In all forms of media, long-running franchises develop, whether as a reflection of cultural changes or simply to take the story in a new direction. While comics like Tomb Raider and, of course, Mario are too tied to their icons for their mainline entries to fully move forward, many video game franchises have swapped main characters over the decades. Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solidand Ninja Gaiden all relegated their cool heroes to secondary or non-existent players.
Over the past decade or so, we've seen a slight increase in male-led game series are transitioning to female MCsand it looks set to continue God of War Laufey and The Witcher 4. This trend isn't extremely common by any means, and it tends to occur after the original protagonist's story reaches a natural conclusion (for now). Although rarer, the reverse sometimes happens, too Control resonant is a current example.
Let's highlight some major franchises that decided to give their men a break and introduce a female protagonist, even if the switch only lasted a game or two.
Pac-Man to Ms. Pac-Man
The original male to female switch
Yes, this trend by no means started in the current century; in fact, the first major mascot-driven franchise gender-bent its protagonist for its very first sequel. Pac-Mans legacy is cemented in stone, paving the way for Ms. Pac-Man to perfect the formula. With smarter AI and less predictable mazes, the sequel helped broaden the game's appeal in general, proving to be just as important as the first entry.
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Now, in truth, Ms. Pac-Man is just Pac-Man with a pink bow and lipstick, and they play effectively the same way. Still, she became iconic in her own right, and she even starred in a few stand-alone games around the turn of the century. Pac-Man never quite stopped being considered the franchise's primary mascot, but his wife's impact on gaming shouldn't be overlooked.
The Walking Dead – Lee to Clementine
It was always Clementine's story
Sometimes these transitions can be a little clunky, but the absolute best franchises seamlessly integrate the Switch into their stories. Telltale's definitive masterpiece, The Walking Dead, handled the passing of the torch better than any other franchise, with Lee effectively spending all of his time preparing Clementine for a future without him. Throughout Season 1, Lee (and players) constantly make choices designed to shape her character and turn her into a true survivor, along with establishing a very strong emotional connection between the two leads.
When the switch happens, Clementine already feels like The Walking Deads protagonist, and she more than succeeds in carrying the franchise for seasons to come. We get to see this terrified 8-year-old girl become a hardened survivor, a journey that spans roughly a decade. Fantastic stuff.
The Last of Us – Joel to Ellie
Perhaps the most famous protagonist switch in gaming history
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The last of us part 2
System
10/10
- Released
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June 19, 2020
- ESRB
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M for adult: blood and gore, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language, use of drugs
Essentially, The last of us followed The Walking Deads drawing as Joel stepped aside to let Ellie take charge. Granted, this transition proved to be a bit polarizing, but that's not really the point of this article. Already in the first game, Ellie is by far the most important character, with her existence being the inciting incident and also the reason behind Joel's gradual transformation. She even gets her own extended section, “Winter,” which happens to be the best chapter of the series, along with starring in the brilliant “Left Behind” expansion.
The last of us tells perhaps the most beloved surrogate father/daughter story in gaming history, and Part 2 explores the aftermath of that dynamic. From the sequel's reveal and promotion, Naughty Dog put Ellie front and center, showing that she would be stepping into the lead role. This shift translated into an improved combat system that emphasized agility and stealth over brute force, with the latter being left to Abby's sections.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
Dishonored – Emily & Corvo
Corvo shares the spotlight with Emily
Okay, let's go with something a little different here. Corvo does not disappear from the numbered Dishonored contribution, and he serves as the sequel's dual protagonist with Emily. Early on, players decide whether to play the campaign as one or the other, and both come with fully fleshed out, unique skills that give endless freedom in how to approach scenarios.
Gameplay-wise, Corvo and Emily are both perfectly valid options; Story-wise, the latter fits just a bit better due to having a more personal dynamic with the main villain, Delilah. According to this Mashable article from 2016, Arkane Studios initially conceived Dishonored 2 like Emily's game, with Corvo as the secondary protagonist of oneextent.
At this point, Dishonored 3 seems unlikely to happen, although there is always hope that a new post would materialize.
Silent Hill – Harry To Heather
Stepping aside for his daughter
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Silent Hill
System- Released
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January 31, 1999
- ESRB
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M for mature 17+ due to animated blood and gore, animated violence
- Engine
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Unreal engine
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Silent Hill 3
- Released
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August 6, 2003
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to blood and gore, violence
- Engine
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unreal engine
For the most part, Quiet Hill tells standalone stories that introduce new protagonists, almost all of whom are male. Konami set Silent Hill 3 apart from the rest of the series in a couple of ways. First, it is a direct sequel to the original game. Second, it moves away from the “everyman” main character archetype that founded its predecessors. Finally, it is the only entry of the first 7 to feature a female protagonist.
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Like Harry's daughter, who was introduced at the end of Silent HillHeather stood out because she looked and acted like a relatively realistic 17-year-old girl, which also helped set her apart from Resident Evilfamous female protagonists. Her vulnerability supercharged the horror and created an incredibly intense psychological experience filled with incredible imagery.
Nier – Gestalt for 2B
Nier: Automata made the series a household name
Every franchise mentioned in this article was already very successful when they made the switch… except Nier. don't get me wrong, Dragon Guard and the 2010 games had gained a cult following, but they certainly weren't close to being big hits.
Then, Nier: Automata arrived and immediately launched the series into relative superstardom. 2B became Niers face, completely overshadowing the two former protagonists. During 2017, Automata had already sold more than 2 million copies, an absurd amount for what used to be an incredible niche IP. Obviously, that number is much higher these days. The success of the sequel even gave the predecessor a second chance at life thanks to a remake.
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