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CI Games CEO: Western developers should learn from Chinese studios how to create female characters

Marek Tyminski stokes the fire and shares his opinions on good vs. bad character design.
Marcus Persson 16 February 2025

Character design has been a bit of a hot topic for several months, a discussion that gained momentum once again with the announcement of Intergalactic from Naughty Dog. Now, the CEO of CI Games has joined the conversation, arguing that Western developers should learn from Chinese studios when it comes to creating characters. Marek Tyminski specifically highlights the highly popular Tides of Annihilation but also mentions Lost Soul Aside and Phantom Blade as other striking examples.

In a post on X, he wrote:
"These Chinese devs should consider consulting in the West on how to make female characters that actually stand out."

Meanwhile, Western developers are facing widespread criticism for characters such as Kay Vess in the flop Star Wars Outlaws, as well as the previously mentioned Intergalactic the Heretic Prophet, which continues to drown in online backlash—particularly due to its character design.

Does the CI Games CEO have a point? Should Western developers take inspiration from their Chinese counterparts when it comes to character design?

https://x.com/tyminski_marek/status/1890137369204125989

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