When you’re telling a story about a war that happened, it helps to be historically accurate. You will receive criticism otherwise.
To say it was specifically because people didn’t like female characters in their game is intellectually dishonest. Especially when many men choose to play female characters in games where it is an option, and especially when many alternate games with female characters exist and are not criticized for it.
It was a historical criticism, and a valid one.
If you scroll to the bottom of my OP, you’ll see I added it myself just a few minutes ago