My point is that people can complain, but that they should not expect those complaints to be addressed or for those complaints to cause creative changes.

They still don't have to address your criticism, though I believe his question was an effective means at addressing the concern.

I don't believe that it's a main pillar, otherwise females wouldn't be such a heavily growing contingent of gamers.

Again, the option to cater is there. But creatives or their products should not be shouted down if they choose not to.

Then focus on the pillars of the cycle, because my previous points and Auyoma's question still stand.

No, they should do whatever they want to make the game that they want to make, and subsequently deal with the criticism.

Bioware is one instance and still doesn't apply to all games. The ending of ME3 had severe problems precisely because Bioware had promised that the choices made throughout the game by the gamer mattered toward the endgame itself.

You really believe the response would be better if they came out and said essentially what I stated? If you do, I've got some property on the moon to sell you. I think that the backlash would be far worse. Just look at what happened with Dragon's Crown.

Here's the thing. If they simply said, "we want Link to be a male, because that's how we envision him", then that should be enough.

I think there is a middle ground there though, even with commercial art, where the principle still stands that the creatives shouldn't be beholden to the consumers.

Diversity between games is good. This call for inclusion and representation within every game is pointless. Considering games as art, are is rarely representative of everyone, nor should it be required to be.

I don't think you can honestly back that answer reasonably when there are female gamers that prefer playing as male characters and male characters that prefer playing as females.

I agree. At the same time it is ok to be critical of criticism, particularly when it is conducted poorly. For instance, the way Kotaku handled Dragon's Crown, and the developers relatively childish response, were both abhorrent.

I don't really care one way or another for the trope, but if these guys want to continue that theme, then it's their prerogative, and they have every right to do so.

With the shaming tone of many of these articles, interviews, and "discussions" you cannot honestly believe that this is simply "part" of the creative process. Not saying that's what happened above but there is certainly a level of subversion being employed in many of these discussions.

I would rather the creative maintain control over his or her own creative process than arbitrary wills cause even the slightest form of suppression of creativity.

All the more reason to allow the creative control over his content.

I don't agree. His point is that the sex of the character should not necessarily matter if they game and characters are designed properly to that end.

Agreed. I'm tired of the underpinning critique that seems to permeate too many articles here these days, particularly when creatives aren't beholden to anyone in the content they develop.

Aonuma: Is it that simple—that creating a female character means bringing more female users into the world?