Curiosity about "Type 1" and "Type 2" in recent RPGs

[askasys]

Hi everyone,
Over the past few years, I've noticed that many RPGs have replaced the terms "Male" and "Female" in character selection with placeholders like "Type 1" and "Type 2." I'm curious if anyone knows why this choice was made. I understand that placeholders are often used during localization, but in this case, it seems they remain untranslated in all languages, which feels unusual.
This naming convention would make perfect sense in sci-fi games featuring androids, robots, or similar races, where you're selecting a specific body type or chassis to install. However, seeing "Type 1" and "Type 2" in fantasy RPGs or other settings where traditional gender terms were historically used feels like a departure from the norm.
Reading online comments, I've seen speculation that this change might be tied to transgender or gender-related considerations. However, this doesn't seem to add up logically. For example, someone who identifies as a woman or a man would likely prefer to see those terms explicitly listed for their character, rather than vague placeholders like "Type 1" or "Type 2." It feels counterintuitive to "censor" or avoid these terms if the goal is inclusivity, which makes me doubt that this is the actual reason behind the change.
What I'm really curious about is what has shifted in the industry over the last 4-5 years or so to prompt this trend. Even in remasters of games from, say, 2006, we're seeing "Male" and "Female" replaced with these placeholders. Is it a design choice, a technical decision, a localization standard, or something else entirely? I'd love to hear any insights or experiences from the community to better understand this change. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and I appreciate keeping the discussion constructive!

[Messsucher]

Which by the way is type 1, male or female? I think it does not make justice for type 2 to be classified as type 2, inferior.

[SilentMashiko]

the real question is why there's only two types

[I LIVE AGAIN]

because certain groups of people wish to standalize everything no penis to ♥♥♥♥♥ just a single ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ thats the future they seek

[Shiana]

maybe its because they want to add more body types to choose from in the future. In Nightingale for example are more than 4 different body types to choose from. (instead of sliders for every body part just condensed to a few common types of body people always generate)

[Dusk of Oolacile]

It's a reference to diabetes. That's the only thing in the known universe to has a type 1 and type 2. The dev team must be obsessed with sugar, I bet they're all fat too.

[admiral1018]

It's part of modern gender identity politics that believes there is no connection between biological sex and the body's physical appearance. Common refrain among more radical transgender activists.

[Power Bear]

Originally posted by admiral1018:

It's part of modern gender identity politics that believes there is no connection between biological sex and the body's physical appearance. Common refrain among more radical transgender activists.

so far this is only the sensible and logical correct answer I find this this sections, lol

[Soft-Hands]

Based purely on observing the actions of people, both within the industry and without, the argument could be made that it's a means of easily self-sorting people along ideological lines. From one perspective if someone accepts the change without questioning or vocally praises it, then they're an 'ally', while if they question the decision, even in good faith, they're an 'enemy'. And vice versa for the other side; acceptance = enemy, objecting = ally. Though it's uncertain, even doubtful, that this was the conscious thinking behind it. But that's how it's been playing out.

In this way it is a manifestation of the political sphere's turn into an zero-sum arena sport intruding on a previously neutral space.

That's just one theory, though. And one that's likely to get me dog-piled simply for voicing it.

[Parco]

Originally posted by Messsucher:

Which by the way is type 1, male or female? I think it does not make justice for type 2 to be classified as type 2, inferior.

I'd like to argue that type 2 is indeed meant to be inferior, else it wouldn't be placed as 2. Obvious bias by the devs too it looks like.

[MISO4EVER]

Who cares it changes nothing

[OVERWATCH]

Originally posted by askasys:

Hi everyone,
Over the past few years, I've noticed that many RPGs have replaced the terms "Male" and "Female" in character selection with placeholders like "Type 1" and "Type 2." I'm curious if anyone knows why this choice was made. I understand that placeholders are often used during localization, but in this case, it seems they remain untranslated in all languages, which feels unusual.
This naming convention would make perfect sense in sci-fi games featuring androids, robots, or similar races, where you're selecting a specific body type or chassis to install. However, seeing "Type 1" and "Type 2" in fantasy RPGs or other settings where traditional gender terms were historically used feels like a departure from the norm.
Reading online comments, I've seen speculation that this change might be tied to transgender or gender-related considerations. However, this doesn't seem to add up logically. For example, someone who identifies as a woman or a man would likely prefer to see those terms explicitly listed for their character, rather than vague placeholders like "Type 1" or "Type 2." It feels counterintuitive to "censor" or avoid these terms if the goal is inclusivity, which makes me doubt that this is the actual reason behind the change.
What I'm really curious about is what has shifted in the industry over the last 4-5 years or so to prompt this trend. Even in remasters of games from, say, 2006, we're seeing "Male" and "Female" replaced with these placeholders. Is it a design choice, a technical decision, a localization standard, or something else entirely? I'd love to hear any insights or experiences from the community to better understand this change. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and I appreciate keeping the discussion constructive!

I miss normal times when Body types were "Normal" "Skinny/Underweight" "Fat/Overweight" "Muscular" "Athletic" "Average" etc... man this madness doesnt stop after all... Looks like at this moment only CI Games got healed from this madness...

[Soft-Hands]

Originally posted by MisoForever:

Who cares it changes nothing

The original game had your starting statistics differ depending on the character's chosen race and sex. Orcs were stronger than High Elves, women tended to have higher intelligence, willpower, and charisma than men, etc, etc,

[OVERWATCH]

Originally posted by MisoForever:

Who cares it changes nothing

It does, I cant go further, I want to create male or femal character, but the only 2 options I have are Type 1 or 2? What are type 1 and 2? I also read that man and male option changed attributes, and how the in game world reacts to you.... Also Im a male and I feel discriminated by this because there is no male option in character creator...

[Forest Brother]

Or , or they just forgot to put names and this type 1 and type 2 is just what is default in engine!

[Darth Revan]

Originally posted by askasys:

Hi everyone,
Over the past few years, I've noticed that many RPGs have replaced the terms "Male" and "Female" in character selection with placeholders like "Type 1" and "Type 2." I'm curious if anyone knows why this choice was made. I understand that placeholders are often used during localization, but in this case, it seems they remain untranslated in all languages, which feels unusual.
This naming convention would make perfect sense in sci-fi games featuring androids, robots, or similar races, where you're selecting a specific body type or chassis to install. However, seeing "Type 1" and "Type 2" in fantasy RPGs or other settings where traditional gender terms were historically used feels like a departure from the norm.
Reading online comments, I've seen speculation that this change might be tied to transgender or gender-related considerations. However, this doesn't seem to add up logically. For example, someone who identifies as a woman or a man would likely prefer to see those terms explicitly listed for their character, rather than vague placeholders like "Type 1" or "Type 2." It feels counterintuitive to "censor" or avoid these terms if the goal is inclusivity, which makes me doubt that this is the actual reason behind the change.
What I'm really curious about is what has shifted in the industry over the last 4-5 years or so to prompt this trend. Even in remasters of games from, say, 2006, we're seeing "Male" and "Female" replaced with these placeholders. Is it a design choice, a technical decision, a localization standard, or something else entirely? I'd love to hear any insights or experiences from the community to better understand this change. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and I appreciate keeping the discussion constructive!

its trying to please far left game journalists and the twitter mob as well as possibly some far left employees