Video games with nonbinary player character options: Difference between revisions

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    * In the visual novel ''A Foretold Affair'', players choose their pronouns as he/him, she/her, or they/them.<ref name="repr_AFor">{{Cite web |title=A Foretold Affair |author= |work=Represent Me |date= |access-date=12 July 2021 |url= https://representme.charity/projects/queer/database/title/a-foretold-affair}}</ref>
    * In the visual novel ''A Foretold Affair'', players choose their pronouns as he/him, she/her, or they/them.<ref name="repr_AFor">{{Cite web |title=A Foretold Affair |author= |work=Represent Me |date= |access-date=12 July 2021 |url= https://representme.charity/projects/queer/database/title/a-foretold-affair}}</ref>
    * In the visual novel ''JoJo's Diner'', players can select they/them pronouns for their character.<ref name="repr_JoJo">{{Cite web |title=JoJo's Diner |author= |work=Represent Me |date= |access-date=12 July 2021 |url= https://representme.charity/projects/queer/database/title/jojo-s-diner}}</ref>
    * In the visual novel ''JoJo's Diner'', players can select they/them pronouns for their character.<ref name="repr_JoJo">{{Cite web |title=JoJo's Diner |author= |work=Represent Me |date= |access-date=12 July 2021 |url= https://representme.charity/projects/queer/database/title/jojo-s-diner}}</ref>
    * In the adventure game ''South Park: The Fractured But Whole'', the player character is asked by Mr. Mackey if they identify as male, female, or "other". If you select "other" then Mr. Mackey calls the character's parents and reports "Your child just let me know that he, er, they identify as being [[gender neutral]]. [...] It's fine, it's just everyone was under the impression that they were a boy." After hanging up the phone, Mr. Mackey says, "This is a shocker, New Kid, but there's nothing wrong with not identifying as a binary gender. You can be whatever sex you want, OK, even if it's none. That's fine!" After leaving Mr. Mackey's office, a group of "rednecks" in a pickup truck drive up and say, "Well, well, well, if it ain't one of them gender neutrals? We don't take kindly to your types around here. Let's welcome this thing to our town," and a battle commences. (The same battle also happens if you choose to identify as a trans girl.)<ref name="SouthPark">{{Cite web |title=South Park video game 'more difficult' if you pick a transgender character |last=Duffy |first=Nick |work=PinkNews |date=8 September 2017 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/09/08/south-park-video-game-more-difficult-if-you-pick-a-transgender-character/}}</ref>


    ===2018===
    ===2018===

    Revision as of 16:21, 13 July 2021

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    In most video games, the player's character either has a preselected binary gender, or can be set as only male or female. This page will list games that meet at least one of the following criteria:

    • allow the player to create their character as specifically nonbinary (often by selecting an option for singular they pronouns) or
    • have a player character creation process with no reference to gender at all.

    For non-player characters that canonly have a gender outside the male-or-female binary, see Nonbinary gender in fiction#Video games.

    Games are listed chronologically by year of first release, or by the year that a nonbinary player character option was introduced, whichever is later.

    Gender choice near the beginning of the interactive novel Fallen Hero: Rebirth.
    • In addition to VERSUS: The Lost Ones and Choice of the Dragon, many other interactive novels from Choice of Games allow the player to be be male, female, or nonbinary (as well as often choosing their own pronouns and orientation). Some of these titles include Tally Ho, Empyrean, Kidnapped! A Royal Birthday, Drag Star!, Choice of the Pirate, The Superlatives: Aetherfall, Silverworld, The Hero Project: Redemption Season, Fallen Hero: Rebirth, and Tower Behind the Moon.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

    2010

    Gender selection screen in Choice of the Dragon.
    • Choice of the Dragon, by Choice of Games LLC, is an interactive fiction story in which the player's character is a dragon. When creating this character, you are given the option of being male, female, neither, or an undetermined gender.

