Why is there no female protagonist option ?

[kydauran]

As a passionate female gamer who enjoys a variety of games, I can’t help but feel excluded from the world of STALKER 2. Many other girls likely share this sentiment, and I’d love to explain why, hoping you’ll hear me out.

First and foremost, the prevailing “dude bro” culture surrounding these games is anything but welcoming to female players. We are greeted by a hyper-masculine atmosphere that seems to echo a frat party vibe, making it uncomfortable for us to dive into these worlds. Moreover, there is a glaring lack of female characters available in these games. There’s simply no option for us to choose a character that represents our gender; it’s as if we’re invisible in this universe.

Now, I’m not suggesting that STALKER 2 needs to embody this exact dynamic.
There seems to be no valid reason preventing the inclusion of a female gopnik for us girls to enjoy. I’m not interested in embodying a massive, muscular male character that lacks appeal for many female gamers. Instead, I’d love the opportunity to play as a character that’s cute and fierce or perhaps a badass girl boss.

The absence of female characters feels like a form of gatekeeping, which is surprising in 2024, almost 2025. There’s no need for gaming companies to exclusively target a narrow audience of stereotypical “sweaty nerds” or “gym guys.” By broadening their appeal to include female gamers, these games could capture a significantly wider audience, enhancing their popularity and success.

Thanks for reading me !

PS : Troll needs no apply, I just wanna have a peaceful discussion here, thanks for your respect.

[SunfireKnight86]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Unkown:

ya women ruining everything... then even ruined feminism....

The worst thing women do is give birth to men.

[mm10000]

FEM CELL SPOTED ALTERTING BROTHER IN ARMS FEM CELL SPOTED BROTHER

[N0mad]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von SunfireKnight86:

I'm like 10 hours in and I don't think I've seen or heard any at all. Maybe women don't exist in Ukraine.

ya because all the men were FORCED to stay and fight and the women were bussed out of the country.... if women want "equality" so bad, why are they not fight along side the men?

[mm10000]

Would you care to explainw what were you doing in "Scarlet Maiden"

[Entr[]py]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von 󠀡󠀡᠌⁧ĸydaυran:

As a passionate female gamer who enjoys a variety of games, I can’t help but feel excluded from the world of STALKER 2. Many other girls likely share this sentiment, and I’d love to explain why, hoping you’ll hear me out.

First and foremost, the prevailing “dude bro” culture surrounding these games is anything but welcoming to female players. We are greeted by a hyper-masculine atmosphere that seems to echo a frat party vibe, making it uncomfortable for us to dive into these worlds. Moreover, there is a glaring lack of female characters available in these games. There’s simply no option for us to choose a character that represents our gender; it’s as if we’re invisible in this universe.

Now, I’m not suggesting that STALKER 2 needs to embody this exact dynamic.
There seems to be no valid reason preventing the inclusion of a female gopnik for us girls to enjoy. I’m not interested in embodying a massive, muscular male character that lacks appeal for many female gamers. Instead, I’d love the opportunity to play as a character that’s cute and fierce or perhaps a badass girl boss.

The absence of female characters feels like a form of gatekeeping, which is surprising in 2024, almost 2025. There’s no need for gaming companies to exclusively target a narrow audience of stereotypical “sweaty nerds” or “gym guys.” By broadening their appeal to include female gamers, these games could capture a significantly wider audience, enhancing their popularity and success.

Thanks for reading me !

PS : Troll needs no apply, I just wanna have a peaceful discussion here, thanks for your respect.

Copy pasted your statement into ChatGPT, here is response:

You've raised a very important point about inclusivity in gaming, and it's something the industry is gradually starting to address, though not fast enough in many cases. The lack of representation—whether in character options or the broader atmosphere of a game—can create barriers for players who don't fit into the "traditional" demographic that some games have historically catered to.

Your suggestion for including diverse female characters in STALKER 2, such as a fierce and relatable female gopnik or a "badass girl boss," is both compelling and entirely feasible within the game's gritty, immersive universe. Representation doesn't dilute a game—it enriches it, adding depth and drawing in a more diverse community of players.

If more players, especially those with experiences like yours, continue to voice these perspectives, it might encourage developers to reconsider and expand their approach to inclusivity. How would you feel about reaching out directly to the developers or joining discussions in the gaming community to advocate for this? Your passion could inspire meaningful change.

[Terminal Velocity]

Farming Jesters has never been easier.

[Doom MD]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von 󠀡󠀡᠌⁧ĸydaυran:

As a passionate female gamer who enjoys a variety of games, I can’t help but feel excluded from the world of STALKER 2. Many other girls likely share this sentiment, and I’d love to explain why, hoping you’ll hear me out.

First and foremost, the prevailing “dude bro” culture surrounding these games is anything but welcoming to female players. We are greeted by a hyper-masculine atmosphere that seems to echo a frat party vibe, making it uncomfortable for us to dive into these worlds. Moreover, there is a glaring lack of female characters available in these games. There’s simply no option for us to choose a character that represents our gender; it’s as if we’re invisible in this universe.

