In games that have gender based perks, like Agent of Dibella in Skyrim or LadyKiller/Black Widow in the Fallout games tend to be stronger for female characters because more of the NPC's are male. This is more adding another reason than claiming that it's the main reason. I don't exclusively play either male or female but typically when I play a female character it's because I'm building a character that is less physically aggressive. I know this is playing into stereotypes but sword and board tends to be male while stealth archer tends to be female.

I don't always, but when I do it's mostly to do with character customisation. If I'm playing a game where my character is constantly visible I'd rather it was something I wanted to look at, and male clothing is boring. OK, some games don't restrict clothes but many do. So I tend to create a character which is a female version of me, except in the cases where I prefer a male character (which isn't often if I have the choice!)

https://midwest.social/post/4051752

It depends on what kind of character I want to RP; sometimes that's a dude, sometimes not.

I like vidya waifus

For me it's definitely an RP choice. I don't always choose one or the other, but in games that give character creation options I tend to go for a quick "non-canon" play test to get a feel for the game and setting and get an idea of how I want to play it. Then I start a new file and create a character to fit that. Sometimes I go for a lithe rogue or a buff fighter, and the gender usually depends on either how I'm feeling or possible story/world stuff that makes it fit better, or sometimes just something interesting. Like in early Cyberpunk there was a glitch where you could start with a male character, then switch some settings and you'd get the female options but it would keep the original genitalia, so I played through as a trans woman because it wasn't something I'd done before and it was interesting and fit well into the setting. It didn't change anything in the game and I kept my character clothed so you never saw her hanging dong. But then I hit the story with the trans woman NPC and my V found a friend who they could connect with a little better. It was a fun role-play opportunity and I felt like it helped my connect to the game and the world even better when my avatar wasn't just a puppet I used to interact with the game. Even in games like the Witcher where you're given a named character, my Geralt always developed his own personality. I once accidentally sold all my boots and didn't realize for a few days that he was running around without shoes. When I noticed it immediately became part of his personality that he doesn't wear shoes. He like feeling the grass when he fights and he's more connected with nature. It kinda fit with the default personality but I leaned heavy into the more nature-focused choices where possible and it changed how I played.

Though I'm probably not an average case-study. I tend to eschew gender norms while identifying as a straight cis guy. I wear what I want, paint my nails or wear makeup if I'm feeling it. And I do lean heavy into the single player RPG games and avoid MOBAs or shooters. I think I've mostly just been playing DnD in all my video games, lol.

Speaking of DnD, my BG3 playthrough started with a female Drow monk because I haven't played any of that in DnD before, but as I played I knew I wanted a rogue so I restarted and as I built it I started with a human male but ended up with a Gith male rogue because I liked the look a bit more for it and knowing what little I did about the Gith in the opening it would be fun RP. But in my head, he's not from a creche but was lost as a small Gith and raised in some small village by human parents. So he doesn't fit in with the Gith he meets but also faces the fear that most people in the world experience when they see him. It just adds so much more depth to the game when they have their own personality.

It's random and i don't really care at all.

I mix it up and play a wide variety of character genders, races, ethnicities and species. Whatever catches my eye during character creation for the most part, and if I replay a game I actively pick something different on different play throughs as it is a reminder that I'm playing this character instead of a different character.

So I don't actively or exclusively play female characters for a significant reason, just aesthetics of the game.

Young me : because egg

I don't, mostly because I watched Asmongold talk about it, and now I feel weird playing with a female character online.

Though singleplayer I don't feel any problems: Lara Croft, Rynn, Chell, Rayne, Jade - it's all fine.

Maybe it's just for customizable characters?

When I was young I learned to pick a female character and people would be way more nice to me and helpful when I was new and give me stuff.

Watched video too, and it gave me an insight: feminine characters lay better on my gentle and caring personality, allowing me to better express myself.

I can play such caracter more organically, and there's also less social friction when in multiplayer (interestingly, even when party knows I am, in fact, male)

They're trans and just don't know it yet. There may seem like there other reasons, but that's just the denial speaking.

Well, for one, I play role playing games. So, I like to experience different roles, different ways of thinking, and playing as someone like FemShep or female V in Cyberpunk offers a much different perspective on life than if I played as a male. I'm a male, I go outside as a male, why do the same thing in gaming?

And for a second reason, if I'm playing a third person shooter why would I (a straight male) want to stare at a man's ass for 120ish hours?

But I never do? :(

It depends on the game. If the gender has an effect on the stats or gameplay, I may choose a female character if I think it would either benefit my character build or make the gameplay more interesting. If it's just cosmetic, I will play as a female if I think the male characters look ugly and the game doesn't have a femboy option.

Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield. Oh yeah. <3

I'm a big fan of women kicking ass, and videogames are usually designed to make my character kick a lot af asses. So female-looking character is great for me !

I don't mind what sex my character is, my character is not me and I don't see why I would mind what sex my character is. Like, especially in a video game, the scenario is usually quite fantastic and nothing that my character does (e.g. acrobatics, shooting, running for more than 18 seconds without collapsing out of breath, etc.) gives me a sense that they are a version of me. My character should be random or whatever the writers thought would be most appropriate for the themes or story or whatever.

(I did not watch the linked video)

I do both, lol.

I don't, tbh