Video games have been around since the late 1940s and ever since have expanded to the vast
network of games we know today. When you are asked about any video game, how
often would you talk or even think about the LGBT characters in them? Not very I
assume. In many of these games the LGBT characters are not shown in the most
positive ways.
The Resident Evil franchise is known for its gruesome and
survival horror gameplay. Released in 2000 and rebooted in 2011, one of the
main characters in the Resident Evil Code: Veronica is Alfred Ashford. Ashford
is the villain of the game and suffers from a severe mental disability. After years of looking
up to his more intelligent twin sister Alexia, he becomes more demented when they separated, and even goes so far as to dress
like her and imitate her personality.
Trevor is the most memorable characters in the most recent
instilment of Grand Theft Auto. This man who can be categorize as a psychotic
white trash drug dealer of the lower class can be chalked up as a gun toting
maniac with a mental disorder. Trevor can be seen as bipolar in the gameplay
and is attracted to both genders, as well as crossdressing. He is not exactly a
villain, but from the gameplay, Trevor is portrayed in a negative view for
everyone to see.
Overwatch is a
team-based multiplayer first-person
shooter video game developed and published by Blizzard
Entertainment, being released in 2016, and reaching the status as
Blizzard's fourth major franchise. One of the most noticeable characters is
Tracer. In the comic released by Blizzard Entertainment, “Reflections”, Tracer is depicted as being in a gay relationship
although it was not actually said. This is the most recent video game character
who plays the role of a hero and is not slandered in any of the gameplay.
Although there are many games that depict the LGBT
Community in positive way, the ratio of offensive stereotypes to non-offensive
are very little. Video games should include a larger option for LGBT Community
and roles in the games. Even video games developed and made in Asia get changed
to be less LGBT once they are sold in America and other countries this similar
views on the matter.
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ReplyDeleteOne of the major problems with the portrayal of LGBT+ characters in video games is the tendency to either exclusively paint them in a negative light as a villain or antagonistic character (such as Trevor as you pointed out) or exclusively stereotype them, often done for comedic value. An article written by Luke Winkie for Salon entitled "From a pink dinosaur to “Gay Tony”: The evolution of LGBT video game characters" explores some of these instances, but also points out some of the better portrayals of LGBT+ characters as well. The article cites Sam from Gone Home and Ellie from The Last of Us as two recent examples of lesbian characters handled well, as while "their homosexuality was not paved over…it never defined them, either."
ReplyDeleteThe article also mentions Fallout 2, one of the first games to feature same-sex marriage for both male and female characters. It should be noted that it was mostly played for laughs, as the scenario revolves around a shotgun wedding due to a one night stand. Another game in the series, Fallout: New Vegas, features a good example of a positive LGBT character. Veronica Santangelo, a minor character that can accompany the player, eventually reveals that she had fallen in love with another woman in her youth, though her mentor figure and leader of her community split the couple up due to the community's traditional gender norms. Veronica is still open about her sexual preferences, however, and isn't beleaguered by stereotypes.
Another recent positive example comes from VA11-HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action. The main protagonist, Jill, is bisexual, and her former relationship with her ex-girlfriend forms one of the game's major overarching narratives. Jill is portrayed as a normal person who has been in relationships that aren't categorized as "deviant." She's a realistic character with realistic flaws and feelings, not a character turned into a stereotype to slander the LGBT+ community like some such characters are.