Generally I tend to go with male characters, at least in cases where it's only cosmetic. This is especially true if there's a story and/or I want to be somewhat immersed (e.g. Fallout), I feel like I can relate better to a character who shares my gender.
I don't often play games with many character choices, usually it's just a predefined character or just a cosmetic male/female choice. If there is an actual gameplay difference (like in fighting games) then obviously I pick for playstyle rather than character. If there is a predefined character then the gender doesn't affect my choice of whether I'll buy/play the game or not, although it may have an affect on how I experience it or relate to the character, especially if their gender actually plays a role in the story.
I don't often play games with many character choices, usually it's just a predefined character or just a cosmetic male/female choice. If there is an actual gameplay difference (like in fighting games) then obviously I pick for playstyle rather than character. If there is a predefined character then the gender doesn't affect my choice of whether I'll buy/play the game or not, although it may have an affect on how I experience it or relate to the character, especially if their gender actually plays a role in the story.