Character creation is very popular, especially in RPGs, for many reasons. Players can make original characters, which gives them a more intimate connection with the main character and allows for creativity. The games that began this trend of character creation were multi-user dungeons back in the 70s. Since then, it has evolved to be a big part of the video game genre, in hit titles like Animal Crossing, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy 14, Elden Ring, The Sims, and so much more.
However, there are limitations in character creators that have been tiresome for many gamers. These limitations have ranged from gender-locked character creation options to lacking hair options for BIPOC characters. Another option that games have lacked is specifically in having plus-size characters. While games often let players adjust the height of their characters (and often breast size for female characters), there is a major lack of options for character body fat. The games that do have these options, however, deserve positive attention for doing what other titles did not. Hopefully, these titles will pave the road for more inclusive character creators in games.
Why Games Need More Size Options In Character Creators
The amount of games that have the option for fat protagonists is very low, and that has a lot of gamers making mods to do what the developers did not. Even in games with fat options, players still make mods because the sliders are often quite limited. A lot of games make characters thicker in their sliders instead of actually fat. It is a great disappointment, as it shows video games suffer from the same sort of body-type rigidness as so many other forms of media.
Around forums, corners of Reddit, and other social media sites, many gamers share their desire for games that allow for fat options in their character creators. Some of these players themselves are fat and shared how much confidence and self-love they gain when they can make their video game heroes fat like them. Unfortunately, so few games give them that.
It has been mentioned that one unique reason video games like Tiny Tina's Wonderlands are so rigid about their body type sliders is that gear like shirts, armor, and pants would have to be adjusted to every body type. However, there are games that prove it's quite doable, and modders also make fat character mods that work quite well with the gear players can collect. These games and mods have been shared around many places, and show what other video games could strive for.
Dragon's Dogma
Dragon's Dogma is a Capcom game that was released in 2012 and has gotten ports to consoles like the Switch and PS4. Its character creator is beloved for its many options, including the option to make the protagonist fat and even have a fat companion if desired. The game is also unique in that body shapes can affect gameplay. For example, fat characters in Dragon's Dogma are harder to knock down but run out of stamina faster. The difference is not major, though.
Fans have praised Dragon's Dogma for its flexible character creator. Outside of weight, players could pick different body types for various parts of the body such as arms, legs, and torsos. The body types were not so limited between the male and female options either.
Saints Row 2
Many call Saints Row 2 the best of the series in terms of character creation. Not only were there options to make obese characters, but gender was a slider instead of choosing between two binaries. The series is well known for its body diversity, but many gamers believe the second title was the character creator at its height, especially in terms of making plus-size characters.
For the series, plenty of players actually also make mods that extend the fatness slider. A popular example is a Saints Row mod called "Gentlemen of the Row." Unfortunately, the series took a downwards turn in its future games in terms of how fat one can make their character.
The Sims
The Sims is a series that is not an RPG, but a simulator. Players can make a ton of characters, and many like to keep it diverse rather than have all their Sim characters look alike. The series strives for diversity and succeeds in many ways. One such success is allowing for players to make plus-sized characters.
Not every game in the series is equal, though. The Sims 2 is more limited than the third and fourth games. Like with Saints Row, a lot of players also have made mods to make Sim characters fatter than the game limits. How players make their Sims do can also affect their body sizes, such as their diet and activities.