The LGBTQ+ advocacy organization GLAAD has released a recent report analyzing LGBTQ+ representation within video games, and their findings are quite concerning.
GLAAD has unveiled its inaugural “State of LGBTQ Inclusion in Video Games” report, which gathers data on LGBTQ+ gamers and their portrayal in the gaming industry.
https://glaad.org/glaad-gaming/2024/
However, it’s important to recognize that in studies like these, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group advocating for greater LGBTQ+ representation in video games is comparable to companies like PepsiCo or Coca-Cola conducting studies on the benefits of sugar consumption, or a tobacco company like BAT releasing a study on the health advantages of cigarettes over chewing tobacco.
Despite potential biases and agendas, GLAAD asserts that its study is the first of its kind, aiming to “thoroughly examine statistics concerning LGBTQ+ issues within the gaming industry.”
To the best of my knowledge, the current cohort of video game developers in the Western hemisphere is immensely diverse, with modern game developers predominantly including women, non-binary individuals, transgender individuals, and those who may identify as homosexual, so before we move forward with the study we should keep this fact in mind.
The study asserts that nearly one in five gamers (approximately 17%) identify as LGBTQ+, marking an increase from the 10% reported in the 2020 Nielsen Games 360 Survey.
While this data could be accurate, it’s worth noting that previously, major news outlets attempted to promote the idea that half of all gamers were women.
https://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/08/tech/gaming-gadgets/female-gamers/index.html
However, achieving such statistic required including mobile games like Cut the Rope, Bejeweled, and Candy Crush, among other mobile games which may not fully represent the traditional gaming demographic.
A figure of 17% of gamers identifying as part of the LGBT demographic might appear skewed, considering general reports suggest that a smaller yet still significant 7% of the American population identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Despite this statistic, the GLAAD study also discovered that “less than 2%” of major releases on PC and consoles incorporate LGBTQ+ characters. This information is sourced from “publicly available tags and lists indicating LGBTQ-inclusive content,” as reported by GLAAD.
Two percent? It’s hard to take that figure seriously. Perhaps if you included every single game released on PC since the days of MS-DOS, but in my experience, I find this statistic to be completely ridiculous. It’s a genuine struggle to find any modern game that doesn’t include LGBT characters of some variety.
Just to kick things off we have The Last of Us Part 2, one of the most infamous inclusive games released over the past few years, with Ellie identifying as a Lesbian and the existence of Abby, the game is awash with LGBTQ+ characters.
Baldur’s Gate 3, last years Game of the Year, allows you the option to romanticize various characters regardless of the genders of your character and theirs, you can even have intercourse with an an actual bear.
And for fuck sake, the progressive assholes at Nexusmods banned a supposed “problematic” mod that turns the character of Aylin into a male, because she so happens to be in a lesbian relationship with Isobel.
We’re only scratching the surface here. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 features a range of pro-LGBTQ+ side missions, with Insomniac Games now portraying Black Cat as a lesbian. Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, is filled with LGBT characters and undertones. According to GLAAD themselves, the main protagonist, Aloy, is considered to be “Queer.”
Gearbox’s Tiny Tina Wonderlands also features LGBT characters, much akin to how Borderlands 3 expanded upon the sexuality of several characters. Characters like Sir Hammerlock have their own DLC dedicated to his wedding with his husband, Wainwright Jakobs. Additionally, the playable robotic character, FL4K, is considered to be non-binary. Furthermore, the character Lorelei, whom you meet on Promethea, is transgender.
Mass Effect Andromeda features a transgender character named Hainly Abrams. Fire Emblem Three Houses has same-sex relationships, or would have if not for the localization changes, removing any references to relationships or marriage and opting for a “let’s be friends” approach. Isn’t that inclusive?
Rune Factory 5 seemingly forces same-sex relationships down the players throat at the cost of performance and stability, with Marvelous shelving DLC in favor of the addition.
And of course we have the wholesome coming of age drama story of Life is Strange which apparently has no less than 11 LGBTQ+ characters. And let’s not overlook that canceled heist game by SEGA, HYENAS.
Of course, games such as Apex Legends and Overwatch feature a disproportionate amount of LGBT playable characters, with Apex Legends having seven to choose from while Overwatch 2 has six.
Based on this limited sampling, GLAAD’s assertion of only 2% LGBT representation in video games appears to be completely bullshit. You’d be more hard-pressed to find a game without a gay, non-binary or trans character within it, the developers themselves identify as being LGBTQ+.
Their study also claims that 70% of non-LGBTQ+ gamers would either be more likely or equally likely to purchase a game if they discovered that a character in that game was LGBTQ+.
There’s always going to be people who simply want nothing to do with a game or product that extensively features LGBT characters or individuals, however the matter of the fact is that most people are rather indifferent, more specifically they just want a game that caters to them, a game that is an enjoyable experience, fun to play, an immersive story that captivates you.
Unfortunately, many modern games are either live service or offer soulless, sleep-inducing cinematic narratives, exemplified by titles like 2018’s God of War and its sequel, God of War Ragnarok.
If developers fail to offer compelling content, broken, boring, or simply terrible games, it’s not a matter of people avoiding a product because of its LGBT themes or values. Rather, it’s because the game itself is shit and developers should strive to create better products that are not of poor quality.
Certainly, LGBTQ+ gamers express a greater inclination to play games featuring LGBTQ+ representation. According to GLAAD, 75% of LGBTQ+ gamers report that encountering a character in a game who shares their identity or orientation “makes them feel better about themselves.”
The majority of surveyed gamers, regardless of their LGBTQ+ status, acknowledged their appreciation for “how gaming allows them to experience perspectives of people different from themselves.”
Go figure. Video games are all about escapism.
However, instead of serving as escapism, modern gaming has veered into promoting mundane, so-called realistic depictions of unattractive character designs that demonize femininity.
This is evident by the constant backlash against the portrayal of female characters with attractive features or physical attributes, more often enough such outcries are being made by feminists or individuals who identify as being LGBTQ+, labeling the women of video games as being sexist.
GLAAD’s report revealed that LGBTQ+ gamers frequently face harassment. This one is understandable and a major concern for the likes of Microsoft and Sony, both of whom essentially spy on the end user’s voice and text chat functionalities, issuing out lengthy bans that are more severe than cheating.
52% of LGBTQ+ gamers surveyed reported experiencing harassment while playing online, and 42% stated they have avoided playing certain games out of fear of harassment. Meanwhile, 27% indicated that they have quit playing a game altogether due to harassment.
I would be dishonest if I claimed that marginalized groups like LGBT individuals are less likely to encounter online harassment. However, as a straight White man, I also experience harassment while playing video games online, like in Counter-Strike 2.
I always respond to insults with my own because I genuinely don’t give a rats arse about what randoms have to say about me or my nonexistent skills but apparently having a spine isn’t a luxury that every human can afford.
According to GLAAD’s study, 55% of LGBTQ+ gamers living in states with recent anti-LGBTQ legislation feel “more accepted in the gaming community” than they do in the general public. However, this notion may seem preposterous considering the serious repercussions individuals can face for engaging in hate speech towards the LGBTQ+ community, which may as well be recognized as a protected class across the United States and many other countries.
GLAAD’s findings suggest that LGBT representation is lagging behind in the gaming industry. If this were remotely true, it would indicate that publishers and developers, who prioritize ESG hedge fund finances over consumer sales and openly advocate for representation, aren’t working diligently enough to increase LGBTQ+ visibility in the gaming world.
In essence, the LGBT community is letting down itself and we’re to blame.
