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.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Undertale
Undertale
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey
Hades
Hades
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Celeste
Celeste
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Overwatch
Overwatch
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077
NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata
Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas
Life is Strange
Life is Strange
Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Royal
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II
Persona 5
Persona 5
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
Fallout 3
Fallout 3
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Pokémon X
Pokémon X
Mass Effect
Mass Effect
The Sims 4
The Sims 4
Super Metroid
Super Metroid
Deltarune: Chapter 1
Deltarune: Chapter 1
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row: The Third
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Borderlands
Borderlands
Firewatch
Firewatch
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
EarthBound
EarthBound
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Persona 3 FES
Persona 3 FES
Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3
Saints Row IV
Saints Row IV
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3
Deltarune: Chapter 2
Deltarune: Chapter 2
The Sims 3
The Sims 3
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Bully
Bully
Unpacking
Unpacking
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Origins
Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition
The Sims 2
The Sims 2
Cult of the Lamb
Cult of the Lamb
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Transistor
Transistor
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
Mother 3
Mother 3
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Persona 4
Persona 4
The World Ends with You
The World Ends with You
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Gone Home
Gone Home
Signalis
Signalis
AI: The Somnium Files
AI: The Somnium Files
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Dragon Age II
Dragon Age II
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Catherine
Catherine
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
The Sims
The Sims
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Fable III
Fable III
Bugsnax
Bugsnax
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Mafia III
Mafia III
Killer7
Killer7
Fallout 2
Fallout 2
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Steins;Gate
Steins;Gate
NieR
NieR
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
HuniePop
HuniePop
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
Umineko no Naku Koro ni
Umineko no Naku Koro ni
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles
Pyre
Pyre

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

2 years 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.

2 years ago

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

2 years ago

This comment was deleted

2 years 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.

2 years ago

Butterfly Soup

2 years ago

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

2 years ago

Ah you have SM2 on here already, my bad.

2 years ago

What's super metroid doing here?


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