Queer representation matters in games
In the dim distant past, when my folks had no television and spoglet me was neck deep in books at school, the British government introduced Section 28 that essentially banned all representation of LGBTQI+ people from schools and the public space. None of my books had queer folk, none of my early computer games, and living in a Christian household none of my parents’ circle were expressively queer (though some led queer lives). Quelle surprise when I discovered trans women’s stories through various magazines around aged 9, and something just clicked. This was who I was.
Fast forward through teenage years spent at an all-boys school and mixed sex college, then university to do a social and cultural history degree. Throughout that period I never doubted my identity, yet there were no real role models in the books, films, or games I enjoyed. Never being part of the television generation meant that I had no idea of what queer and trans identities were, and by the time my reality intersected with the amazing queer folk I would meet at university I was a complete stranger to queerness and trans identities outside of what I could glean on the early internet (yay Geocities).
I know I was very fortunate in having rock solid understanding of my gender, and to a degree my sexuality, but many people are not. Many question, search for role models, hope to find answers in the media they consume. They seek to find heroes and central characters who can help shape a positive understanding of the world. For a very long time the world has either excluded or vilified their identities, from Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs to Little Britain trans identities were the butt of jokes and distain. Queer as Folk broke the mould, and alongside Brookside brought normalised queerness to the mainstream.
Games took a long time to catch up, especially games catering to mainstream audiences. Studios and developers were either too scared of audience reaction or had homophobic leads who rejected queer characters as anything other than base tropes. I know there are earlier games that touch positively on queer characters, though this is my personal experience with finding queerness in gaming. My first time playing Dragon Age: Origins lit up my jaded gamer heart, because while it certainly was not perfect in its representation allowed a romance between two women that had depth, passion, and they both kicked arse. The excitement of playing the whole game through and experiencing the joy they have for each other brought glee to an RPG that I never thought possible.
Thus, my love for PC RPGs was born. Mass Effect had me squeeing over Liara, and yes, I know she is the intended love interest and is not female in the traditional sense, but femme Shep and her love scene transcended something that I never realised was missing. Namely, the fact that most mass media does not have easy going homoromantic relationships, usually same-sex couples are put through the ringer and one ends up dead. Technically, by the end of Mass Effect 3 this may be the case, but that is true for the heteromantic relationships Shepherd can have. It gives depth to all the romances, straight, queer, and homoromantic. In doing so it provides positive examples to teenagers seeking role models; a kick arse central character who can romance someone of the same gender and takes pride in it. The series in not without its flaws, especially in male homoerotic romances, but overall Bioware build a sprawling epic that puts queerness at the very heart. I felt like I had found my unicorn, and for me it was a flag planted stating this was how things should be done at the bare minimum.
Some may argue that games need to be anodyne and sex free, that all that matters is the action or the story. Others argue that relationships of all varieties need to be included to allow broad and deep stories. As is ever true, games are commercial products that need to sell for studios to continue. This complicates any arguments about queerness, as while I will be the first to shout for absolute representation, studios have historically been wary of queerness because audiences have either rebelled against it or simply not bought the product. As a queer consumer I reject the notion that queer characters do not sell, The Last of Us 1&2 being clear examples of a queer central character who is not hidden in the shadows and that have shifted significant volume. That it took nearly 50 years for the mainstream games industry to put a queer character on the cover and in their adverts says all that needs to be said about how cautious the industry is.
I am certain not the first writer or academic to pick up on this, and it is certainly something that is an evolving subject. Ten years ago, when ME:1 was at its peak, the intimacy between femme Shep and Liara caused major conversations and outrage in certain circles. In 2020 Ellie from LoU:2 caused similar controversy, though for issues relating to violence and the sama-sex kiss in the trailer. Through it all queer gamers have slowly been getting deeper and more interesting queer characters to play with, a good example being Cassandra from Assassins Creed: Odyssey is fully fleshed out, flawed, and has some interesting same-sex relationships. By normalising these relationships and characters studios empower queer gamers, giving us potential role models and heroes that we can relate to.
In addition, by normalising queerness, games studios are broadening mainstream understanding and acceptance of LGBTQI+ issues. They are showing we are heroes, adventurers, can save the world, or be part of something amazing. Not every story has to be epic, but by placing queer characters alongside their straight compadres they turn us from exceptionalised ‘other’ to a normal part of the gaming tapestry. This normalisation breaks down barriers, removes the them and us feel of queer characters, and enables non-queer people to see fulfilled queer lives that are equal to their own. It brings equity and diversity, and makes the greater whole stronger. Having each other’s backs is as vital to a gaming experience as blowing shit up, and by having queer characters and straight characters back-to-back studios show that we are all in this together.
In bedrooms around the world queer kids are picking up pads, typing on keyboards, sharing adventures based on these and many other amazing queer characters. In a world were being queer is not easy at times, having them allows an escape into something empowering and enriching. Their identities will be forged in the light of knowledge, knowing that they have characters who they can relate to. Thus, empowered, they walk into the world head high, proud to be who they are.
