Summary
Pride is here again, where there’s tension behind the joy, as LGBTQ+ rights are threatened one way or another by the powers that be. Not that it’s been easy before, but things have gotten harder, as there’s always one place that’s a new ruling, law, or full regime change away from making queer people go from living their lives to going on the run.
Still, they can’t put the genie back in the bottle. The LGBTQ+ community has been here before, is here now, and will still be around in the future. It’s even in video games, where its representation has varied over the decades. The stereotypes of the past have given way to some interesting and intriguing characters who have clicked with people of all stripes.
TheLife is Strangegames are home toquite a few LGBTQ+ characters. Alex Chen inLiS: True Colorscan hook up with a boyfriend or a girlfriend, the latter being the “queer and proud, musical, nerdy powerhouse” Steph Gingrich. Nonetheless, it all started withMaxine ‘Max’ Caufieldand her friendChloe Price, as she uses her newfound powers to help her find her missing friend, Rachel Amber.
Like Chen, players can step up their relationship with Chloe to something more or pair her up with her guy friend Warren. Yet her story with the former is what drives the game’s plot. It took Chloe getting attacked to awaken Max’s time-manipulating powers, and the plot is just as much about the two reconnecting after years apart as it is about finding Rachel. Chloe might not be Max’s only romanceable option, but it’s the one with the most narrative meat.
For many gamers,VivianfromPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doormight’ve been their first transgender video game character. She’s certainly one of the more positive examples compared to her forebears, likeSuper Mario Bros. 2’s Birdo orFinal Fight’s Poison. Though this depends on where they’re from. In the original Japanese, the story spelled Vivian’s status pretty clearly, as her sister Beldam bullies her for it, which later causes Vivian toswitch over to Mario’s side.
Many of its other localizations kept it too, with the Italian version being particularly direct. But the original English localization skipped over it entirely to maintain the game’s E rating. Not that this stopped Anglophone players from figuring it out, as young fans were able to discover what got lost in translation online. It’s since been reinstated in the Switch remake, but by then, people had already accepted Vivian as a popular trans character.
With the next few chapters ofDeltarunedue for release soon at the time of this writing, it’s only fair that the queer characters from its predecessor,Undertale, receive some recognition. Though depending on how one gets through the game, players would either get a hint that there was more toUndyneandAlphys’ relationship or get nothing at all. Genocide players would only get a difficult boss fight with Undyne while never seeing Alphys at all.
Only Pacifist players would see their softer sides and help the two express their feelings to each other through mock dates, misunderstandings, and some backup from Papyrus. It’s sweet and honest while being goofy, given it involves Undyne dunking Alphys into a trash can and having a crisis over anime not being real. But love makes people do odd things sometimes.
When it comes to discussing thebest LGBTQ+ characters in video games, it’s likely that gamers will expect at least one character fromThe Last of Usand its sequel to come up. It’s usuallyElliethat gets the nod, as she’s one of the key protagonists. Even then, her doomed romance with Riley inTLOU: Left Behindoffered a touching, bittersweet experience. Her relationship withDinainTLOU2becomes equally tense, as she manages to form a family with her, but it’s not enough to douse her need for vengeance.
While their plot is a key part of the story, there’s another character inTLOU2that caught fans’ attention:Lev, the trans man who was forced to go on the run after coming out to his peers in the Seraphite cult. With them in pursuit, his elder sister left in their clutches, and unresolved issues with his mother, he’s got a lot to handle. On top of that, he acts as the figurativeangel on Abby’s shoulder, keeping her worst impulses in check as they help each other out.
Dragon Age: Inquisitionis home to a host of popular queer characters. Some of them can even all hang out together.Iron Bull,the pansexual Qunari leader of the Chargers, came to the aid ofCremisius ‘Krem’ Aclassiwhen he was outed as trans in the Tevinter army. It cost him an eye, but as a result, he gained a bold fighter in Krem, whose smarts and skilled combat saw him become Bull’s second-in-command.
