{"id":91026,"date":"2019-06-13T14:25:24","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T18:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/inclusive-games-to-watch-out-for-from-e3-2019-and-beyond\/"},"modified":"2019-06-13T14:25:24","modified_gmt":"2019-06-13T18:25:24","slug":"inclusive-games-to-watch-out-for-from-e3-2019-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/inclusive-games-to-watch-out-for-from-e3-2019-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Inclusive games to watch out for from E3 2019 and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inclusive games to watch out for from E3 2019 and beyond<\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"E3\"<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

Entertainment Software Association<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

E3, the gaming industry\u2019s biggest annual consumer-facing\u00a0event, descended upon Los Angeles this week for publishers and developers to show off their newest and greatest upcoming games. This time of year is a draw for all game enthusiasts, but LGBTQ gamers like myself have a particular interest to see how games are evolving and becoming more inclusive. While the industry still has a long way to go, there\u2019s plenty for us to get excited about\u00a0over the next few months. So, whether you\u2019ve been following the recent E3 news or not, here’s a round-up of some LGBTQ-inclusive games we\u2019re excited about.<\/p>\n

First on the list is The Sims 4<\/strong><\/em>, a game widely known for its LGBTQ inclusivity. The Sims<\/em> series has featured same-sex<\/a> relationships going all the way back to the original in 2000, and in 2016, GLAAD partnered with Electronic Arts to bring transgender and gender-expansive characters to the game. This year, The Sims 4<\/em> is becoming even more inclusive, as EA partnered with the It Gets Better Project to bring a collection of Pride-themed items to the game. In a video<\/a> at EA PLAY (EA\u2019s pre-E3 weekend event), YouTube creator and The Sims<\/em> fan Joey Graceffa revealed the new content, which will include Pride clothing and a gender-neutral bathroom door.<\/p>\n

\"Sir<\/p>\n

Borderlands 3<\/strong><\/em> is the next big game to watch. Fans of the series know it as one of the most inclusive in all of gaming, featuring several LGBTQ characters and even a playable lesbian<\/a> character\u2014Athena\u2014in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel<\/em>. Sir Hammerlock, a canonically gay<\/a> character who first appeared in Borderlands 2<\/em>, is confirmed to be returning in Borderlands 3<\/em>, and there\u2019s no doubt the upcoming game will have far more inclusivity in store.<\/p>\n

Next on the list is The Elder Scrolls Online<\/strong><\/em>, this year\u2019s recipient of the inaugural GLAAD Media Award in the Outstanding Video Game category. The popular MMORPG recently launched its newest expansion, Elsweyr<\/em>, and teased more upcoming content at Bethesda\u2019s E3 press conference. The developers have promised even more LGBTQ-inclusive characters and storylines, and we\u2019re excited to see what this future content brings.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on The Outer Worlds<\/strong><\/em>, a forthcoming sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment. While we haven\u2019t seen confirmation that the game will include LGBTQ characters and storylines, we have good reason to believe that it will. The game is co-directed by the venerated, out gay<\/a> game designer Tim Cain, whose previous work\u2014from Fallout 2 <\/em>to Pillars of Eternity<\/em>\u2014stands out for its LGBTQ inclusivity. And Obsidian Entertainment\u2019s previous game\u2014Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire<\/em>\u2014was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award this year.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re also closely following a pair of newly revealed games from Ubisoft. Gods & Monsters<\/strong><\/em> is an upcoming Greek mythology-infused action-adventure game from the same team that brought us Assassin\u2019s Creed: Odyssey<\/em>, also a GLAAD Media Award nominee. Watch Dogs Legion<\/em> <\/strong>is an ambitious open-world game that promises the ability to play as any character that exists in the game\u2019s futuristic London setting. Ubisoft\u2019s E3 presentation showcased a range of diverse playable characters, and given the history of inclusivity in the Watch Dogs<\/em> series, we expect that LGBTQ characters will be among them in the final version of the game.<\/p>\n

Finally, we’re compelled to mention\u00a0The Last of Us Part II<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0even though\u00a0it did not make an appearance at E3 this year (Sony, the game’s publisher, skipped out). The\u00a0game,\u00a0which will feature Ellie as the first canonically gay<\/a> protagonist to lead a full-length AAA game, wowed audiences last year with an extended trailer that included a memorable kiss between\u00a0Ellie and her love interest Dina. No release date has been announced, but we expect to hear more about this widely anticipated title\u00a0in the coming months.<\/p>\n

\"Ellie<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
June 13, 2019<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
Issues:\u00a0<\/div>\n