Lack of females in Aliens: Colonial Marines prompts gamer outrage, online petition. And quite rightly so

Another 'online petition started by outraged gamer' story. This time the protest is aimed in the direction of Aliens: Colonial Marines developer Gearbox Software and its decision not to include female characters in the game's multiplayer (although playable female marines are already confirmed for campaign mode).

Petition instigator Melissa K is asking for "the ability to create a CUSTOM female to represent ourselves just like the men can, in Multiplayer/Co-op in order for us to "Become a Colonial Marine"!" And it's a fair point. If any shooter should accommodate the XX chromosome as default, surely - logically - it's one based in the Aliens universe. You know, because Ripley. And Vasquez.

Above: Women are clearly visible in this picture (but we have pointed them out in case you have trouble finding them)

It'd be completely baffling if Gearbox did decide to keep multiplayer limited to men only - as made apparent in the Aliens movie, clearly the Colonial Marines are not prejudiced against recruiting people with vaginas. It'd be nice if the game could reflect the same open-mindedness to gender diversity in its own version of the make-believe military outfit.

Aliens: Colonial Marines is scheduled for release February 12 next year on every current platform (and Wii U), so there's still plenty of time for Gearbox to make changes. If you think it's right and proper that playable females deserve a place in the game's multiplayer component, you should definitely sign the petition.

Source: CVG