In turn, the player could recruit their own Tevinter native inDorian Parvus, a cocky mage who wears his sexuality as boldly as his magic skills. Yet he’s still conflicted; he fell out with the Imperium and was branded an outcast. Being gay didn’t help things with his family either. If the player made their Inquisitor male, they could woo Dorian to learn more about him. Otherwise, Dorian would find a place in Iron Bull’s heart instead.
It’s likely that some players didn’t knowMadelinefromCelestewas trans, as, according to the game’s creator Maddy Thorson,she didn’t know eitherduring its development. It was something that became more obvious to her in hindsight, as Madeline’s journey to reach the top of the titular mountain and come to terms with her reflection ended up reflecting some of Maddy’s own journey towards her gender identity. She wasn’t the only one either.
Her story struck a chord with other trans people who had similar crises of confidence, identity, etc., to Madeline. Like Maddy, it might’ve even been the nudge that helped them realize what was going on. Though, since Madeline’s story ended up being more subtextual than, say, Vivian orGuilty Gear’s Bridget, it also clicked with cis people who’ve had issues with anxiety, etc. In Maddy’s words, it showed that “the chasm between transness and cisness isn’t such a wide gulf.”
GivenHadesis all about Greek mythology, it’s likely no surprise that its cast of characters would have more open sexualities. The gods in its canon have had all sorts of leanings one way or another. The game just made them more charming by comparison, with its protagonist,Zagreus, being one of the more appealing examples. After all, reaching Olympus from the underworld requires a silver tongue as well as nerves of steel.
Zagreus has no issue with trying to woo Megaera of the Furies or Thanatos, the god of death, during his quest to earn one boon or another to make his journey easier. His charms just happened to work with players too, as they fell for his confident demeanor, polite manners, and naivety about the world beyond Hades. In a sea of grunting buzzcuts for male leads, this bisexual, polyamorous charmer was a standout.
AsCyberpunk 2077had its issues ironed out, players really got absorbed into its world. Even if they didn’t care about the story, they had plenty of side missions to get involved in that really fleshed its futuristic metropolis out. They could even romance characters, though likeDA:I, some of the supporting can only be charmed if players make their V under one gender and body type or another.
This meant there were quite a few disappointed guys when they learned their male V couldn’t wooJudy Alvarez. She’s a tech genius who’s all too eager to fight against the system while being empathetic enough to help anyone in need. Edgy yet endearing, it was enough to make players want to get to know her more. But only a female V can see what makes her tick, provided theymake the right choices in her missions.
Many romance stories tend to be about how steamy they eventually get. It’s how it worked out inMass Effect, which would then get spoofed in other games likeSaints Row 4(“Hey Kinzie, wanna f***?”). But not everyone sees love that way. They might be more likeParvati HolcombfromThe Outer Worlds, who’s possibly become the most popular asexual character in video games. At least, she’s the most popular one that spells it out openly and doesn’t use it as a gag.
It was part of her design from the beginning, but her trials and tribulations were based partially on co-creator Kate Dollarhyde’s own experiences as an asexual. This made Parvati’s struggles feel more authentic, as she was worried her burgeoning relationship with Junlei might end like her others did: with her being called ‘cold’ or compared to robots for keeping things cool under the collar, so to speak. In turn, it helped hercatch on with fans, as they got to know her better through her questlines.
TLOU2andDA:Ihave seen trans men catch on as supporting characters, but the people behindTell Me Whydecided to make one the protagonist. It followed the telepathic twins Alyson andTyler Ronanreuniting after a decade apart in order to investigate the death of their mother. However, their powers show they don’t necessarily remember events the same way and that memory can be fallible.
Dontnod Entertainment wanted to make him feel as realistic as possible, consulting GLAAD among multiple sources in order to help design him without making him feel like a stereotype. His transition plays a significant part in his story, from his biggest moments to small reminders, but it’s just one part of his life that players get to grips with, alongside his loves, trauma, and drama.
