Putting beautiful, half-naked women on the cover would be sound marketing plan, certainly, but it would also be catering to the lowest common denominator. Not to mention that it'll only make the already-awful stereotype of "those losers who read fantasy/play RPGs" worse. I also find half-naked fantasy women ridiculous, since going into battle wearing chainmail bikini and high-heel battle pumps would get you killed pretty quick. Earrings would let enemies grab you and cause you great pain; ditto for long hair. Lack of sword sheath -- because these bikini-chainmail girls never have one -- is simply impractical; ditto for lack of backpacks/pouches/etc. Women with figures like stick with melons glued on will simply not be able to lift a sword, much less swing one. (Hello, people: steel swords are heavy. Swinging one hurts and will callouse your hands to boot.) Petite women would suffer from lack of height (and therefore reach, although being short can let you get into your opponent's guard, but that's neither here nor there, because I'm going into the actual physics of fencing/swordplay).
Yes, I may read and write fantasy, but I prefer to stay within a reasonable range of reality, thank you.
Additionally, I thought the woman on the cover of DD was... less than... appealing to look at, but that may be just me.
I can't help but wonder if the game would have even more publicity and sales if the DK was soulforged with blonde female warior or mage.
What? You can play a female character, you know.
