Thoughts on FEH's fanservice

[NegativeExponents-]

Ok, everytime the success/failure of Heroes is brought into question there is alway one topic that gets brought up. Fanservice. I know Serenes doesn't represent the whole player base but I doubt that there'll ever be an official poll about this and I thought it'd be interesting to at least see where most here stand on this issue and maybe have a place where we can discuss it instead of plaguing other threads.

Also, in case it wasn't clear, when I say fanservice I'm referring to sexual fanservice to be exact so don't start getting all smarmy by bringing up other types of fanservice when answering these questions.

If you answer to anything other than the 1st option on the first question, then what besides the fanservice appeals to you about Heroes?

If you answered the 5th option on the first question or the 3rd option on the second question, then what is the fanservice from FEH lacking? Lack of guys gets brought up a lot but this doesn't have to be about the guys. Maybe you think the girls aren't diverse enough or maybe there's specific characters you want to see but heroes hasn't done anything with them (ie no summer Severa or groom Lewyn). Whatever it is just tell us your thoughts and how it could be improved.

Also, the reason I emphasize on "personally" in the second question is because I don't want to hear something like "yes because Heroes NEEDS fanservice to survive" or whatever. You're free to discuss such things if you want but as far as the poll is concerned I'm more interested to see each ones own individual opinions on the matter and not that of an investor's.

Edited February 3, 2020 by NegativeExponents-

[Anacybele]

Technically, yes. But I'm not into super revealing outfits and stuff, not even on the guys. Which is why I'm glad, for example, that Summer Frederick has modest swim shorts rather than, say, a thong or bikini (I saw an artist draw him in one of those once, btw. It was just, NO. Frederick would NEVER wear that! Seriously!), and yet it's still a form of fanservice because I get to see his amazing abs. I like muscles on a guy! But even then, I've got a limit there. Too much muscle IS a thing.

But anyway, I'm basically only into certain kinds of fanservice, because sometimes a fanservicey design can look absolutely awful. And I'm absolutely fine with a look that's not so fanservicey too, because that can also look good. And I also play Heroes for other reasons, like to make a team of all my favorite characters and stuff. And it's cool to see some characters in new outfits that they never had before, fanservicey or no.

I do think the game could use a bit more variety in the fanservice department too. I think it leans a bit too much towards skimpy females. But just a little.

[Chocolate Kitty]

no

i take my free summon on those banners and dip

[NegativeExponents-]

Adding my own opinions onto this:

I enjoy fanservice, more than most I imagine, but it isn't the only thing I'm interested in. Imo the biggest draw of Heroes and the one where I wish they would spend more time improving on is customization. I'm a big sucker for customization in games and being able to slap different skills and abilities onto a character to experiment with all sorts of play styles is the best. Especially unorthodox builds like making a traditional nuke into an unexpected tank or the back line support becoming into a formidable front liner.

I also just enjoy using my favorites from across multiple games. The cross interaction is sorely lacking though and they could afford to introduce more than just FB (which mostly focuses on characters from the same game anyway) I think that sort of thing is the best sort of fanservice a crossover game can offer so again it's a real shame to not see more of that.

I'm into my dudes and really wish that guys would get more attention. They actually gave Xander and Ryoma a considerable amount nice alts but I'd like to see more than just them in fanservicey outfits. Revealing outfits in particular are lacking. I know that Hector has a million alts but I'd like to see a nice summer one. Maybe he'll finally get to be something besides an armor that way. I also like nice dapper looking suits so it's such a shame that there haven't been that many guys donning groom outfits on the wedding banners. I think black suit Heath would be particularly nice. Priscilla could finally get an alt as well if they wanted to include him with a partner which would also be nice.

[XRay]

While the bulk of my spending comes from collecting Special Heroes and game play, I do spend on fan service and waifus sometimes. While I do spend on waifus and fanservice sometimes, I do not care about actually using those units though. I am pretty content with just using the strongest units and I do not really care whether my favorite waifus are strong or not. I mean, it would be nice if all my favorite waifus are strong units that suit my play style, but that is just a cherry on top if it does align and it is not something I require.

I personally would like to see more fanservice. I like nudity and it is not something I shy away from.

If I had enough money to create my own gaming studio, I would have it create games like Senran Kagura and Dead or Alive Xtreme, but even more risque and have them all be AO rated.

[eclipse]

I mean, I understand the point of the question. . .but I think there's a better way of wording it (because you're opening a huge box of bad things and I'd rather not spend my night sorting them out).  Lemme think about it, and if I get any ideas, I'll share 'em.

