The popularity of video games has really exploded over the last couple of decades, so much so that now we have an official Video Games Day on September 12! What has also improved quite substantially is the representation of LGBTQ+ characters who are starting to populate lots of video games.

So to celebrate this day, we take a look at some of the best video games out there that include incredible LGBTQ+ characters in their storylines. Read on to get to know them.

The Legend of GayBlade

The Legend of GayBlade is believed to be the first commercially sold LGBTQ+ video game. This historic game has recently resurfaced and can be found on the Internet Archive. 

Occasionally referred to as Dungeons and Drag Queens, players must rescue Empress Nelda and return her to Castle GayKeep by exploring a deep dungeon filled with homophobic enemies. Describing the game, creator Ryan Best said: “This game gives lesbians and gays—and straight people—a chance to strike back at homophobia from behind our computer screen.”

If Found

Developed by Laura Ash McGee, alongside Dublin-based independent studio Dreamfeel, If Found is a video game that follows the tale of a Trans woman navigating life in 1990s Ireland. While the protagonist faces a sci-fi threat in the form of a black hole that will destroy the entire world, the story explores themes of isolation and the value of finding community.

Speaking about the game, creator McGee commented, “I think Kasio is the first of a generation that can start speaking up and can start writing a history that’s not just a self-destruction and it isn’t just a self-erasure.”

Goodbye Volcano High

Praised for its interesting art style, Goodbye Volcano High is an adventure game that follows a dinosaur in high school, and the best part about it is that the protagonist is non-binary.

“Our company is a co-op in which all the voices matter,” said studio director Saleem Dabbous. “The team working on Goodbye Volcano High is about ten people, all coming from diverse backgrounds. Making a queer game about a non-binary main character is hugely important to us.”

Tell Me Why

One of the most highly anticipated LGBTQ+ video games, Tell Me Why made history with the first Trans character in a leading role. The character Tyler Ronan, a Trans man, was created in collaboration with LGBTQ+ media monitoring organisation GLAAD to ensure that he could resonate with a diverse audience. Moreover, the character is voiced by August Black, also a Trans man, who gave his input to the script when he felt that certain lines did not do justice to Tyler’s experience.

“The good thing about the game, I think, is that it strikes a nice balance of not shying away from the fact that Tyler is trans and showing the way in which it affects him, and mostly that relates to how other people react to him,” said director of Transgender media and representation at GLAAD Nick Adams.

The Last of Us Part I & II

Another groundbreaking game is The Last of Us Part II which, after a hugely successful first version, became the first mainstream video game to feature a variety of openly queer characters. In addition to a lesbian main character, the story included a bisexual woman and a Trans teenage boy.

“The fact that certain gamers are opposing the game including LGBTQ characters just shows how important this kind of queer representation is. It’s shaking up what close-minded, toxic people think video games should look like – which helps us see how much we need this change,” said Bo Ruberg, author of The Queer Games Avant-Garde.

Dragon Age

Throughout its history, the Dragon Age franchise has seen the inclusion of numerous LGBTQ+ characters. One of the most popular is certainly the Iron Bull, a pansexual one-eyed Qunari mercenary. Other than being a great example of queer representation, the Iron Bull has also been praised for engaging in healthy BDSM relationships, where open communication and informed consent are central.

The same game also features Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi, a Trans male character who, after spending years trying to hide his identity while in the military, finally comes out in a firmly unapologetic narrative arc.

The Life is Strange series

With its latest version titled True Colours, the iconic series popular among LGBTQ+ gamers takes a step further in its representation of queerness. In this version, the protagonist Alex Chen is openly bisexual and engages in relationships with a man named Ryan Lucan and also with Steph Gingrich, a lesbian character who takes on a more prominent role in this chapter of the series.

Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead

Throughout this series, there are many established LGBTQ+ characters including Violet and Zachary. Violet has both previous and current same-sex love interests throughout the game, while Zach is Jonas’ boyfriend.

For any fans of the TV show or comics, this is a great expansion on The Walking Dead world, bringing new characters and some ghoulish zombies to the franchise.

A Dad Dating Simulator/Dream Daddy

This is the only queer video game out there that explicitly deals with the experiences of GBT+ men. It gently and earnestly explores queer identity, fatherhood, and love of all kinds between men. Dating as a father and being a good father is the focus, so prepare for all the feels.

Plus, with an absolutely adorable art style and a wide range of customisable options, this queer video game is a must.

Apex Legends

This video game boasts one of the most diverse casts of heroes in terms not only of abilities and appearance, but also of ethnicity and sexuality. Two of the most prominent examples are Gibraltar, an openly gay warrior, and Bloodhound, a legendary game hunter and the first non-binary character of the Apex Legends universe.

Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker

The absolutely supercharged and colorful video game provides players the opportunity to run a matchmaking agency with the help of drag icon Kitty Powers. Breaking the fourth wall, this queen is both an in-game character as well as an onstage performer.

Powers told the Guardian, “I challenged myself to create a game about making people happy. I want people to be able to choose whatever they want to be: an avatar that is like themselves, or something fantastical … like Kitty Powers! My approach was not to make a queer game, but to make a game for everyone that had queer people in it. It’s important to see all humans as equal.”

The Sims

The ultimate fantastical escapism game provides players with the opportunity to live out their queer life any way they want, from rainbow flags to creating their own nightclub or just a bit of knitting. As one of the most popular video games ever, The Sims has definitely grown since its inception to include both same-sex relations and LGBTQ+ themes.

A letter to our players from The Sims Team ❤️💍 : https://t.co/23VLOWcsQ3 pic.twitter.com/wQiragB0NG

— The Sims (@TheSims) February 10, 2022

The latest version of the game, The Sims 4, was updated to include the possibility for players to customise their Sims’ sexual orientation and choose their pronouns. Speaking about the update on sexual orientation, SimGuruJessica, the design lead for The Sims 4 High School Years expansion pack, said, “Between this update and the recent pronouns update, we’re taking several strides forward into being a game that respects and celebrates the nuance and colour of everyday life.”

Butterfly Soup

The artwork in Butterfly Soup is absolutely stunning and downright cute. It is described on the website as “A visual novel about gay Asian girls playing baseball and falling in love.”

The entire game is free to download, however, there are options to financially support the artist and get extra sketches in the process. A trigger warning has been included in the game as it involves scenes with abusive language.

These are just some of the wonderful examples of LGBTQ+-inclusive games available worldwide, so what are you waiting for? Get gayming!