Obviously not as sensitive to the needs of transgendered gamers as we in the west, it would seem that Chinese game companies take a dim view of males who want to be females -- in computer games, at least. Chinese MMORPG King of the World won't accept male players masquerading as female characters and is putting a stop to such shenanigans.
Aurora Technology, a subsidiary of Shanda and developer of the game, is freezing the accounts of male gamers with female avatars, and anybody who chooses to play as a female in the game will have to prove they are of permitted gender via webcam. While nonsensical to us, you have to remember that China does love its reckless regulations, so this could almost seem normal coming from the land where skeletons are outlawed in World of Warcraft. Of course, the rules could just be a scam to get webcam shots of gamer girls for the developers.
Whatever the reason, I've noticed a demographic of male gamers who almost exclusively play as females and they probably won't be so keen on breaking that tradition just to play King of the World. It's not that they're getting their rocks off over looking at digital arse, they just prefer gaming with womanly avatars (they claim). To deny a gamer the freedom to play who they want is kind of ridiculous, especially when legitimate female gamers have to now jump through this extra hoop to play.
I somehow get the feeling that this game really isn't going to be worth such effort.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
9:53 AM on 09.24.2007
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Does this mean that if someone in China wants to play as an undead mage, they have to prove they are actually a demon summoning skeleton?
pass...
much better...
WAIT! FUCK!
... I THINK this is a girl...
So now the developers will be sending the "pics pls" to chinese gamers. I'd laugh if they weren't so damn serious.
@DVD
Better look up the skirt on that one, I'm not quite so sure myself.
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan Perversity!
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan More Perversity!
Boys are boys, girls are girls, China said so.
going to be spending a lot of hours lookin at that arse. any heterosexual would obviously chose to play the opposite gender.
guys playing guys in an mmo .. do you think they sway that way ? :P
Next they'll move this to console games. You are male so you can only be a male characters. Pathetic. Why bother being free in a society at all?
It's fucking stupid, is what.
But honestly I tend to find when I play my female 'lock in WoW, male players tend to help me out a LOT more lol.