Queer video games have seen a substantial rise throughout the years, highlighting the riveting and immersive storylines of LGBTQ+ characters. 

Though certain identities were oftentimes hidden from the main gameplay, there has been a noticeable willingness to engage with these storylines in recent releases. From indie to mainstream developers, there are a host of titles and characters for gaymers to enjoy, and this list encapsulates some of the most iconic.

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. Creator Ryan Best described it as a game that “gives lesbians and gays—and straight people—a chance to strike back at homophobia from behind our computer screen.”

If Found…

Developed by Llaura Ash McGee, alongside Dublin-based independent studio Dreamfeel, this breathtaking, interactive novel is definitely a stand-out queer video game. If Found… compares the tale of a trans woman navigating life in 1990s Ireland against a surreal sci-fi backdrop. 

Speaking to Dublin InQuirer, McGee shared, “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.”

Tell Me Why

With its release, Tell Me Why blazed across headlines for featuring the first trans character in a leading role. Though Tyler Ronan’s identity does not heavily influence the main narrative, it still remains at the forefront of this story, exploring history and hidden truths.

Vice President of Glaad and game consultant Nick Adams said, “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.”

The Last of Us Part I & II

At this point, you don’t have to be a gamer to know this one, given how successful the adapted TV series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey has been.

In both the series and the game, The Last of Us features Ellie, a resilient and ruthless young girl who proves to be an incredibly complex character. While we caught a glimpse of Ellie’s first relationship with Riley in Part 1 of the game (and series), it is really when she falls in love with Dina in Part 2 that her sexuality is better explored.

Dragon Age

Throughout this franchise’s history, it has seen the inclusion of numerous LGBTQ+ characters, with many of them identifying as bisexual. One popular character among gamers includes the Iron Bull, a pansexual one-eyed Qunari mercenary.

In the same game as the Iron Bull, Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi made his introduction as the first trans male character to appear in any video game, according to LGBTQ Video Game Archive. His storyline gripped fans as he had to hide his identity for years in the military before coming out in a firmly unapologetic narrative arc.

Life is Strange

In this canonically queer game, a high school senior learns she has the power to rewind time when she saves her childhood friend, Chloe Price, from being killed. Throughout, protagonist Chloe admits she has romantic feelings for Rachel, and the game also includes a bisexual character of colour, Alex Chen, as well as Steph, an openly lesbian side character.

With a colourful art style and intriguing premise, this is a wonderful story to follow.

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 the boyfriend of Jonas.

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.

Dream Daddy

This video explicitly deals with the experiences of GBT+ men, gently and earnestly exploring queer identity, fatherhood and love of all kinds. 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.

Mass Effect Series

Over the span of the Mass Effect series, it has become one of the most interesting queer video games out there. Though LGBTQ+ storylines are not at the forefront, its inclusion of same-sex relationships continues to be ahead of its time.

In 2012, Max Effect 3 allowed the protagonist to choose a same-sex relationship with the existing character, Kaidan Alenko. Then, the games went on to include the formidable doctor, Asari, a monogender-pansexual species.

The Mass Effect series includes an array of LGBTQ+ friendly characters, including T’Soni’s love interest, Commander Shepard, who presents as gender fluid.

Overwatch

Popular among LGBTQ+ gamers, Overwatch features Tracer, a shooter with a speed ability and two rapid-fire pistols, who also happens to be a lesbian.

Tracer’s sexuality was first revealed in a comic series released alongside the game, where her girlfriend Emily was presented and later confirmed by the writers of Overwatch.

Grand Theft Auto

LGBTQ+ characters have featured throughout the Grand Theft Auto series. One of the most prominent is Anthony ‘Gay Tony’ Prince, a fabulous nightclub owner from Liberty City metropolis.

Bearing similarities to real-life club owners from Miami, New York and Toronto, Prince eventually starred in his own downloadable game, The Ballad of Gay Tony.

Kitty Powers’ Matchmaker

This absolutely supercharged and colourful video game provides players with 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

A base game update is here with new content including medical wearables, binders, shapewear, a light switch & more including bug fixes & console gameplay improvements ??

Read more about today’s update in the latest patch notes! https://t.co/4c4vZdfWBY pic.twitter.com/GYbQYijIIm

— The Sims (@TheSims) January 31, 2023

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. The Sims has definitely grown since its inception to include both same-sex relations and LGBTQ+ themes, and the latest version of the game allows players to chose their pronouns and sexual orientation, as well as having trans-inclusive features.

Fable

In one side quest of this game, the player is recruited by farmer Giles to find a wife for his son. However, Rupert comes out as gay, which leads the player to help the father and son reconnect over this reveal.

Butterfly Soup

The artwork in Butterfly Soup is absolutely stunning and down right 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.

League of Legends

Introduced as a “stern, sinister, sophisticated, serpentine, sardonic, sapphic, sublime” enchanter, Champion Renata Glasc from League of Legends is unbelievably stylish and incredibly powerful. Donning her elegant grey suit and an intriguing sapphic energy, it’s really no surprise that she has quickly become a fan-favourite character.

Cyberpunk 2077

The world created in Cyberpunk 2077 is among the LGBTQ+-friendly we can find in video games, and the fact that it features Judy Alvarez as its most iconic lesbian character only serves to make it all the more wonderful. A quick-witted braindance technician, Judy is one of the most lovable characters in the game. What’s more, she has a “romance option” that you can only access if you’ve selected the “feminine body type” for your character.

Gone Home

Gone Home is a story exploration game in which players get to take on the role of the protagonist, Katie Greenbriar, and embark on her journey back to her family’s rural home, which she finds empty.

The only trace she finds on the property is a note from her sister Sam, and as Katie explores the house, Sam’s voice narrates her own story. Through voiceover, we learn of how Sam and her girlfriend Lonnie tried desperately to escape homophobia in rural America in the 1990s before running away together.

Moonmist

While Moonmist might not be a particularly famous video game, given that it dates back to 1986, its character Vivien Pentreath is groundbreaking as she is believed to be the first lesbian in gaming history.

In the game, Vivien is the villain who is supposedly “jealous of her girlfriend marrying a man” and thus plots revenge. Whose side would you be on, really?

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.”

Apex Legends

This video game boasts one of the most diverse casts of heroes, not only in terms 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.

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