Summary
While LGBTQA+ representation in cinema has been flourishing in recent years, the gaming industry still lags behind to some extent. In spite of that, the world has witnessed some very iconic queer characters in certain very popular games. Characters likeEllie and Bill fromThe Last of Us, Steve Cortex fromMass Effect 3, and Parvati fromOuter Worldsare some examples of very positive LGBTQ+ representation in the gaming scene.
The horror genre, being immensely popular across all forms of media, also includes its share of queer representation. With Pride Month in full swing, it’s an ideal time to celebrate and discover these characters. Inclusivity in gaming not only enhances the diversity of the gameplay experience but also adds realism and depth to the storyline of said game, making the experience all the more realistic—and in the case of horror, more terrifying.
7Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh
Curtis and Trevor
Horror games aren’t exactly known for their mild and gentle content. The entire point of these games is to beunsettling, terrifying, and graphic. However, certain games try to push the limits of these attributes, even within the horror sphere.Phantasmagoria 2stands out as a prime example of a game that takes extreme measures with its depiction of violence. While some people are okay with this level of gore, it goes without saying that this game should be approached with caution.
The game introduces one of the earliest playable queer characters not only in horror games but in the entire gaming industry. Curtis, the protagonist, is a shy bisexual man who has feelings for his co-worker, Trevor. Curtis' identity has been a major recurring theme in the game and has been dealt with fairly well. To top it off, Trevor, Curtis' coworker, is portrayed as an openly gay man, and their relationship develops significantly later in the game.
6We Know the Devil
Venus is a Transgender Girl
While not technically a game,We Know the Devilis aninteractive visual novel available on Steamthat stays true to its horror origins. Like other visual novels, this game presents players with multiple choices leading to various ending scenarios. However, despite following a typical visual novel format,We Know the Devilexplores deeply existential themes that are presented to the player through a supernatural horror lens.
The story revolves around three individuals with vastly different backgrounds who are sent to a secluded camp as a disciplinary measure. During their time there, they unexpectedly encounter both God and the Devil. One of the three characters, Venus, is a transgender girl who embraces her identity over the course of the game and eventually changes her pronouns from ‘he’ to ‘she.’
Dead by Daylightcould possibly be the most unexpected entry on this list. Beingan online multiplayer game, the game has an extremely ‘flexible’ premise with nothing set in stone. However, the official backstories of certain characters are considerably diverse, rich, and surprisingly very inclusive as well. The game has 3 characters that are part of the queer community, two of whom are among the game’s original characters, and one is a legendary skinset for Renato Lyra.
David King, one of the 42 survivors in the game, isDead By Daylight’s first official queer character. He was first introduced in 2017 as a part of a free DLC and identifies as a gay man. The other character is one of the 36 killers, known as The Legion. The Legion isn’t one single person but a group of 4 killers that take turns with their murders. One of the members of the group, Susie is allegedly a lesbian or bisexual woman with an interest in a fellow group member, Julie. The legendary skin set, Tubarão, for Renato Lyra is taken fromTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siegeand is officially the first transgender character inDBD.
Clive Barker’s Jerichois a horror first-person shooter with fantasy, mythical,and historical elements. For the most part, the game is set in an evil alternate reality known as The Box and revolves around a fictional combat organization known as the Department of Occult Warfare. A task force from said organization, Jericho, is assigned to eliminate The Box in hopes that it doesn’t breach the canon reality.
One of the members of Jericho, Abagail Black, is a sniper with telekinetic powers and is one of the strongest characters in the game with the best long-range combat abilities. Her identity as a lesbian is explicitly portrayed throughout the story with multiple indications.
A game doesn’t always need extreme graphics or overly complicated plotlines to be relevant. Many incredible minimalistic titles in the industry today, though already significantly popular,deserve more recognitionfor their subtle storytelling and discreetly accurate representation.Signalis, a 2.5D survival horror game, handles its LGBTQ+ representation with great respect while remaining true to its horror elements. Additionally, the extremely immersive and immaculate world-building inSignalismakes it a game that needs to be talked about more.
The game is set in a completely fictional futuristic era resembling the solar system but dominated by advanced, sci-fi-esque technology. The main character, Elster, is a gynoid from a sentient robot race (replicated from human DNA) known as Replika. Elster is an openly lesbian woman in a relationship with her human partner, Ariane. The game’s premise revolves around Elster’s quest to find her lost partner amidst the vastness of space.
The Dark Pictures Anthologyis widely recognized as one of the most renowned and sought-after horror survival game series in the gaming scene. Developed and published bySupermassive Games and Bandico Entertainment, all four games in the anthology were highly anticipated due to the studios' previous success withUntil Dawn(the one with Rami Malek as the main character).
The Anthology’s latest installment, released in 2022, known asThe Devil in Me, features a documentary film crew stranded on a remote island where they find their lives at stake because of a murderer running rampant. Jamie and Erin, two of the main characters, are lesbians whose mutual attraction progresses from a simple crush to a committed relationship during the entirety of the gameplay.
Setting everything else aside, the one game that instantly comes to mind for ‘positive queer representation’ isThe Last of Us. It’s not the first game to do it, nor does it make the most groundbreaking attempt at it, but its natural portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community is what makes this particular entry so revolutionary. WhileThe Last of Usisn’t explicitly a horror game, its unsettling aura and certain (very bone-chilling) jump scares certainly justify its place on this list.
Ellie and Dina’s relationship starts off pretty typically, with mutual crushes that evolve into a serious commitment over time. Dina’s eventual pregnancy and their subsequent co-parenting significantly strengthen their bond, transforming them from two young lovers into a mature couple. Dina sticks with Ellie through most of her moral and emotional struggles, choosing to part ways only when she realizes that Ellie’s guilt over Joel can only be resolved through revenge.