[NegativeExponents-]

8 minutes ago, eclipse said:

I mean, I understand the point of the question. . .but I think there's a better way of wording it (because you're opening a huge box of bad things and I'd rather not spend my night sorting them out).  Lemme think about it, and if I get any ideas, I'll share 'em.

Not really sure what's wrong with my wording but if you think there is a better way of asking it then I'll gladly listen to any suggestions.

[Fabulously Olivier]

I just don't like immersion breakers for the sake of fan service. All of the bunny outfits, swimsuits, and other seasonal stuff really detracts from the franchise the game is allegedly meant to be based on, IMO. 

 

What appeals to me is the Fire Emblem characters themselves. And some of them can be fanservicey in their own right, and I'm fine with that. 

[eclipse]

15 minutes ago, NegativeExponents- said:

Not really sure what's wrong with my wording but if you think there is a better way of asking it then I'll gladly listen to any suggestions.

"Fanservice" is loaded on its own.  Remember the backlash against a certain purple-haired sister?

Anyway, while I'm thinking, can you add an option along the lines of "Fanservice has no impact on my FEH experience", or something along those lines?  Because that's my opinion.

[Interdimensional Observer]

During my brief stint into FEH, I more or less played "clothes on, no eye contact", much as I semi-irrationally have since Fates when it comes to new FEs.

 

In general I don't play games for fanservice, it isn't worth paying for or ingame time and effort mostly. But, if it is to my liking by some chance, I'll look and take some light enjoyment from it. I didn't buy TMS for fanservice, but Touma I later noticed was shirtless, so why not smile at it? And I won't say I'm "holier than thou" either, I've had my lowest of the low smutty self-insert fantasies too. 🙂

[NegativeExponents-]

6 minutes ago, eclipse said:

"Fanservice" is loaded on its own.  Remember the backlash against a certain purple-haired sister?

Anyway, while I'm thinking, can you add an option along the lines of "Fanservice has no impact on my FEH experience", or something along those lines?  Because that's my opinion.

I do remember that but I'm not really sure what else to call it tbh.

And done. Essentially added two "don't care" options which is what I think you were getting at.

[eclipse]

3 minutes ago, NegativeExponents- said:

I do remember that but I'm not really sure what else to call it tbh.

Honestly, I'm coming up with a good compromise.  Everything I can think of completely misses the point.  So, uh. . .

"What are your thoughts on FEH and fanservice?" comes across as slightly more neutral?  If you can think of something that isn't going to draw out the worst of the population here, go for it!

Meanwhile, I need to vote "don't care", because I honestly don't care.  They're units with stats and skills, and they're here to kick butt.

[Seafarer]

I don't mind one way or another. It looks like I voted with the majority on the poll.

I play FEH because a) it's Fire Emblem and b) it allows me to indulge my collection habit. Fanservice is just icing on top - it's nice that I'm the right demographic to be pandered to, but it doesn't affect my decision to play at all, and I'd be perfectly content if other tastes were pandered to more proportionately.

[NegativeExponents-]

6 minutes ago, eclipse said:

Honestly, I'm coming up with a good compromise.  Everything I can think of completely misses the point.  So, uh. . .

"What are your thoughts on FEH and fanservice?" comes across as slightly more neutral?  If you can think of something that isn't going to draw out the worst of the population here, go for it!

Meanwhile, I need to vote "don't care", because I honestly don't care.  They're units with stats and skills, and they're here to kick butt.

Ah ok. Yeah I guess the title sounded like I was calling out a certain group of people but I think this new title sounds neutral and gets the point across

[Landmaster]

I answered that I don't care one way or the other but we defs need more tiddies~ Okuma Yugo is hard carrying in the manservice department and we could stand to have more IMO~

[Ottservia]

4 minutes ago, Landmaster said:

I answered that I don't care one way or the other but we defs need more tiddies~ Okuma Yugo is hard carrying in the manservice department and we could stand to have more IMO~

Oh definitely I agree with this 100% male Grima is hooooooot 

[Humanoid]

I'm all for more sex and sexuality in video games - we're long past the point of the "video games are for kids" stereotype - but Fire Emblem's (both FEH and mainline) coy skirting-around-the-edges PG approach ain't it. And to be clear, I'm fine with both the mature approach to sex from a storytelling perspective and with silly sexual humour in an 80s screwball movie type perspective.

Caveat in that I essentially have zero background in anime/manga/JRPGs prior to being recommended Awakening by people after I impulse-bought a 3DS XL. And other than FE that hasn't really changed.

