Stefanie Joosten, the actor who played Quiet in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, has said her design was “not practical at all” but still plays a part of a “fantasy”.
Joosten said that she was aware of the “different perspectives” on the character and that she “respects” the artistry that came into creating Quiet.
“And also, of course, there’s also just a choice of creating a character that’s visually appealing,” she continued.
“I think video games are, in a way, still a sort of fantasy world you enter, so I definitely respect the choices regarding the Quiet appearance, for instance, being quite revealing.”
Conversely, Joosten acknowledged and appreciated that there were opinions that were much more critical on her design.
“This game came out in 2015, and I think the video game landscape has changed quite a lot since then. People are looking for more representation, and I really get it,” the actor added.
Quiet’s minimal clothing is justified in the story of Metal Gear Solid 5 as her parasitic treatment for her injuries causes her to breathe through her skin and photosynthesise for food. Covering up would be lethal for her.
“Quiet’s outfit is not practical at all,” countered Joosten. “Even with the explanation that was given of her breathing through her skin, of course there were so many other options you could have gone with. I do agree on that.
“I got to see the character artwork when we were starting motion capture, and of course my first reaction was, ‘that’s a very revealing costume’, but I respected it and accepted it.
“So that’s basically my stance. It’s fantasy, and I find that acceptable as well. But I do understand, having more of a diverse representation in video games for woman and all minorities is something I would encourage as well.”
At the time, Metal Gear Solid creator said that those who disparaged Quiet’s design would “feel ashamed of [their] words and deeds” once the explanation was provided.
In other gaming news, Embark Studios responded to the criticism regarding the use of artificial intelligence to voice characters in its shooter: “Making games without actors isn’t an end goal”.