    2014

    Character creation screen in the game LongStory.
    • In the visual novel/dating sim LongStory, players choose the protagonist's pronouns from they, she, or he.
    • In the dating sim Great Personality: Guardians, there is an option for the player character to be genderqueer.[11]

    2015

    • VERSUS: The Lost Ones by Zachary Sergi (published in 2015 by Choice of Games LLC) is a sci-fi interactive novel where it's possible to play a nonbinary character. The player's character, Thomil, comes from a planet where everyone telepathically shares their thoughts and feelings with one another. A couple chapters into the story, the player is asked about their character's gender. They can choose from six options: a cisgender woman, transgender woman, cis man, trans man, intersex, or "I don't subscribe to any gender categories". Choosing the last option sets Thomil's stats to say "Gender: Not Applicable," and brings up these remarks in the narrative: "You are both genders, but you are also neither gender. You believe gender defies categorization, operating on a kind of sliding scale-- one that can change every day. You've come across [foreign planets'] texts about other cultures where such thinking is considered taboo or even sacrilegious, but in a society where everyone can quite literally share their thoughts and experiences, it's fairly impossible not to accept others once you understand who they truly are. Besides, even the most staunchly 'male' or 'female' cisgenders admit that sometimes they feel more 'masculine' or 'feminine' at different times. You just take that kind of thinking to a whole new level." The narration in VERSUS makes clear that this is not an undisclosed gender or a fantasy sex, but a nonbinary gender identity. Though Thomil comes from a sci-fi setting where where this and other transgender identities are accepted, this is a realistic depiction of a nonbinary person.

    2016

    • In Tokyo Afterschool Summoners, the player can set the protagonist's gender to male, female, or "other", regardless of which appearance they choose.
    • In the dating sim Hustle Cat, the protagonist can be either male, female, or nonbinary with "they" pronouns, and the characters in-game will refer to them with the chosen pronouns.
    • In the RPG visual novel Queen at Arms, the protagonist is AFAB and for much of the game is crossdressing as male to hide their identity. However, halfway through the story, the player chooses the protagonist's gender identity, and the options are male, female, or genderqueer.[12]
    • In the science-fiction adventure game Event[0], players choose their pronouns as he/him, she/her, or they/them.[13]
    • In the mobile game Pokémon Go, players select their avatar from one of two "styles" instead of being asked "Are you a boy or a girl?" as was the case in many other Pokémon games.[14]
    • The fan-made RPG Pokémon Uranium allows players to select from three avatars: one masculine, one feminine, and one androgynous. Based on the selected avatar, the game will use he/him, she/her, or they/them pronouns in dialogue when referring to the player.[15]

    2017

    • The action RPG Pyre allows players to select their pronouns from she/her, he/him, or they/them.[16] The pronouns can be changed at any time through the settings menu.[17]
    • In the visual novel A Foretold Affair, players choose their pronouns as he/him, she/her, or they/them.[18]
    • In the visual novel JoJo's Diner, players can select they/them pronouns for their character.[19]
    • In the adventure game South Park: The Fractured But Whole, the player character is asked by Mr. Mackey if they identify as male, female, or "other". If you select "other" then Mr. Mackey calls the character's parents and reports "Your child just let me know that he, er, they identify as being gender neutral. [...] It's fine, it's just everyone was under the impression that they were a boy." After hanging up the phone, Mr. Mackey says, "This is a shocker, New Kid, but there's nothing wrong with not identifying as a binary gender. You can be whatever sex you want, OK, even if it's none. That's fine!" After leaving Mr. Mackey's office, a group of "rednecks" in a pickup truck drive up and say, "Well, well, well, if it ain't one of them gender neutrals? We don't take kindly to your types around here. Let's welcome this thing to our town," and a battle commences. (The same battle also happens if you choose to identify as a trans girl.)[20]

    2018

    • In the dating sim Monster Prom, you can choose your character's pronouns from they/them, she/her, or he/him.[21]
    • In the adventure/visual novel game Headliner: NoviNews, players choose their pronouns as he/him, she/her, or they/them.[22]
    • In Red Embrace: Hollywood, the player chooses their pronoun from "he", "she", or "they".[23]
    • In the visual novel //TODO: today, the protagonist can be male, female, or nonbinary, depending on player's choices.[24]
    • Genderwrecked is a post-apocalyptic horror/gore visual novel about trying to find the meaning of gender. The player can select their pronouns from she/her, they/them, he/him, xe/xir, ze/zir, it/it, or custom pronouns.[25]

