Rust now assigns character gender based on Steam user ID

As previously touted by its creator Garry Newman, PC Early Access hit Rust has started automatically choosing a player’s character gender according to an algorithm based on their Steam ID.

We understand this is a sore subject for a lot of people. We understand that you may now be a gender that you don’t identify with in real-life. We understand this causes you distress and makes you not want to play the game anymore,” Newman said.

Technically nothing has changed, since half the population was already living with those feelings. The only difference is that whether you feel like this is now decided by your SteamID instead of your real life gender.”

This very much echoes his statements from last summer when he revealed plans for the feature: We’re not ‘taking the choice away’ from you. You never had a choice. A man’s voice coming out of a woman’s body is no more weird than an eight year-old boy’s voice coming out of a man’s body.”

It will come as a surprise to no one that the change has led to frustration from some corners of game’s player base. Comments include:

Don’t bother buying the game. The developers just do whatever the hell they like.”

Garry is cruel to force men to be ‘trans’. It’s just mean.”

remove female models. it made the game worse”

A similar mechanic dictating a character’s race was implemented last year.