Now, I’m not suggesting that STALKER 2 needs to embody this exact dynamic.
There seems to be no valid reason preventing the inclusion of a female gopnik for us girls to enjoy. I’m not interested in embodying a massive, muscular male character that lacks appeal for many female gamers. Instead, I’d love the opportunity to play as a character that’s cute and fierce or perhaps a badass girl boss.

The absence of female characters feels like a form of gatekeeping, which is surprising in 2024, almost 2025. There’s no need for gaming companies to exclusively target a narrow audience of stereotypical “sweaty nerds” or “gym guys.” By broadening their appeal to include female gamers, these games could capture a significantly wider audience, enhancing their popularity and success.

Thanks for reading me !

PS : Troll needs no apply, I just wanna have a peaceful discussion here, thanks for your respect.

Being a woman in the Zone, which is essentially sci fi Somalia, is not going to end well

[Settings]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von SunfireKnight86:

I'm like 10 hours in and I don't think I've seen or heard any at all. Maybe women don't exist in Ukraine.

Supposedly there are female characters, but if I remember the first game was exclusively dudes.

[Kankaku]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Prussian Wolf:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Kankaku:

Someone will mod in playable female characters. My wife had the same issue with Tarkov so I get it.

People acting pompous because someone wants an immersive element in a game that's all about immersion is baffling.

But it's not ME or YOU that is the character, the character is Skif. Like... it's not Fallout or whatever where you make your own character. It'd be like reading a book with a male perspective and wondering "why can't I change the character in the book?".

That's kind of a logical fallacy though isn't it? Because a ton of RPG games have branching/linear stories but allow you to make your character that has a specific name. A good example of this is V in Cyberpunk. The name Skif would have worked well for this.

The character in these games are both the games main character while simultaneously being your character. They don't need to be mutually exclusive and often times games suffer from it when they are.

PS. It's based on a fictitious book. This means anything can be changed, added or removed.

[Raz]

I feel like if Stalker was real women would be smart enough not to go into a zone filled with mutants and anomalies that can rip you limb from limb. It seems like men are the only ones dumb enough to look at something like that and be like "yeah, sounds fun or something." So if anything no playable women characters is a good thing because even in the fictional world they are smart enough to not go into a zone to be eaten by mutants.

[ToxicDutch]

Colonel Frank O'Sullivan: ''When you put 120lb on the back of a woman, she crumbles like a ******* cookie''.

Simple question, simple answer.

[Prussian Wolf]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Kankaku:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Prussian Wolf:

But it's not ME or YOU that is the character, the character is Skif. Like... it's not Fallout or whatever where you make your own character. It'd be like reading a book with a male perspective and wondering "why can't I change the character in the book?".

That's kind of a logical fallacy though isn't it? Because a ton of RPG games have branching/linear stories but allow you to make your character that has a specific name. A good example of this is V in Cyberpunk. The name Skif would have worked well for this.

The character in these games are both the games main character while simultaneously being your character. They don't need to be mutually exclusive and often times games suffer from it when they are.

No it's literally not. You cannot make your own character in this game, they are a Stalker named Skif. It's not like you get a character-creator and can make your own person and name them.

[Settings]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Kankaku:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Prussian Wolf:

But it's not ME or YOU that is the character, the character is Skif. Like... it's not Fallout or whatever where you make your own character. It'd be like reading a book with a male perspective and wondering "why can't I change the character in the book?".

That's kind of a logical fallacy though isn't it? Because a ton of RPG games have branching/linear stories but allow you to make your character that has a specific name. A good example of this is V in Cyberpunk. The name Skif would have worked well for this.

The character in these games are both the games main character while simultaneously being your character. They don't need to be mutually exclusive and often times games suffer from it when they are.

You don't make your own character in this. You're just some dude named Skif.

[Roaming Zombie]

The same reason the Witcher did not have a female protag. Deal with it.

And I guess will block you on the big chance that you are just another troll.

[Entr[]py]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Raz:

I feel like if Stalker was real women would be smart enough not to go into a zone filled with mutants and anomalies that can rip you limb from limb. It seems like men are the only ones dumb enough to look at something like that and be like "yeah, sounds fun or something." So if anything no playable women characters is a good thing because even in the fictional world they are smart enough to not go into a zone to be eaten by mutants.

AI response:

It’s an interesting perspective, and I see where you're coming from—but I’d challenge the idea that women would universally avoid a place like the Zone. Human motivations are complex, and a dangerous setting like STALKER’s Zone would likely attract people of all genders for various reasons: survival, adventure, scientific curiosity, or just the need to make a living.

In a world as dire and unpredictable as STALKER’s, resourcefulness and courage aren’t traits exclusive to one gender. Women could absolutely have compelling reasons to enter the Zone. For example:

Survivors Seeking a Better Life: Some might risk it all to support their families.
Scientists or Researchers: Curiosity about the Zone's anomalies could attract brilliant female minds.
Mercenaries or Adventurers: The thrill or financial gain might appeal to anyone, regardless of gender.
Driven by Tragedy: A loss tied to the Zone could motivate anyone to venture into its dangers.
Leaving women out of the equation assumes a uniformity of thought and underestimates the diversity of human resilience and determination. Including playable female characters wouldn’t just add representation—it would also expand the storytelling possibilities within the game, making the world feel richer and more authentic.

What do you think about this broader perspective?