Part 5/11:
Most controversial is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which was originally intended to feature only Cassandra as its playable protagonist. However, Ubisoft changed course, offering players the choice to play as either Cassandra or Alexios. According to game director Scott Phillips, two-thirds of players opted for Alexios, a male character, which aligns with longstanding industry patterns favoring male protagonists since most players are themselves male and tend to prefer playing as men. Ubisoft executives justified this decision, claiming that female protagonists "wouldn't sell"—a statement that drew widespread criticism from industry commentators and fans alike.