Shinji Mikami: I refuse to objectify women in my games

Female game characters that are objectified and/or over sexualised in games, is still a common occurance in the industry (and source to a great deal of discussions and drama as of late).

This is more so true for Japan than anywhere else on the globe, but that doesn't stop legendary game creator Shinji Mikami (creator of the Resident Evil series as well as the recently released The Evil Within) from taking a stand. If he's sure about one thing, it's that he will never (again) allow female characters to take on such roles in future games with his name om them.

"I don't know if I've put more emphasis on women characters, but when I do introduce them, it is never as objects," Mikami told The Guardian. "In some games, they will be peripheral characters with ridiculous breast physics. I avoid that sort of obvious eroticism. I also don't like female characters who are submissive to male characters, or to the situation they're in. I won't portray women in that way.".

"I write women characters who discover their interdependence as the game progresses, or who already know they are independent but have that tested against a series of challenges," Mikami adds, before admitting that there has been some inclusion contrary to this philosophy in previous games.

"If I had to name the woman character I most disliked in my games it would be Rebecca Chambers (appearing in several Resident Evil games). She's submissive, she's not independent. I didn't want to include her but the staff wanted that kind of character in the game, for whatever reason. I'm sure it made sense to them."

He signs off by noting that Rebecca Chambers is "pretty popular i Japan", but it seems unlikely that he will ever make a similar character in the future even so. Perhaps that's for the best?