Tekken 8 has allegedly replaced the gender option for their in-game avatars with “Motion” instead, referring to the way the avatars make their small movements.

These motions are allegedly gender-coded with one type having conventionally masculine motions and another conventionally feminine ones. The body types of these avatars lend themselves to androgyny making Motion the major bodily distinction for gender representation. Gendered clothing such as skirts are available as options.

It’s unclear why Tekken 8 made the decision to customize characters this way, and it’s unconfirmed if this type of wording is used in other localized versions of the game or the original Japanese at this time.

It’s possible that due to the low-detail nature of the player avatars and the ability to mix and match other features, that it was simply more accurate to use Motions instead. Conversely, some critics argue that it’s a cynical business decision to remove gender to avoid controversy.

It’s worth mentioning that Tekken 8 appears to preserve their typical aesthetic and includes characters like Lili, Ling Xiaoyu, and of course Panda.