 

TL;DR: I'm fine with it on in a conceptual sense, but what they've done specifically doesn't appeal to me.

[NegativeExponents-]

11 minutes ago, Landmaster said:

I answered that I don't care one way or the other but we defs need more tiddies~ Okuma Yugo is hard carrying in the manservice department and we could stand to have more IMO~

For sure! Okuma Yugo is such a blessing. Not just with men tiddies though since I still cant get over Keaton's injured art.

Meka provides solid manservice too though.

[Silver Lightning]

Eh, it doesn't really affect me much; I'm only in FEH for the collecting aspect, and having some fun where I can long the way with my subpar non-merged units (I only recently got my first 10+ ever and its on a very subpar grail unit). Sometimes they go a bit too far with stuffing every seasonal banner with a majority of waifus and maybe a couple husbandos here and there, but what tends to annoy me more than the content is just wanting actual game character banners instead of *insert next season banner full of nothing but fanservice*

Really, what I consider to be fanservice for me is new OG characters from every game. I want to have at least every playable character available in the game in their OG form instead of just Ike with a Santa hat, or Lyn alt #72. But as far as the traditional definition of fanservice, I guess its not as bad as it could be, but if they have to put more in they could at least give us some more manservice to balance it out, seeing as that's my demographic.

[Sir Gerwald of Vallora]

I don't mind it. Of course, I'm a man, and enjoy a bit of fanservice from time to time, but I really dont like it when characters are dedicated to it. I think Camilla, for instance is a character who had potential but was waisted as just the, "don't let your parents watch you play Fates character". Personally, I feel that it should be toned down a decent amount; but of course, that won't happen, as they made their decision in 2017.

[Benice]

18 minutes ago, Sir Wolfram of Vallora said:

I don't mind it. Of course, I'm a man, and enjoy a bit of fanservice from time to time, but I really dont like it when characters are dedicated to it. I think Camilla, for instance is a character who had potential but was wasted as just the, "don't let your parents watch you play Fates character".

Pretty much how I feel. I'm not going to use a beach themed character just because they're physically attractive/in a borderline NSFW outfit, nor will I bench someone for being not being in said category. I don't really pay attention to what the characters look like very often either way. I personally prefer characters who aren't designed in a way that requires tons of surgery to attain a similar look. Fanservice is best utilised when it either lines up with a character's role, (I.E a dancer since they basically are paid to look hot.) or if it's not in a blatant way, so the characters aren't in the game because of fanservice.

Still, a game not having fanservice will not affect my opinion on it. (There's a game I have where someone's review is "Boobs aren't big enough." and it's 1/5 stars. That is the oposite of how I feel.)

Of course, all of that would change if Gonzales was given a beach alt. Seriously though. Gonzales needs to make it into FEH soon.

[NegativeExponents-]

1 hour ago, Sir Wolfram of Vallora said:

I don't mind it. Of course, I'm a man, and enjoy a bit of fanservice from time to time, but I really dont like it when characters are dedicated to it. I think Camilla, for instance is a character who had potential but was waisted as just the, "don't let your parents watch you play Fates character". Personally, I feel that it should be toned down a decent amount; but of course, that won't happen, as they made their decision in 2017.

I know you probably meant that Camilla stuff as a joke but I actually had that happen albeit it was with the much more tame Awakening that actually brought this up and not Fates.

I was in high school and the game had just recently come out and I was going through one of Maribelle's support conversations with Chrom and the grunts that the characters made prompted my mom to check if I wasn't watching porn. I since learned to not play Awakening or the future Fates in the presence of others.

Edited February 3, 2020 by NegativeExponents-

[Thane]

I don't play for the fan service but I don't mind it provided it's tasteful. I would like more variety though, especially in terms of outfits for example; why do we have so many bunny suits? Give me China dresses instead. I also really want more casual clothes like on the last year's picnic banner. 

But to me, better fan service would be more focus on characters hanging out and interacting with each other more. Forging Bonds has that but it's tied to such a monotonous mode. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Thane

[Michelaar]

I like fanservice. It's always nice for me personally if my hero is fine to look at. Personally i'm more into men but some females that have come out also look very nice and thus raises my opinion of them. I haven't seen anything that was, in my opinion, distasteful fanservice, and I hope that stays like it is. Only thing I can really say is i'd like to see more males but i'm going to accept i'm not their primary business target.

[Diovani Bressan]

I don't mind fan service since I don't play the game for it, but I would enjoy only 1 Summer banner instead of 2.