Poll: Do You Think A Game With A Homosexual Lead Could Survive?

[Rooster Cogburn]

I wouldn't play it, but if it was a good game, I'm sure it would find a market in homosexuals and self-hating liberal types.

 

[Thanatos34]

It happened with Fear Effect, so sure.

Never heard of this game, and the wiki entry said nothing about the lead being gay, which I think it would mention. Who was gay? Hana, Glas, or Deke?

Also, this would probably be the best way to do it in RPG form, have the gamer play a few different characters and have one of them be gay.

Edit: Any game that sells it's rights to Uwe Boll... ugh. Shun it. SHUN IT. But did this game do well?

 

[WrongSprite]

I Don't recall link being gay and IDK if its been asked before lol I didn't ask if it had xD. And I don't mean like how you can choose to be gay in Fable I mean like what if a new Tales game came out (I'm a big Tales fan) and the love intrest was Man and Man

We care if its been asked before because a million of these threads already fucking exist

Scuse m'language.

 

[runtheplacered]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

 

[Fbuh]

It's a difficult topic to walk around. It would mainly depend on the game itself, as the fan base for a particular genre would be more or less forgiving depending on that genre. It also depends on locale,as I think that a game with a homosexual lead would be less embraced in areas like America, one of the largest gamin nations in the world. I think it would be interesting to see done, just becasue it hasn't really been done before in a linear game.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

 

[Thanatos34]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

It's in my DNA. I am heterosexual. Playing a game, especially RPGs, is normally about playing someone who is doing something you wish you could do.
Mass Effect- Fly around the stars, make out with alien chicks- Hell yeah.
Jade Empire- Master of kung fu, and other forms of martial arts, and getting two girls at one time- hell yeah.
Being a gay guy- hell no.

I do not wish I was a gay guy. Because I am not, that would be something that I would have to assimilate, in addition to whatever situation I was put in.

Therefore, though I could put myself in the place of all the other guys, (although, I must admit, I don't actually play any games where the protagonist is an out-and-out murderer, ala GTA), I could not put myself in the place of a gay guy. I could not see myself being him. In an RPG setting, it simply would not click with me.

 

[Joselyn]

I know you're new and all, but this has been done to death. The search bar is your friend
OT: Yes, if the first game that he/she/it appeared in was done well.[/quote

You tell 'em....the amount of newbies who have copied my threads...grr

 

[Thanatos34]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

QFT. I am tired of people throwing the word homophobe around just because I think it's gross when two guys kiss, (and yes, I can admit to my own hypocrisy, two girls kissing doesn't bother me in the slightest). I can be okay with their culture, without wishing I was part of it.

 

[runtheplacered]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

Are we talking about a video game with sex scenes in it? I'm imagining Assassin's Creed, only he happened to like guys. It doesn't change the game any. It's still Assassin's Creed. (just an example.) If we're talking about full-on sex scenes, that's another story. But a protagonist who just happens to be gay doesn't change anything.

 

[runtheplacered]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

QFT. I am tired of people throwing the word homophobe around just because I am not psyched out when a gay guy "scores." I can be okay with their culture, without wishing I was part of it.

I don't even know what the hell you're talking about. You're on a completely different subject, apparently.

 

[God's Clown]

Can if it is well-rounded entertaining game.

 

[xenxander]

We almost had it.
.Hack had a support character who was rather homosexual (you know whom I'm talking about if you played them).

 

[runtheplacered]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

It's in my DNA. I am heterosexual. Playing a game, especially RPGs, is normally about playing someone who is doing something you wish you could do.
Mass Effect- Fly around the stars, make out with alien chicks- Hell yeah.
Jade Empire- Master of kung fu, and other forms of martial arts, and getting two girls at one time- hell yeah.
Being a gay guy- hell no.

I do not wish I was a gay guy. Because I am not, that would be something that I would have to assimilate, in addition to whatever situation I was put in.

Therefore, though I could put myself in the place of all the other guys, (although, I must admit, I don't actually play any games where the protagonist is an out-and-out murderer, ala GTA), I could not put myself in the place of a gay guy. I could not see myself being him. In an RPG setting, it simply would not click with me.

