A History of Queer Interest Video Games

Note, inclusion of this list is NOT an endorsement of the quality of these games in any way, including their relationship to queerness. Bad representation and queerphobia are also of interest.

Please make any suggestions you have, this is always a work in progress. This list is intentionally broad: the goal is to log everything of potential interest to those invested in queerness and queer issues. So while incredibly direct examples like Dys4ia are included, so are things like Final Fantasy VII because the crossdressing sections would be worth looking at when studying queer and adjacent queer-coded representation in gaming.

Pen Pal Princess
Pen Pal Princess
Frogsong
Frogsong
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery
Signalis
Signalis
The Grown-Up Detective Agency
The Grown-Up Detective Agency
Pop. Love. Panic! The OFK Story
Pop. Love. Panic! The OFK Story
Cult of the Lamb
Cult of the Lamb
Will This Bitter Night Bring Change?
Will This Bitter Night Bring Change?
Boyfiends
Boyfiends
Unpacking
Unpacking
Get in the Car, Loser!
Get in the Car, Loser!
Sofia?
Sofia?
Deltarune: Chapter 2
Deltarune: Chapter 2
Lake
Lake
Degrees of Lewdity
Degrees of Lewdity
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Cozy Grove
Cozy Grove
Madotsuki's Closet
Madotsuki's Closet
Sakura MMO Extra
Sakura MMO Extra
Three Lesbians in a Winter Special
Three Lesbians in a Winter Special
The Series Finale of Supernatural
The Series Finale of Supernatural
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077
My Dream for the Future
My Dream for the Future
Bugsnax
Bugsnax
Ikenfell
Ikenfell
Going Under
Going Under
Sakura Succubus 2
Sakura Succubus 2
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II
Magic Trick
Magic Trick
Terranova
Terranova
Third Crisis
Third Crisis
A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986
A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986
Tomato Clinic
Tomato Clinic
Love Hues!
Love Hues!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The Bookshelf Limbo
The Bookshelf Limbo
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Don't Take it Personally, I Just Don't Like You: The Camping Trip
Don't Take it Personally, I Just Don't Like You: The Camping Trip
Under a Caustic Snow, I Danced
Under a Caustic Snow, I Danced
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Nightmare Temptation Academy
Nightmare Temptation Academy
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Royal
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
Video Game Feminization Hypnosis
Video Game Feminization Hypnosis
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts
AI: The Somnium Files
AI: The Somnium Files
Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3
Affinity
Affinity
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Sakura MMO 3
Sakura MMO 3
Three Lesbians in a Barrow
Three Lesbians in a Barrow
Oh, to Bee in Love
Missed Messages.
Missed Messages.
Last Day of Spring
Last Day of Spring
Online Simulator
Online Simulator
Sakura MMO 2
Sakura MMO 2
Cyber Drak-Cools-Yas From Mars: Rat and Bat. Love and Hate.
Hades
Hades
Yakuza Online
Yakuza Online
Deltarune: Chapter 1
Deltarune: Chapter 1
The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith
The Testimony of Trixie Glimmer Smith
The Hex
The Hex
Sakura MMO
Sakura MMO
The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories
The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories
One Night, Hot Springs
One Night, Hot Springs
2064: Read Only Memories Integral
2064: Read Only Memories Integral
Hashihime of the Old Book Town
Hashihime of the Old Book Town
Heaven Will Be Mine
Heaven Will Be Mine
The Tower
The Tower
Saving You From Yourself
Saving You From Yourself
Cousbians: Are They Cousins or Lesbians?
Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human
Parsnip
Parsnip
Fear Effect Sedna
Fear Effect Sedna
Secret Little Haven
Secret Little Haven
Celeste
Celeste
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Serre
Serre
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey
Hi no Homo
Hi no Homo
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Fantasy Strike
Fantasy Strike
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Pyre
Pyre
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda
A Mortician's Tale
A Mortician's Tale
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight
NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata
Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods
A Normal Lost Phone
A Normal Lost Phone
Ladykiller in a Bind
Ladykiller in a Bind
Mafia III
Mafia III
Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor
Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor

44 Comments


3 years ago

I love the list! It's super important to catalogue and remember queer representation and themes throughout video game history, and I'm glad there's a list here—on this site—that does so :)
Mother 3?

3 years ago

Added, thanks!

