I think it's odd when people decry "fanservice". Yo, we're the fans. We're the consumers. Consumers buy a product and would like to see something they enjoy in it. What's wrong with including a feature that your customers would like to have?
No one would cry "fanservice" if BioWare decided to include Arcane Warrior in DAI because of requests. When BioWare openly admitted fan feedback guided some of their decisions in DAI like tactical camera, unique environments, etc, no one cried "fanservice" but allowing Cullen to be romanceable? That's fanservice. I bet anything it's because this is something that a lot of women are asking for. That's usually what gets the snide 'fanservice' comments. Content perceived to be for women.
Well I've never used the word fanservice in my life before this moment since I think it's silly but I think blaming its use on sexism is not wholly accurate either.
I feel like it's one thing to lament the removal of basic gameplay features that were a big part of a series' initial experience (referring to the tactical camera). Unique environments, on the other hand, is more a matter of just not robbing us blind as end users of the product - if you're going to charge 60$ for a game set in one city, you should probably design a city and not a set of corridors with one or two additional caves.
My personal view is that its another thing altogether to relentlessly lobby for specific narrative content to be included, not because I don't think x, y, or z content should be included but more because when it comes to the creative aspect of the game, I'd rather be surprised. I'd rather let the narrative designers take the story into new and interesting territory than follow whatever easy extension of the game world that I can already dream up. It's like if after BG1, fans lobbied hard for the story of the Bhaalspawn to be continued in the Baldur's Gate area with x or y character - the story we might have gotten in that alternate world may have been fine, but on the flipside we may never have been introduced to Jon Irenicus or gotten a chance to explore the city of Athkatla.
I know for me personally, it certainly has nothing to do with what some may perceive to be gender specific requests - I certainly have no issue with romantic storylines being a big part of the game if they're tied to the narrative in an interesting way. For example, my favorite modern RPG was Mask of the Betrayer - romance was the driving plot device that set almost all of the events of that game into motion but it was awesome, because it was told to us in unconventional ways and let us explore all kinds of unexpected settings and issues as a result. I know there's no way I would have thought to ask for a story anything like that after playing the generic original campaign, but I'm glad the developers took us there nonetheless.
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