All of your examples have to do with making out with alien chicks and getting two girls at one time. What does this have to do with anything? I guess I missed the part where the video game suddenly has explicit sex scenes.

You don't wish to be gay. That's fine. I don't either. So what?

 

[Florion]

Point to you.

However, I very rarely play games where the lead must be female, for the exact same reasons, (Off the top of my head, for PC, I really can't think of any that I have played. Never played the Croft series. Hmm, I know I've done so, now this is going to annoy me). Other males that do, do not come at it from the position that they are being the lead character, but rather that... well. I don't really need to spell that out now, do I?

I think the position would be exacerbated in a situation where the character MUST be gay. This is the point that others are missing. Jade Empire is one of my favorite RPGs ever. In Jade Empire there is no less than 6 different romances available, (M+Dawn Star+Silk Fox, M+ Dawn Star, M+Silk Fox, M+Sky, F+Silk Fox, F+Sky), two of which are homosexual. However, the character has the choice to make the lead character gay/lesbian, if they want to do so.

Why then, would you make a character that must be gay/lesbian, and alienate 75% of your customers before they even buy the game? (A gay character would do this, I am almost certain. A lesbian character, you might be able to get away with, because of the demographic you are selling to.) A teenage boy will play as a female, and in this case, they do not fantasize about being the person they are playing, they come at it from a different standpoint, as mentioned earlier.

I think it might also depend on what type of genre the game is. An RPG game, where you normally get "in character"... not so much. An RTS game would be entirely different, for obvious reasons.

Edit: AHHA! It was Beyond Good and Evil. Jade. See now, give me a story like that, and I could care less what the protagonist looks like.

I see where you're coming at with the alienation thing; games that try to be open-minded about the sexuality and other aspects of the protagonist won't make money because of the market video games are geared towards, and therefore such games won't be made. I just think it's sad that such a vicious cycle exists. Major game developers typically don't make adventurous games because they won't be bought; certain gamers (or people who don't know they're gamers?) don't buy [stereotypical?] games because they're [misogynist, lack plot, etc.].

xP It's wishful thinking to hope that that would change, I guess.

 

[Thanatos34]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

QFT. I am tired of people throwing the word homophobe around just because I think it's gross when two guys kiss. I can be okay with their culture, without wishing I was part of it.

I don't even know what the hell you're talking. You're on a completely different subject, apparently.

We are talking about gaming and gayness, correct? I was simply pointing something out regarding this. Read back in the topic a few posts.

 

[runtheplacered]

I wouldn't play it. Nothing against gay people, I just wouldn't be able to feel comfortable playing the part of a gay man. It would ruin the game for me.

But you would play the part of a guy who kills people? Or a guy who flies around the universe? Or a guy with a mohawk? How about a game where you play anything that isn't you?

Why would you say "nothing against gay people" and then say something like that? Seems like that is kinda "against" them.

Those questions aren't just rhetorical by the way. I really do wonder at what point your mind switches off and on reality versus fantasy in a video game. As a heterosexual, I can't imagine giving a shit about what sexuality the protagonist is. Can't relate to that at all.

I'm kind of in his same boat. If you just told me in advance he was gay and it never came up, I guess it wouldn't make any difference. But I'm not gay, and as such I don't see any entertainment value in gay relationships. It would be weird to watch for me, and that's totally normal. I don't have to be like homosexuals or share in their culture, just respect them.

QFT. I am tired of people throwing the word homophobe around just because I think it's gross when two guys kiss. I can be okay with their culture, without wishing I was part of it.

I don't even know what the hell you're talking. You're on a completely different subject, apparently.

We are talking about gaming and gayness, correct? I was simply pointing something out regarding this. Read back in the topic a few posts.

You're talking about not wishing to be a part of the gay culture. Nobody is asking you to do this. Why are people imagining a video game with rainbows, making out with men, and sex scenes? I'm imagining a normal video game, where nothing changes, only the protagonist happens to have a background of being gay.