7 February, 2009 | 12 Comments

Why are there no fat Avatars?

Has anybody else noticed that custom characters can never be really fat? or be in wheelchairs? It would be so funny to have a really fat character in Mass Effect or on the 360. but you cant do it!

Author:Alan Hamlyn

-- Alan Hamlyn Founder of Wuup
View all posts by Alan Hamlyn →

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  • http://www.mrfreema.co.uk Tom Freeman

    Wow yea, I’ve never really thought about it but you’re right! What if I like being fat? Or if I’m a big beautfiul woman and I’m damn proud of that fact?

    I think you’ve hit on some ethical issues plaguing the swing of internet society…

  • http://www.wuup.co.uk Elderan

    “It would be so funny” mmmm :P
    generally, the human mind would prefer to be represented as “fit” and “healthy”. all objective terms.

    As for everything else, the more open mmo’s let char customisation go a little too far. See Second life for a prime example.

  • http://www.wuup.co.uk Alan Hamlyn

    Second Life only works because of customisation, hence it’s worth a lot of money, I don’t think they would see it as “go a little too far”

  • http://www.bigtallbill.co.uk Bill Nunney

    I dont consider SL as a game :P

  • http://www.wuup.co.uk Alan Hamlyn

    it’s like that ‘World of World of Warcraft’

  • Elizabeth

    It’s possible to create a fat avatar in the Sims. Never seen one in a wheelchair … that would be cool.

  • Elizabeth

    Actually there is a wheelchair available for the Sims, but it only functions as a regular chair to sit in & doesn’t wheel around. I just downloaded it.

  • BC King

    There are disabilities represented in Second Life (wheelchairs, the blind), as well as fat and obese avatars, though of course they’re not a large percentage of the population. The “big beautiful woman” is there for sure.

    @Elderan: “Fit” and “healthy” are in no way objective terms. Especially these days when “overweight” is treated as a disease, and considering most cultures in the past (and many still today) would see the current view of “healthy” (stick-figure thin) as both unhealthy and ugly, to call such ideas “objective” is really off the mark.

    @Tom: Ethical issues…you’re spot on. See http://marissaracecourse.com/2008/06/03/you-mean-you-chose-to-be-fat-body-image-in-a-virtual-world/

  • mystery…

    I would h8 to be fat in real life but on da internet it can be funny:)

  • Elderan

    I do believe you took me too literally :P .
    Its all objective and subjective, there is no “fit” and “healthy” image of the body that everyone will agree to was my point.

  • http://www.wuup.co.uk Alan Hamlyn

    Yeah I think that guy missed the point

  • anon

    I, as a bbw-lover, would appreciate it if there were more games with larger avatars…