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The survival game Rust from Facepunch Studios has been updated with a bit of a controversial change. They have added in new models, including female models, but you don't get to pick your gender.

QuoteWe understand this is a sore subject for a lot of people. We understand that you may now be a gender that you don’t identify with in real-life. We understand this causes you distress and makes you not want to play the game anymore. Technically nothing has changed, since half the population was already living with those feelings. The only difference is that whether you feel like this is now decided by your SteamID instead of your real life gender.


Your gender is linked to your SteamID, so what you're assigned to you're essentially stuck with. I'm fine with this, as I understand it's just a game. Others however, are not happy with this change.

I can understand both sides of the argument, people want their character to reflect them as an extension of themselves. I am a male in any game that lets me choose, simply because I also have that view of wanting it to represent me, but it's certainly not a deal-breaker.

Garry's twitter has been full of people complaining about it, and the Rust Steam forum has a few posts complaining about it as expected.

Honestly, I think give it a week or two and people will calm down about it. What a weird thing to get so up in arms over—it's a game. Do people who complain about this steer away from every game where they can't choose a gender? I don't think so.

You can see the full update log here.

You can find Rust on Steam. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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53 comments
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14 Apr 11, 2016
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  • Supporter Plus
Change can be upsetting, so the outcry is understandable, however this change is completely fair.
Liam Dawe Apr 11, 2016
Unless the developers promised somewhere before they would let people choose their gender, they haven't really broken any rules or anything. Can't say I ever saw them say they would let people.

I don't get why using games as an escape mechanism has any relation to what gender a made-up character has.

As for sharing accounts, wouldn't matter, it's random, so even if the other person owned it too it would also be random for them.

As for content, it doesn't cut any content. Content isn't gender specific.

My character for example seems to be a black male with a tiny dongle, the exact opposite of me (stop laughing!), and I'm okay with that.
Samsai Apr 11, 2016
My character for example seems to be a black male with a tiny dongle, the exact opposite of me (stop laughing!), and I'm okay with that.

Sure, sure. We believe you. :P
nitroflow Apr 11, 2016
I don't get why using games as an escape mechanism has any relation to what gender a made-up character has.

Take a good long look at black desert character creation then :P
BlackBloodRum Apr 11, 2016
  • Supporter Plus
WARNING! This is my attempt at humour:

Guys, you got it all wrong. It's not that you can't be male if your male, or female if your female that's the problem.

It's the fact, all us guys have been secretly been waiting to be able to play as a nude women! And now we can't because it made me a man based on my SteamID!

This is really upsetting! They need to add an option to pick one! I don't wanna be a naked man!
Jeddunk Apr 11, 2016
Isn't race/skin color also randomly assigned to Steam IDs? I don't play the game, but I think I read something like that last year.
Nyamiou Apr 11, 2016
What's the point? Why don't they let people choose? There has to be a reason or else this is stupid but I can't find it.
shigutso Apr 11, 2016
hahahaha awesome, I'll check it tonight, I wish I'm a woman, so in theory I won't get naked-killed so easily and I can get free items from male weirdos LOL :P
Muffinman Apr 11, 2016
I've been playing Rust for a couple of years now, and I have endured all kinds of Garry's torments. I mean, race and sex are just the tip of the iceberg with this game. The game is beautiful and slick, but it's lacking in so many areas. It's still under development, but progress is extremely slow, and even though there are diagrams online showing a development path forward, they have not stuck to the plan entirely. I'm dying to see this game mature into something playable.
toor Apr 11, 2016
The thing is… why did they change it, for what purpose, and why don't leave the player the choice.
Stupendous Man Apr 11, 2016
... I don't wanna be a naked man!
Then put some clothes on for God's sake! :-p

Regarding the game, why introduce female player models and not let people choose to use them (or not)? As the devs themselves say, before now 50% of the population were unhappy; and now? 50% of the population is unhappy, on average...
shigutso Apr 11, 2016
The thing is… why did they change it, for what purpose, and why don't leave the player the choice.
They also did that with the skin color. IIRC, Garry said they did that because they wanted your char to have an unique identity.
Muffinman Apr 11, 2016
If you plan on buying this game, be aware that it is under development and has been for years. It is also completely dominated by hackers/cheaters. Yes, it can be frustrating to be changed from male to female or be changed from black to white; however, those are just minor issues compared to dealing with cheaters/hackers.
ljrk Apr 11, 2016
I think this is a radical but quite funny change. The devs certainly have balls doing such a change.

Possibly a healthy diversion from the "be someone you imagine to be" (the big strong tough guy ...). Could certainly be interesting.
Muffinman Apr 11, 2016
Isn't race/skin color also randomly assigned to Steam IDs? I don't play the game, but I think I read something like that last year.

Yes, and they labeled dissenters as racists.
linux_gamer Apr 11, 2016
My character for example seems to be a black male with a tiny dongle, the exact opposite of me (stop laughing!), and I'm okay with that.
Ok, got it: Liam is a white female with a giant dongle?!

BTW: Was this update news really a linux theme?
scottviger Apr 11, 2016
facepunch are dicks.
whatever they do, i won't buy their shit.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/gary-s-mod-and-rust-creator-regrets-supporting-linux-499603.shtml
Liam Dawe Apr 11, 2016
BTW: Was this update news really a linux theme?
It's a Linux game, and so updates to it affect us, so yes.

I often run editorials and such that don't directly affect a single Linux game, but wider issues, this is nothing new for GOL.
stss Apr 11, 2016
It just seems like a really strange feature.

The decision itself almost makes me think there's more behind the decision than just what makes for a fun game.
That combined with the quote:
Technically nothing has changed, since half the population was already living with those feelings. The only difference is that whether you feel like this is now decided by your SteamID instead of your real life gender.
really makes it seem like the real reason behind it is to spread gender identity awareness or some crap.
Keyrock Apr 11, 2016
Somewhat off-topic, but I wonder how many of the 800 bajillion early access survival games will ever make it out of early access and have a full release? 5%? 3%?
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