When it comes For convertible and non-binary representation, the game industry is in a state of flux. Change is happening, especially in standalone contexts, but it’s a long process that creates an unpredictable backdrop. New releases that have the opportunity to challenge the status quo are often lacking, as seen in the initial response to Cyberpunk 2077: Fans were divided on whether the inclusion of a transgender character outweighs the phobia during gameplay.
Even other so-called best efforts, like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Our Last 2, based on religion and trauma. It becomes a tired tapestry of clichés and misunderstandings, coupled with a lack of LGBTQIA+ conversations. If the developers take the time to talk to a lot of LGBTQ+ players, they’ll appreciate the nuance needed to create full-blown gay characters. Instead, exploiting trauma – specifically transgender trauma – is often a focus, an issue that can be eliminated if multiple transformative inputs are discussed.
The LGBTQ+ gaming scene is “deteriorating,” Phoebe Zeitler, a transgender gamer, told WIRED.
Currently, representation is discrete; for each hit there are some misses and hits usually come from Indie game developers create new stories, which is not a traditional, risk-averse AAA publisher. The game has always struggled to properly portray LGBTQ+ characters, with previous generations using transgender as a joke, like in the Grand Theft Auto series. Sadly, the precedent of questionable portraits has gotten worse.
Learn from big budgeting mistakes
An example of where well-meaning inclusion falls low is 2020 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and introduced a third gender option in its character customization tools. As Activision adds a non-binary/switch option to the game, it seems to be making progress—players on the LGBTQ+ spectrum will finally feel properly included.
Unfortunately, what Activision did was introduce a “classified” feature instead of a specific non-binary/conversion feature. While aggressively touting the feature as a gender-neutral alternative, the reality is that Activision has eschewed its gender reassignment commitment entirely, using the easy “other” option instead. It turns a potentially progressive stance into a sour experience.
There’s a “categorized” option that might feel appropriate given the game’s military missions, redacted files, and secret, stealthy storyline. However, as soon as you realize that the male and female options are still the same, “sorted” suddenly takes on a sinister tone. However, it inadvertently reinforces the idea that non-binary and transgender characters (and their players) are “others”, somehow outside the accepted norm.
When Activision announced this option, the news was met both praise and disdain from fans. Supporters of this decision could not understand the point, asking why anyone would even take offense with this choice. Those opposed to the move, meanwhile, are behind the all-too-familiar rallying cry for “historical accuracy” to cover up their own homophobia or transphobia.
But Call of Duty hardly alone. Also infamous is September 2020 Cyberpunk 2077, a game that promises a lot, but all but crashed and burned within a few weeks of release. While bugs cemented its fate, the game managed to offer some form of transformational representation through its character customization. Players can choose typical options such as hair, makeup, and gender, but they are also allowed to choose their character’s genitals regardless of the gender they’ve chosen, segregated appropriately. sex are from biological sex.
