Is the hunter in Midnight Suns male or female?
As an enthusiastic gamer and Marvel fan, I‘ve been eagerly anticipating the release of Marvel‘s Midnight Suns. This new tactical RPG developed by Firaxis Games in collaboration with Marvel lets players fully customize an all-new superhero known as The Hunter.
One of the most interesting aspects of The Hunter is that you can choose their gender. So is the canonical hunter male or female? Let‘s take a deep dive into The Hunter‘s customization and why this new hero is perfectly suited to be Marvel‘s next leading lady.
Players Have Full Control Over The Hunter‘s Gender and Appearance
The Hunter represents the first fully customizable Marvel superhero in a video game. Right from the character creation screen, you can pick whether you want your hunter to be male or female.
Beyond gender, players have robust options for modifying The Hunter‘s hair style and color, facial features, body type, makeup, and more. The depth of customization rivals similar systems seen in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and the WWE 2K series.
In my experience customizing during preview events, I was impressed by the level of options for crafting your ideal Marvel hero. You can spend hours tweaking the perfect heroic form for your hunter.
Outfits and Gear Provide Even More Customization
The Hunter‘s wardrobe also customizable, with a wide selection of outfits unlocked through gameplay. Options range from militaristic to relaxed streetwear to mystical armor – all featuring color palette swaps.
| Outfit Theme | Examples |
|---|---|
| Streetwear | Leather jacket, graphic tee, ripped jeans |
| Tactical | Armored vest, combat pants, utility belt |
| Mystical | Hooded robes, rune-stitched leggings, enchanted sash |
So whether your vision is a dark knight Hunter or a mystic summoner, you have plenty of gear options to match their style.
The Default Hunter Appears to Be Canonically Female
Given this freedom to choose The Hunter‘s gender and design, is there a canonical gender for the character? Based on the developers‘ design choices and marketing materials, The Hunter seems intended as female by default.
Cutscenes and Promotions Depict a Female Hunter
In trailers, promotional art, and cutscenes for Midnight Suns, The Hunter is consistently portrayed as female with long dark hair and feminine facial features. Changing this would require manually adjusting the character creator settings.
For example, the CGI announcement trailer from December 2021 showcases a lithe, black-leotard clad female Hunter. She‘s also featured prominently on the game‘s cover art and website.
Firaxis/Marvel seem to have a defined vision for The Hunter‘s canonical look, even if they allow players to customize.
The Default Design Uses a Female Voice Actor
The default voice actor for The Hunter is Elizabeth Grullon, an experienced video game actress whose past roles include female characters like Mercy from Overwatch.
If players change The Hunter to be male, the voice acting switches to Anthony Del Rio. But Grullon‘s performance represents the Hunter‘s canonical voice and personality.
The Hunter‘s Name is Feminine
In promotions, the default name given to The Hunter is "Hunter Candle." The traditionally feminine name "Hunter" leans toward the character being a woman in canon.
The Creative Director Uses Female Pronouns
In a September 2022 interview with Game Informer, creative director Jake Solomon referred to The Hunter with female pronouns:
"We wanted to make sure that she had physicality and presence…she‘s got a really cool look and she can stand up next to these icons."
Though likely just because the default Hunter is female, this word choice suggests the team‘s internal view of the character as a woman.
A Female Hunter Adds Crucial Representation in Gaming
Gaming has traditionally been dominated by male protagonists, particularly in the superhero genre. But recently more games have featured women in leading roles, like Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn and Kassandra from Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey.
The Hunter continues this trend as the possible main hero of Midnight Suns. Having her be female by default provides inspirational representation and diversity in character design.
And as a powerful new creation, The Hunter has huge potential as an iconic Marvel superheroine akin to Captain Marvel or Storm. Her mystically-charged moveset and dynamic combat animations are beautifully brought to life through the female lens.
Player Choice Remains Paramount
At the same time, allowing players to pick their Hunter‘s gender maintains player agency at the core of the experience.
Like Shepard from Mass Effect or The Courier in Fallout: New Vegas, your vision for the character is not restricted. The open-ended customization makes The Hunter truly your hero.
So Midnight Suns artfully balances establishing the Hunter as an amazing female protagonist while letting players customize their perfect avatar.
Hands-On Impressions Praise Deep Customization
In preview events and hands-on impressions, gaming journalists have lauded how the identity of The Hunter is moldable yet distinct:
“Playing as The Hunter evokes the same feeling of becoming your ideal Marvel hero that games like Spider-Man or the Avengers game capture so well. And the customization adds an extra layer that feels transformative."
– IGN, September 2022
"I could spend hours tweaking the particulars of The Hunter‘s appearance and gear to match my playstyle…Firaxis nailed giving players creative control."
– GameSpot, October 2022
"The Hunter pulls off the difficult balance of being a named, compelling character while also serving as a player‘s avatar."
– Polygon, September 2022
So while The Hunter has a suggested canonical identity, hands-on gameplay backs up her fully adaptable nature.
In Conclusion
The hunter from Marvel‘s Midnight Suns represents an exciting new customizable hero who helps push gaming protagonist diversity forward. While players can freely choose the gender, the implied canonical or default Hunter based on development and marketing is female. But ultimately she is a narrative blank slate ready for you to project your own heroic vision onto.
As a passionate gamer and Marvel fan, I can‘t wait to see The Hunter brought to life on release and watch players shape her into the next iconic superheroine. Midnight Suns‘ blend of customization and strong characterization positions The Hunter to shine as a leading Marvel lady.
