LGBTQ+ Representation through Gameplay
(Image credit: CD Projekt RED)
Empowering Individuality through Mechanics
With Pride month halfway over, The Load Screen spotlights other ways games are LGBTQ+ inclusive through gameplay. These are titles that respect player decisions for non-heteronormative options without prioritizing any preference. Some titles only give a limited opportunity for LGBTQ+ storylines. Others free the gameplay by recognizing many gender paths. The Load Screen covers games with mechanics and storylines that offer a broad audience an LGBTQ+ friendly experience.
Some developers implement a limited number of alternative storyline options that players may miss entirely. Cyberpunk 2077 represents this type of game since it offers several love interests but requires specific gender and voice type except for Meredith Stout. She is the easiest interest to miss since her story arc happens early in the game and requires triggering her conversation within a limited time. However, Cyberpunk 2077 does not back away from gratuity, so the gamer can always purchase the time of a Night City citizen of any gender.
While games such as Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla have all relationships pursuable by both the male and female Eivor, it leads to interesting dynamics since the player can readily swap between sexes through a menu. A relationship can start with the male Eivor, and the same relation holds after gender-swapping. Additionally, the same gifts and cheesy lines work no matter which gender Eivor currently has selected. This technique offers an openness for Eivor’s sexuality that blurs norms in unexpected ways even into the new expansion Wrath of the Druids.
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Another set of games with potential LGBTQ+ storylines and characters are Life is Strange 1 and 2. Scenes such as Sean discussing sexuality from the Life is Strange official blog page show a glimpse of the openness that awaits the gamer in both titles. Decisions made in Life is Strange can complete a lost love between Max and Chloe, but the two young friends’ fate and all of Arcadia Bay are in the player’s hands. If the player has never experienced the first game, the remastered version releases September 29, 2021, on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, according to the Life is Strange website.
Titles such as Stardew Valley feature a list of potential partners that gamers can court no matter which gender selected. According to the official Stardew Valley Wiki marriage page, there are 12 villagers for a player of equally divided sexes. Each love interest has different tastes, and once married, those choices show up in dedicated rooms and exterior sections. Since the developer, ConcernedApe left the options open without limitation; a simple farming game becomes connectable for LGBTQ+ players while not shunning other sexual preferences.
Then there is Sims 4 from EA. Not only are all types of relationship options available, but even genetics creation is also inclusive. According to the complete player’s guide attached to the Sims 4 FAQ page, any two can combine through DNA to create a new blended Sim child as long as the Sims are of appropriate age. In addition, Sims 4 constantly adds new mechanics and details to this 7-year-old title while remaining open to LGBTQ+ players. Expect the latest DLC called Cottage Living on July 22, 2021, as shown on the Sims 4 expansion packs page.
Game developers are finding ways to extend inclusion, and there are now so many titles with subtle LGBTQ+ gameplay mechanics and plots that could not fit in one article. Find the inclusive games listed on most platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and more. Some LGBTQ+ friendly games lack the graphic nature of Cyberpunk 2077 but respect any alternative sexuality in a respective manner that does not require complexity, such as Stardew Valley.