    2019

    • In the simulation game Signed and Sealed With a Kiss, "you choose your pronouns (he/she/they) and presentation (masculine/feminine/androgynous)."[26]

    2020

    A screenshot of the character creation process in Later Daters.
    • In the visual novel/dating sim Later Daters, the player can choose their honorific as Mx, Ms, or Mr.[27]
    • In the simulation game Calico, the character creation process is non-gendered.[28]
    • In the simulation game BitLife, since the June 2020 Pride Update, the player can select whether their character is cisgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, transgender female, and transgender male (after the character reaches age 5). Being non-cis may cause the character to experience gender dysphoria in-game, lowering their Happiness level.[29]
    • In the simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the character creation process is non-gendered, having players select a "style" instead of a gender for their avatar.[30]

    2021

    • In the farming RPG Pumpkin Days, previously known as Pumpkin Online, the player character creator has no gender selection nor any gender-locked clothes. The official website says that "specifying a gender does not play a role in Pumpkin Days. Simply use our body sliders in character customization to add feminine and/or as masculine features as you want. Any clothes you buy will fit the body you choose."[31]

    Unreleased (currently in development)

    • In the dating sim Repurpose, the player will be able to choose their pronoun set as "he", "she", or "they".[32][33]

    Further resources

    References

    1. https://store.steampowered.com/app/763930/Tally_Ho/
    2. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1016630/Drag_Star/
    3. https://store.steampowered.com/app/557700/Empyrean/
    4. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1356440/Kidnapped_A_Royal_Birthday/
    5. https://store.steampowered.com/app/476490/Choice_of_the_Pirate/
    6. https://store.steampowered.com/app/726230/The_Superlatives_Aetherfall/
    7. https://store.steampowered.com/app/839940/Silverworld/
    8. https://store.steampowered.com/app/459310/The_Hero_Project_Redemption_Season/
    9. https://store.steampowered.com/app/800620/Fallen_Hero_Rebirth/
    10. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1001490/Tower_Behind_the_Moon/
    11. "Great Personality: Guardians". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    12. https://store.steampowered.com/app/362020/Queen_At_Arms/?curator_clanid=39486419
    13. https://store.steampowered.com/app/470260/Event0/?curator_clanid=39486419
    14. Tan, Nigel (14 July 2016). "Pokémon Go praised by fans for non-binary, gender fluid avatars". Gay Star News. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
    15. "Pokémon Uranium". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    16. Powell, Dougie K (19 June 2018). "Player Genderfluidity in Gaming". Hey Poor Player. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
    17. https://store.steampowered.com/app/462770/Pyre/?curator_clanid=39486419
    18. "A Foretold Affair". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    19. "JoJo's Diner". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    20. Duffy, Nick (8 September 2017). "South Park video game 'more difficult' if you pick a transgender character". PinkNews. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
    21. "Monster Prom". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    22. Henry, Jasmine (4 April 2019). "Headliner: NoviNews Gets Negative Reviews for Non-Binary Pronouns". J Station X. Retrieved 11 July 2021. At the beginning of the game, players can choose to go by he/him, she/her, or they/them pronouns. In an email, Unbound Creations founder Jakub Kasztalski explains that the game doesn’t address LGBTQ issues beyond this
    23. Argent Games (10 September 2018). "Your Customized MC - Red Embrace: Hollywood". itch.io. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
    24. VNDB | //TODO: today characters
    25. ryan rose aceae. "GENDERWRECKED". itch.io. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
    26. https://store.steampowered.com/app/933230/Signed_and_Sealed_With_a_Kiss/?curator_clanid=26898915
    27. Ford, Suzie (5 March 2021). "Later Daters PC Review". GameSpace.com. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
    28. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1112890/Calico/?curator_clanid=39486419
    29. Tim (3 July 2020). "BitLife Pride Update Guide: Everything You Need to Know About BitLife Version 1.38, aka the Pride Update". Level Winner. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
    30. "Animal Crossing series". Represent Me. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
    31. "Pumpkin Days Unique Features". Retrieved 29 June 2021.
    32. "Repurpose (Demo) by Eros". itch.io. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
    33. Resident Rabbit. "Repurpose". Kickstarter. Retrieved 28 October 2020.