3 years ago

I never played it and I don't think a lot of people did but I believe the main characters of Fear Effect Sedna are in a lesbian relationship.

3 years ago

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - one scenario has a character falling in love with a crossdresser, the game explores this relationship
NieR - intersex character
Steins;Gate - trans (coded) character, people argue over this similar to Danganronpa/P4 though because of portrayal
Umineko: When They Cry - spoilery, I'm sure others can vouch for it
Wonderful Everyday - gay character, falls under a similar stereotype as Ace Attorney 3 there. More stuff that's spoilery
Hashihime of the Old Book Town - BL murder mystery (not played this one yet admittedly).
AI: The Somnium Files - not played this one yet either but there was a line from a character that expressed support for the LGBT community that caused some controversy because people thought it wasn't in the original Japanese (lol). Think there's also like a gay bar

3 years ago

Wonderful, thanks so much for the suggestions!

3 years ago

Summon Night: Swordcraft Story has some LGBT theming, picking the female partner w/ the female main character has her be attracted and the same is true with two other girl characters.

Fate/Grand Order has multiple instances of characters being explicitly non-binary or transgender along with some gay representation.

Tri Force Heroes has crossdressing Link and the devs even asking pre-release if that'd be fine, if you think that counts.

Valerie Rose in Fantasy Strike is a lesbian and it factors into her story.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses has multiple gay relationship options for both genders.

I hope these suggestions were helpful!

3 years ago

The Yakuza series has consistently portrayed crossdressing bars and the Japanese queer culture in the nightlife setting, pretty much every game has characters involved from that background.

3 years ago

Can someone clarify which Yakuza games in particular? I'm hesitant to add things when I'm not sure of specifics like that.

3 years ago

tysm for the suggestions, added!

3 years ago

The Yakuza games were actually kinda transphobic early on but I think I read that the creator befriended a Trans person and they got much better about it after that, the remasters were even retranslated to remove the transphobia.. I'd say the safe bet is putting any Yakuzas that released after Yakuza 5, and the remasters. Or just the games this character appears in https://yakuza.fandom.com/wiki/Ako

3 years ago

I'll start by adding those, but jsyk plenty of the games on here are queerphobic, my intent isn't to log only good representation: "Note, inclusion of this list is NOT an endorsement of the quality of these games in any way, including their relationship to queerness. Bad representation and queerphobia are also of interest."

3 years ago

That's my bad for not reading close enough.

3 years ago

Since not-so-good representation is also applicable then Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal would qualify because of these 2 https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Angel_and_Julian

3 years ago

thank you~
I don't know if this take is seen as hot, but fuck it. I think that using a stereotype is not inherently insensitive. I think that Angel and Julian aren't exactly queerphobic considering the fact that it doesn't seem like the developers/writers intended to offend people. I think it was more of a joke. Just me, though. Correct me if I'm wrong.

3 years ago

I can't comment on the games in question, but intent isn't the deciding factor on if a representation is good or not. I agree that stereotypes can be used in ways that are not queerphobic, but that's a really complicated issue.

I don't want this to turn into a debate comment section, though. Let's leave it at that. This list isn't trying to judge these things anyway.
I noticed that you included Borderlands 1 and 2. You should also include Pre-Sequel and 3. In Pre-Sequel, there is a lesbian character called Janey Springs. In 3, Sir Hammerlock from 2 comes back and has a male fiancee.

3 years ago

Added, thanks~
cool list .could you explain some of the entries?
Fire Emblem Awakening.
Here's list of videogames with lgbt characters on wikipedia. Think it will be helpful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_with_LGBT_characters

1 year ago

The Hex: A gay couple exist but it's a secret and somewhat of a spoiler.
Killer7: Suda has stated that Kevin Smith is gay.
Also could you add notes for these games, I don't remember any LGBT characters existing in Mario Odyssey or Breath of the wild, but it's been a while since i've played both.

1 year ago

Edit: Sorry, didn't see the rest of the description.

1 year ago

This comment was deleted

1 year ago

Thank you for the additions! Breath of the Wild was due to the whole sequence surrounding the Gerudo outfit, and Odyssey is due to Mario being able to wear a dress.

1 year ago

Butterfly Soup

1 year ago

Archangel made a pretty good argument about Birdo (specifically Super Mario Bros. 2 and Captain Rainbow): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V8Be53QXaA

1 year ago

Ah you have SM2 on here already, my bad.

1 year ago

What's super metroid doing here?


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