WoW, MMO conundrums: healers for women, warriors for men?

Posted Jun 13, 2007 at 5:58PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Titles, Off Topic, Opinions & Analysis Tags: Blizzard, Steam, Wizet

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It's a growing pain that some classes just seem to be laid out for a single gender, but they still remain that way anyhow. Blizzard's World of Warcraft may be a newcomer to the MMORPG scene - and a successful one at that - but it isn't immune to the MMO issues regarding sexism, no matter how light it may be ("over-generalization" if you would like to put it softly) be.

 

Irelance of Moonrunner may consider himself/herself as a sexist for assuming healers to be female gamers and warriors to be male gamers, but then so do millions of other people in numerous other MMOs in the world to date. Is it so impossible to accept that maybe women can handle well as a brawny melee fighter and some men feel more helpful as a supporter of a great party of players?

Some games such as Wizet's MapleStory and Aeonsoft's Flyff (Fly for Fun) managed to effectively blur that line, with many male gamers coming out as clerics or supportive classes - and effective ones at that. So skillful the female gamers became in melee and tanking, that rogues and the favorite warrior classes appear equally populated with women.

Yes, some games may be more openly sexist than they should be, though they don't attempt to be purposely. Games such as Gravity's ROSE Online Evolution may be a tough one to crack, especially if you've had nightmares after watching a man clad in the controversial Mana Steam gear pass you by.

 

It may not seem right that a male, or even a male character for the most part, can't become part of a particular class without passing off as a woman at their highest level, but it goes for ROSE and it may not stop there. Should healers be generalized as a female class and warriors accepted as a male-only class? That dear readers is left for you to discuss.

Via WoW Forums

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Comments 

 

# female's playing pally's and warriors — Guest 2007-06-13 23:23

I am female, 31.. and in Wow, I prefer paladins and warriors. (male avatars) ;)

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# o.o — Guest 2007-07-06 18:19

well genarlly i have to say healers should be girls and warrioirs guys

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