Gay Video Game Characters Coming Out of the Closet
source: http://www.asylum.com/2009/12/07/gay-video-game-characters-coming-out-of-the-closet/
-
-
- Asylum
- added this
As some games strive for the utmost realism, it's surprising that only a handful have explored sexual orientation. In fact, very few games explore love at all with the noteworthy exception of the love of killing space invaders.
Standouts have been titles from Rockstar Games; whose "Grand Theft Auto" franchise has introduced players to characters of varying sexuality while franchises like Lionhead's "Fable" series and EA's "The Sims" have taken the concept a step further, allowing players to choose the sexual orientation of their virtual avatar. As for other titles, developers tend to feel comfortable letting gamers choose between elves and orcs, but not being a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character.
"I think the real failure is that story-driven games generally fail to acknowledge sexual orientation at all. And I am mostly OK with that," says Kevin VanOrd, Associate Editor at CNet's GameSpot. "No one needs to know who Sonic the Hedgehog sleeps with -- though some enterprising storytellers have explored this territory nonetheless."
While openly gay characters have existed throughout video game history, VanOrd believes select developers, such as Lionhead and Rockstar, are equipped to handle a project of such magnitude with required "wit and fearlessness." According to Lionhead, they're up to the task. "To advance we need our audience to start becoming more emotionally involved with our characters," says Josh Atkins, senior design director of "Fable III." "Love and sex are fundamental parts of humanity and are fundamental parts of empathy." While the "Fable" franchise has taken a lighthearted approach to sex in its series, Atkins hopes the franchise will build on the players' emotional responses, allowing them to feel "a bit more connected" to their partners in future "Fable" titles.
Read more and see more video clips at:
http://www.asylum.com/2009/12/07/gay-video-game-characters-coming-out-of-the-clo...
Standouts have been titles from Rockstar Games; whose "Grand Theft Auto" franchise has introduced players to characters of varying sexuality while franchises like Lionhead's "Fable" series and EA's "The Sims" have taken the concept a step further, allowing players to choose the sexual orientation of their virtual avatar. As for other titles, developers tend to feel comfortable letting gamers choose between elves and orcs, but not being a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character.
"I think the real failure is that story-driven games generally fail to acknowledge sexual orientation at all. And I am mostly OK with that," says Kevin VanOrd, Associate Editor at CNet's GameSpot. "No one needs to know who Sonic the Hedgehog sleeps with -- though some enterprising storytellers have explored this territory nonetheless."
While openly gay characters have existed throughout video game history, VanOrd believes select developers, such as Lionhead and Rockstar, are equipped to handle a project of such magnitude with required "wit and fearlessness." According to Lionhead, they're up to the task. "To advance we need our audience to start becoming more emotionally involved with our characters," says Josh Atkins, senior design director of "Fable III." "Love and sex are fundamental parts of humanity and are fundamental parts of empathy." While the "Fable" franchise has taken a lighthearted approach to sex in its series, Atkins hopes the franchise will build on the players' emotional responses, allowing them to feel "a bit more connected" to their partners in future "Fable" titles.
Read more and see more video clips at:
http://www.asylum.com/2009/12/07/gay-video-game-characters-coming-out-of-the-clo...
-
- groups:
- Gaming
