Thoughts on the changing representation of the LGBT community in games?
So at college I'm preparing for a research based exam for BTEC based on how LGBT representation is changing/has changed in video games, and I was wondering if people would be able to co-operate/help me gather some primary research?
1) What are your thoughts on LGBT characters in gaming today (examples include Ellie in The Last of Us 2, Max in Life is Strange, Alexios/Kassandra in AC Odyssey) and how they are represented?
2) How do you think this representation has changed in the past few years? Say, LGBT Representation and general thoughts around it in games in 2010 vs today.
3) How do you think it has impacted the video game community? E.g. people becoming more accepting of LGBT people in general
4) What ways do you feel the changing representation of the LGBT community could be improved in games?
5) How has the changing representation of LGBT in games impacted your personal life, if you're part of this community? (feel free to skip if you'd rather not talk about it)
Lastly, any more thoughts on the topic? It's meant to be less of a survey/questionnaire and more of a discussion
1) What are your thoughts on LGBT characters in gaming today (examples include Ellie in The Last of Us 2, Max in Life is Strange, Alexios/Kassandra in AC Odyssey) and how they are represented?
2) How do you think this representation has changed in the past few years? Say, LGBT Representation and general thoughts around it in games in 2010 vs today.
3) How do you think it has impacted the video game community? E.g. people becoming more accepting of LGBT people in general
4) What ways do you feel the changing representation of the LGBT community could be improved in games?
5) How has the changing representation of LGBT in games impacted your personal life, if you're part of this community? (feel free to skip if you'd rather not talk about it)
Lastly, any more thoughts on the topic? It's meant to be less of a survey/questionnaire and more of a discussion
LGBT+ people are massively underrepresented in games.
Original post by DanF_2000
So at college I'm preparing for a research based exam for BTEC based on how LGBT representation is changing/has changed in video games, and I was wondering if people would be able to co-operate/help me gather some primary research?
1) What are your thoughts on LGBT characters in gaming today (examples include Ellie in The Last of Us 2, Max in Life is Strange, Alexios/Kassandra in AC Odyssey) and how they are represented?
2) How do you think this representation has changed in the past few years? Say, LGBT Representation and general thoughts around it in games in 2010 vs today.
3) How do you think it has impacted the video game community? E.g. people becoming more accepting of LGBT people in general
4) What ways do you feel the changing representation of the LGBT community could be improved in games?
5) How has the changing representation of LGBT in games impacted your personal life, if you're part of this community? (feel free to skip if you'd rather not talk about it)
Lastly, any more thoughts on the topic? It's meant to be less of a survey/questionnaire and more of a discussion
1) What are your thoughts on LGBT characters in gaming today (examples include Ellie in The Last of Us 2, Max in Life is Strange, Alexios/Kassandra in AC Odyssey) and how they are represented?
2) How do you think this representation has changed in the past few years? Say, LGBT Representation and general thoughts around it in games in 2010 vs today.
3) How do you think it has impacted the video game community? E.g. people becoming more accepting of LGBT people in general
4) What ways do you feel the changing representation of the LGBT community could be improved in games?
5) How has the changing representation of LGBT in games impacted your personal life, if you're part of this community? (feel free to skip if you'd rather not talk about it)
Lastly, any more thoughts on the topic? It's meant to be less of a survey/questionnaire and more of a discussion
It doesn't bother me at all whether characters in games are LGBT or not, I don't play games with sexuality or even gender in mind.
I play them because I enjoy the gameplay, core mechanics and sometimes the plot. Rarely are any of those things connected to sexuality or gender.
My current gaming obsession is Hitman 2 with Agent 47 in the lead role, by all accounts he is probably asexual, he lives to kill. Is his sexuality or lack thereof relevant to the game? No, does it make any difference? No.
Society in general is becoming more accepting of LGBT so it is only logical that games designers who tend to be fairly liberal are reflecting this change.
I play them because I enjoy the gameplay, core mechanics and sometimes the plot. Rarely are any of those things connected to sexuality or gender.
My current gaming obsession is Hitman 2 with Agent 47 in the lead role, by all accounts he is probably asexual, he lives to kill. Is his sexuality or lack thereof relevant to the game? No, does it make any difference? No.
Society in general is becoming more accepting of LGBT so it is only logical that games designers who tend to be fairly liberal are reflecting this change.
1) No problem with it as long as it's realistic.
2) Of course it's a lot more prevalent now, although there was the odd character that would pop up. One of the great antagonists in gaming, Revolver Ocelot from the Metal Gear Solid series, was heavily insinuated as being gay or bi without it ever needing to be confirmed or denied. But there were minor characters, like a teammate from Binary Domain who wasn't all "hey look I'm a lesbian", she was just there in the background.
3) I reject the notion of a 'community'. People who play games play games, and there are forums online where a few specific demographics can be found. On forums etc., there are a vocal lot who react badly to any representation of minorities. As with 'real life'. The type who calls everyone snowflakes... while spending their lives being offended by every little thing, banging on their keyboard/phone ranting about it... but I suspect the majority are nonplussed.
4) I don't want to see the industry fall into the trap of going from one extreme to the other - under-representation to over-representation. Keep it realistic and proportionate, don't make characters gay or female for the sake of it just as we had straight white males just for the sake of it.
5) As a straight male, it's not bothered me or affected me. It's nice to see variety, rather than the main character always being some hunky horndog who makes everyone drop their panties in seconds.
2) Of course it's a lot more prevalent now, although there was the odd character that would pop up. One of the great antagonists in gaming, Revolver Ocelot from the Metal Gear Solid series, was heavily insinuated as being gay or bi without it ever needing to be confirmed or denied. But there were minor characters, like a teammate from Binary Domain who wasn't all "hey look I'm a lesbian", she was just there in the background.
3) I reject the notion of a 'community'. People who play games play games, and there are forums online where a few specific demographics can be found. On forums etc., there are a vocal lot who react badly to any representation of minorities. As with 'real life'. The type who calls everyone snowflakes... while spending their lives being offended by every little thing, banging on their keyboard/phone ranting about it... but I suspect the majority are nonplussed.
4) I don't want to see the industry fall into the trap of going from one extreme to the other - under-representation to over-representation. Keep it realistic and proportionate, don't make characters gay or female for the sake of it just as we had straight white males just for the sake of it.
5) As a straight male, it's not bothered me or affected me. It's nice to see variety, rather than the main character always being some hunky horndog who makes everyone drop their panties in seconds.
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