Why can't I date guys?

[Mållgan]

It doesn't make sense. It's clear that the character we are playing is an empty one with no personality so that we can project ourselves into them. But for some reason, we are unable to romance men. Why is that?

[Jack Wiltshire]

Originally posted by DanielV21:

Well this thread has devolved into semantics and strawmen's rather fast.

Welcome to the Persona fanbase, it's either this or overusing memes until they die in record time.

(I'm actually legitimately amazed noone's reffered to Akira/Ren as "Chair-Kun" or called Haru "Forehead-chan" yet.)

[Mane]

Originally posted by Arthur:

Because unfortunately, LGBT representation is extremely uncommon in Japan. Even if the Persona series is a little forward in that regard (Kanji in P4 was pretty much bisexual), having actual gay romance would be very problematic for that audience. Maybe someday though... Persona 6 when?

Although it's true that it's uncommon, Persona did it in the past and much better -and respectfully- handled than P4: basically P2 IS, which sets a precedent. However, the franchise is going backwards in that regard, so don't expect it to be better in P6.

[Sixtyfivekills]

Originally posted by Lobster:

Originally posted by Sixtyfivekills:

Because dudes may not be into other dudes, its simple.

Dudes may also not be into doctor and teachers 10 years older than them. Dudes may not be into Ann but may be into Haru. And so forth. It's roleplay - either you let me call the shots, or you let the game call the shots. As it stands it's just selective, which makes it shallow. But then again the RPG in JRPG has always been weak.

Dudes are commonly into women, so there's that.

[Killance]

While I get why you would want it not every single silent protagonist needs to have a gay/bi option. Just like there are characters who are meant to be gay/bi in games there are characters meant to be straight.

Going to have to deal with gaming characters not always having gay/bi options.

[Arise]

Daf*q
You're complaining about nonsense

[Waifu4Life]

Fake account.

[King of Games]

Originally posted by Arthur:

Originally posted by Artos:

I like when they add in games gay people, and "straight" people complain it doesn't bring anything to a gameplay and this fact should be left alone (look BF 2042) and gay people become aggresive and defending because plot reasons. Yet when character like persona MC is plot wise straight... gay people complain he should be universal so they can enjoy too...

Except that every Persona protagonist is a blank slate for the player to project themselves onto. They literally have no personality in the main games. And even if you wanna go with that, consider that in all five games, the protagonist has always been straight. So we can't have a single bi one?

Nu-Persona fans always pretend to be fans of the entire series and then say ♥♥♥♥ like this lmfao!

[trashlord]

Oh boy, this conversation again. Move on to the next game if this one doesn't fit your "criteria."

[Oku]

Because Ren Amamiya is canonically a FtM transgender man and he's mostly asexual with a femme lean. There is a dialogue option for RP purposes where you can have him say "I prefer men" but given that he's also canonically aromantic it makes sense that he wouldn't really want to date anybody.

I'm glad Atlus decided to go this direction with his character, the whiny snowflakes that throw a fit about LGBTQ+ people in games deserve to have all of their favorite characters become trans.

[Ghoat]

cause joker isnt gay

[SnakesBandana]

Cope.

[Kaldaien]

Cause they're not attracted to you

[KAgeRO_XD]

Did you know you can date guys in Persona 3 Portable if you choose Hamuko (girl version MC) ? I know it's not related to Persona 5 Royal but since you're interested to dating guys in a Persona game, why not ?

[Nibbie]

The thing about "empty" protagonists, is that they usually aren't that empty. There is a vast list of things the character has to do for the plot, all of which define some of their personality.

If Joker was actually "empty", you could choose to not showboats like he does, whether to accept help from people like Takemi, or even whether to join the Thieves at all. Throughout the whole game you only have a couple choices that have any meaningful impact to the story. Even if you pick the more cowardly or mean conversation options, nothing changes, and outside of those couple options near the end of the game, he will always end up the heroic trickster who saves the world, or you will get a game over screen.

You can't change his physical appearance or his voice, he is a defined (just largely silent) character who looks and acts certain ways. Being straight is simply part of his identity, which is true for most people.

[Bio]

joker explicitly does have a personality he's not just a blank slate. and he's straight, so there's your answer.