In my game, more accurately, you will be the Elven Femquisitor." YAY
She can voice mine.
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