Microsoft tells developers to avoid creating curvy female characters

We are in an era where perhaps going beyond certain details can have consequences that are not expected, and that precisely happens in the world of video games when designing people, since there are some who do not like it for the mere reason that it is some type of sexualization, which is why some users do not agree with Stellar Blade. Microsoft is aware of those complaints that bring social problems, which has led them to put special rules for developers seeking support.

Through the official page that everyone can consult, you can see among the regulations that Microsoft is seeking to advise or perhaps warn users not to create characters with exaggerated proportions, especially when it is not really necessary for gameplay reasons. That could exclude a certain part of the creativity of some users, or at least it has been mentioned on the sites where all this is shared and of course, the community does not understand such requests.

Here the publication:

This is from Microsoft's new “Gaming for Everyone Product Inclusion Framework”.

This is the song that doesn't end. It's been like 10 years and they're STILL complaining about video game boobs.https://t.co/9CsqNuEbnZ@Grummz @MadamSavvy pic.twitter.com/hb7HaWpfoz

— Lyle 🇹🇼👍 (@Lyde15) March 25, 2024

Are you reinforcing any negative gender stereotypes?

– Are you unnecessarily introducing gender and gender barriers into your code or design?

– Are you creating playable female characters who are equal in skill and ability to their male counterparts? Are your female characters equipped with clothing and armor that suit their tasks? Do they have exaggerated body proportions?

– When the story allows, does it show male characters displaying a full range of emotions, including joy, sadness, and vulnerability?

Something that has drawn attention in the industry is that Western companies are seeking to make beauty standards a little more realistic, which is why they create characters that seek to become more familiar to the people who try these titles. However, it is somewhat strange that Stellar Blade is also criticized, given that they hired a real model to play their main character, and that this is not justification for its acceptance.

Via: Niche Gamer

Editor's note: This character war is not over yet, because let's not forget that characters like Bayonetta or 2B from Nier Automata were also highly criticized. However, they don't seem to understand the designs that are part of a fictional story.