This isn't a gotcha thing I'm doing, I was watching this AI vs artist Arch was doing where he did one before with black April O'Neil and he's done another with dark skin Velma this time. Some flaws here and there but a massive improvement over the HBO show, at one point, he puts out the idea with what I like to refer to as 'milfy Velma' was having it that she was detached from the group, is a reporter herself and events brings her back with her old friends, so like the show just, not shit.
One of the immediate things that detached me from even trying to watch it was how ugly the self insert Velma was yet if this AI made hotter Velma was in it, I might at least give it an episode.
But a key part of this is that watching shows is passive, you're not interacting so for games it depends for me. Does it fit the setting as if it's a game about giant mechs then it isn't really a factor. If there's character customisation beyond just selecting outfits, then it becomes a big factor as if I want to create a really hot character, the game itself shouldn't limit me. Same as if there's 'romance' choices and all of them are fugly.
I've gotten to the point where having attractive guys but ugly women in a game is a massive red flag for me as then it means this is a self insert game and there's likely to be a lot of ideology in the narrative too. So just want to hear your guys takes if having attractive female characters even affects the shows and games you play/watch.
To answer your title: A lot.
There is a reason why we choose the word "attractive" to describe physically appealing people. It attracts us. That this basic truth has somehow become demonized and twisted is honestly discouraging to see.
I despise people who react with variants of "go touch grass" or "just masturbate to porn" when someone wants beautiful people in a video game. No one masturbates to cleavage. It's just pleasant to look at.
Referring to your second paragraph, you can tell how full of it they are on that front as you should hear the screeching that happens when you take their hot men away.
I may be misremembering, but I swear there was a romance game where all the options where hot single dads, some artist gender bent them as fan art and they harassed the shit out of them for doing that.