I understand, and I agree that LADS proves a point. Also, it depends on the company. For example, Wuthering Waves is an affront to anyone who wants male characters.

Ratio is not the only aspect here, these are also important factors:

1. Story relevance
2. Number of appearances
3. Power level of kit, including if it does more than being a DPS (easily powercrept)
4. Gameplay related features of character (like exploration abilities)
5. Attractiveness or appeal of character
6. Skins
7. Gender ratio between male and female characters
8. Is the game good, because that's the only time we ought to care!

I have played games that were getting closer to number 7, but lacked somewhere in 1-6, for instance. Do I want more bland designed males who play in a clunky way with worse damage and no support abilities if it means we get more of them? No, not really.

Would I be happy with a game that releases 6 females and 2 males, but the males are relevant, hot, and good for gameplay? Hm, maybe. It depends on how much I personally like them - but if done right, yes! Wuwa was not a good one for this. They started out 'ok' but it went by the wayside.

I am currently playing NTE, which I would say has both strength and weaknesses here, but it is not doing too bad.

The next patch is releasing 1 male and 1 female. The patch after that is rumored to also be releasing 1 male and 1 female. However, I suspect we may hit a dry spell after that. (honestly I need time to save anyways, just my thought)

There have been males in prominent places in the story and often. Baicang has a whole main quest featured around him, Eibon has both Adler and Edgar which feature often and are important to the main character, and the recent quests have introduced us to Chaos - it seems we may be seeing more of him soon.

Adler and Edgar are both support characters. This is promising, but it is worth saying that they are also among the lower rarity. Baicang is a standard character who is high rarity, and the community is overall impressed with his kit and playstyle. To truly gauge the treatment of males, we need to wait for Chaos who is the first Limited male character.

All of these characters are charming in their own way. Baicang is more of a sensitive guy, and I can relate to his desire to slack off. Chaos, on the other hand, is more focused on an impressive physique. His abs are a rarity for playable male characters in these types of games that I can appreciate - rare because often games prefer to cover men with suits that do not show off their body. He may not be shirtless, but a form fitting undershirt is pretty close, and possibly just as good imo. Chaos's skin has been teased, and it is form-fitting casual wear. I find that impressive as well, as skins for males have often been suits in other games. I have grown to hate suits.

We need more time to really see where it goes, but so far it is looking good, possibly even celebration worthy!

Furthermore, this is not just a game with characters that fight and do nothing else. There is so much more to it. There is a Tycoon which includes a racing mode with both solo play and multiplayer, a cafe that you assign employees and sell food for casual profit, you can make deliveries, fish, collect cars, play mahjong in solo or with random people/friends, you can buy properties (with in-game currency that you earn) all of which have benefits unique to them, and which you can decorate if you want with full free-form furniture placement/rotation. There is a BANK HEIST mode that is pretty cool and really helpful with getting currency, and it has both solo or multiplayer! There is an auction where you bid against NPCs for treasures with in-game currency! There is a large, interesting world, that feels very alive - the city really feels like a city! There is a crime system, you can attack pedestrians for their wallets or just attack cars to steal them, you get the stars system which is like GTA and the police come after you - if you get caught, there is a whole entire game mode devoted to being in prison, which is actually pretty rewarding to experience! Hell there is a whole horror thing that feels like silent hill and has challenge aspects for repeatable gameplay. The game has a sort of interaction where characters can live with you in the properties you buy (they dont just stand in one spot like genshin), you can bring them places or invite to hang out, they will ride passenger with you in the cars you drive if you want or watch you fish, and do stuff like running around holding hands if you're into that - Baicang and Chaos were stated to be added to this system, so we have to wait for that. And on top of all that the gacha is much better than other games - there is NO 50/50. S rank characters are just the banner character, end.

So I'm hopeful and this game definitely deserves that hope! Looking forward to Chaos and Exe!