Do we need more LGBTQ+ protagonists in video games?

[Swarles]

To get right down to it without getting into a whole spiel about it, there is a lack of protagonists in video games that fall outside of the heterosexual norm. Now I'm not talking about games like Mass Effect or Dragon Age where main characters can choose whether to be heterosexual or not. I'm talking about games where the protagonist has been written as being LGBTQ+. Off the top of my head I can only think of My Ex-Boyfriend the Space Tyrant and maybe Gone Home if we can stretch the definition of what constitutes a protagonist. Read Only Memories promises to be more LGBT friendly as a video game but it's not clear at whether or not the main character will be heterosexual.

This also isn't just a matter of inclusion. Yes I would like to see more protagonists that I can relate more closely to as a gay male but I that's not the only reason I would like more LGBT characters. There's just so many more varied stories you can tell if you don't just stick to the rigid formula that seems to be in place for video games.

I'm not saying I dislike games with heterosexual protagonists, I mean if I did what would I have to play. I also understand why there are not very many games with protagonists that are explicitly LGBTQ+, video games want to appeal to the core demographic of heterosexual 16-30 year old men and I get that. I just want a little more breaking of the mould.

Anyway, enough of me talking, I want to know the users' opinions on the matter.

 

[Elfgore]

Do I think we need more? Not really. The game industry won't crash because of a lack of LGBT characters. Now, could we use some more? Of course we could. We could use anyone who isn't a brown-haired, white guy. Though I don't really see how having a character be gay or straight would change anything other than a potential romantic interest. The only other thing that comes to mind could be given to any character. I guess variety is always nice though.

I'll stand by my usual point of we could use some more LGBT characters, but we shouldn't be shaming or demanding developers to make them. Of course, sometimes variables pop up that do change my opinion.

 

[Auberon]

As long as they are well-written and have a meaning behind them existing, sexuality doesn't matter. But of course those Tumblrinas have to ruin everything by actively focusing on a single aspect of a character, without concern for anything else.

I am not losing my faith in Internet anymore than usual...

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Need is a strong word. I'm thinking more along the lines of "want".

 

[Weaver]

I imagine there are probably a ton of indie games out there that do, but no one has ever heard of them.

For example, "You are the reason" has a transgendered protagonist.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

well the industry could use more characters like those, but i can imagine it can be somewhat unconfortable for people to take control of a LBTQ character, adding them as side characters would be nice

As long as they are well-written and have a meaning behind them existing, sexuality doesn't matter. But of course those Tumblrinas have to ruin everything by actively focusing on a single aspect of a character, without concern for anything else.

I am not losing my faith in Internet anymore than usual...

also this

 

[spartandude]

As a bisexual i would say as many people have said, we dont "need" more. However it would be really nice to have less White 30 something brown haired heterosexual americans, and more of everyone else.

 

[Batou667]

Sexuality so rarely comes up in games - in a meaningful way, anyway - that just labeling a character gay or bi or trans would just be meaningless fluff. For all we know Doomguy is gay, Pac Man is trans and Sonic is a 23-year old virgin wearing a fursuit. It doesn't change the gameplay.

But in general, yeah, games could stand to be more diverse, and if adding LGBT characters opened up more interesting and new stories in games, then I'm all for it.

 

[bbchain]

We need developers willing to take the risk of including LGBT protagonists. I'm reminded of the struggle Dontnod had with being able market a "girly" female protagonist without it being "awkward for the player". Imagine how much more difficult it could be to try to create an openly gay or transgender character without it being a hidden characteristic or tossed in like Axton in Borderlands 2.

Captcha: woof woof

 

[Phasmal]

Yes, we do.

The often-parroted `But x (sexuality/gender/race) shouldn't matter!`- tends to fall flat in that if it did not matter then there would be no reason NOT to include more of x. So yes.

I dunno. Maybe there is something in the endless parade of straight white guys that I just don't see, but changing a few of them up doesn't seem particularly earth-shaking to me.

 

[Gankytim]

Wait, when the fuck did they add the Q? What's it stand for? Is the Q an official thing or is it another one of those made up tumblr identities people use to yell at other people?

 

[Colour Scientist]

Need? Maybe not.
Should we have more? Absolutely.

I imagine this thread will descend into people complaining about "tokenism" though, it always happens when people want a character that isn't the default.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Wait, when the fuck did they add the Q? What's it stand for? Is the Q an official thing or is it another one of those made up tumblr identities people use to yell at other people?

It stands for Queer.

This forum is so obsessed with Tumblr, it's insane.
Not everything comes from bloody Tumblr.

I'd love to know how many people who actually drone on and on about Tumblr have ever spent a considerable amount of time there and how many have just seen other people talking about it.

 

[go-10]

as long as they add to the story or gameplay in a good way I don't see why not. If it's irrelevant in both cases I don't see what's the point, like Lara Croft in the Tom Raider reboot. what was the point of saying she was a lesbian? It didn't add anything to the story or character development

 

[Erttheking]

The word "More" implies that there were some to begin with and I have a hard time thinking of any LGBT protagonists in games. Trevor is the only one I can think of at the moment.

 

[Gankytim]

Wait, when the fuck did they add the Q? What's it stand for? Is the Q an official thing or is it another one of those made up tumblr identities people use to yell at other people?

It stands for Queer.

So it's pointless?

This forum is so obsessed with Tumblr, it's insane.
Not everything comes from bloody Tumblr.

I'd love to know how many people who actually drone on and on about Tumblr have ever spent a considerable amount of time there and how many have just seen other people talking about it.

Yes I have, I actually spent a considerable amount of time in their Cult of Privilege and Social Justice so I can safely assume when something comes from them.

 

[Erttheking]

as long as they add to the story or gameplay in a good way I don't see why not. If it's irrelevant in both cases I don't see what's the point, like Lara Croft in the Tom Raider reboot. what was the point of saying she was a lesbian? It didn't add anything to the story or character development

To be perfectly honest, did her being a woman add anything to the story or character development? Did her being British add anything? Did her being white add anything? I don't see why it has to add to anything, why can't a person just be gay? If Lara was heterosexual it didn't add anything to the story of character development, why is being gay so different?

 

[Colour Scientist]

Wait, when the fuck did they add the Q? What's it stand for? Is the Q an official thing or is it another one of those made up tumblr identities people use to yell at other people?

It stands for Queer.

So it's pointless?

This forum is so obsessed with Tumblr, it's insane.
Not everything comes from bloody Tumblr.

I'd love to know how many people who actually drone on and on about Tumblr have ever spent a considerable amount of time there and how many have just seen other people talking about it.

Yes I have, I actually spent a considerable amount of time in their Cult of Privilege and Social Justice so I can safely assume when something comes from them.

Well, unless Tumblr was around in the 1990s, that's not where it comes from.

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

I have to question that claim considering that this hardly came from them. To be honest it sounds like you're just stereotyping.