Why so many video games feature a macho male protagonist on the game cover?

Because that is a staple of many entertainment industries.

Gamers are picky about their main characters.

Because 18-35 white males still make up the most consistently profitable part of the game industry.

Because 18-35 white males still make up the most consistently profitable part of the game industry.

Systems_Id

Because publishers are convinced that that's the only thing that will sell.

I don't care about it really. I look at game covers individually and judge them. It makes sense why they do it though. A character on the cover of a game is typically the one you play as. Think of the new (or any) Tomb Raider game.

Because 18-35 white males still make up the most consistently profitable part of the game industry.

Systems_Id

It seems like bad marketing for the most part. I know it happened to Bioshock Infinite's boxart, and the people marketing The Last of Us tried to remove the girl from the cover, but Naughty Dog resisted it.rragnaar

There have been plenty of covers featuring women on the boxart, such as the Tomb Raider series or Bulletwitch or even Lollipop Chainsaw, So while, yes, it is a male-dominating aspect, females can have their cake and eat it too.

Because no one would buy a game with an effeminate limp wristed guy on the cover. I know I sure as hell wouldn't.

Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Heirren

Because no one would buy a game with an effeminate limp wristed guy on the cover. I know I sure as hell wouldn't.

Gamefan1986

People don't play games to be who they are and do things they can do. Most people for example aren't part of an elite spec ops team who fights terrorist, nazis or aliens but games with these themes sell well none the less.

It seems like bad marketing for the most part. I know it happened to Bioshock Infinite's boxart, and the people marketing The Last of Us tried to remove the girl from the cover, but Naughty Dog resisted it.rragnaar

Is that bad marketing though? Or is it good? 

Take for example movies that constantly feature ads with the one action scene taken out of a drama focused film. Look at the marketing, hell, even the title for Inglorious Basterds. They were secondary characters and were featured only a few times in the movie but absolutely dominated the trailers. It got people in the door, so it did its job. Is that good or bad marketing? And not morally bad.

Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Heirren

I'm sorry, but that just feels wrong to say. Completely wrong. I know female gamers that can beat a game very fast or can even hold their own in genres such as fighting.

[QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.hippiesanta

Probably two of the dumbest posts I have read all week.

I'm sure that stuff is all 100% decided by the marketing department and any "creative" types have no say in the manner whatsoever.

[QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Metamania

I'm sorry, but that just feels wrong to say. Completely wrong. I know female gamers that can beat a game very fast or can even hold their own in genres such as fighting.

I think (and hope and pray) he was being sarcastic.

[QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Metamania

I'm sorry, but that just feels wrong to say. Completely wrong. I know female gamers that can beat a game very fast or can even hold their own in genres such as fighting.

[QUOTE="hippiesanta"][QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Lucky_Krystal

Probably two of the dumbest posts I have read all week.

[QUOTE="Lucky_Krystal"]

[QUOTE="hippiesanta"] even sharing a console will be a problem... especially during the 5th and 6th gen..... because girls tend to accidently delete or overwrite your game save from memory cardfunsohng

Probably two of the dumbest posts I have read all week.

Oh lord. I'd rather not :lol:

I'm not sure what you're expecting to be on the cover of military themed games. It's a simple marketing stratagy that people will assocaite with a shooter game. Given the popularity of shooters right now, the majority of these types of games will have a rough looking soldier type guy on the front.

I have plenty of games in other genres that don't have the typical "macho" male on the cover, and they usually have the more interesting cover art.

[QUOTE="hippiesanta"][QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Lucky_Krystal

Probably two of the dumbest posts I have read all week.

Good game covers

^One evokes a sense of dread and isolation. One bucks the trend of muscely protagonist striking his dumb little pose by showing the main character beaten and defeated instead. (Suits the game in question very well)

Bad/lazily generic game covers

Look, I have enormous guns and I'm not afraid of posing with them like a dickhead! 'Murica F*ck Yeah!

[QUOTE="hippiesanta"][QUOTE="Heirren"]Women no good at games. Takes Em to long to finish one game thus not buying as many.Lucky_Krystal

Probably two of the dumbest posts I have read all week.

Who wants to see a twig of an 18 year old wimp cringing at the sound of gunfire on the cover and in game?

The reason they are able to survive in these worlds is because they are tough. All those wimps died with everyone else.

Who wants to see a twig of an 18 year old wimp cringing at the sound of gunfire on the cover and in game?

The reason they are able to survive in these worlds is because they are tough. All those wimps died with everyone else.

Deadpool-n

[QUOTE="Deadpool-n"]

Who wants to see a twig of an 18 year old wimp cringing at the sound of gunfire on the cover and in game?

The reason they are able to survive in these worlds is because they are tough. All those wimps died with everyone else.

The_Last_Ride