If you were to introduce someone to Dragon Age...

Most games don't even state the protagonist's sexuality, because who they shag isn't exactly an issue, at the wake of an alien invasion, for example. And it's true for male, female and anthropomorphic protagonists. I still don't care about Bubsy's sexual orientation and I pray to God I never find out.


The only thing that could turn me off from playing a game with a female protagonist, is the game itself. I'd argue I've played the Bayonetta games in equal measure to the DMC games, as much Doom and/or Duke Nukem to Tomb Raider, I've spent more time as Kassandra in AssCreed Odyssey, than any previous male protagonist of that series. Out of all the women I've met in my life, only 2 liked video games and my current interest absolutely despises them, regardless of protagonist, or their sexual orientation. I am very happy for her, because, in all honesty, video games have gone down the loo, with monetization practices, most of which are on mobile, whose audience is primarily female. Out of the two women that I do know like to play video games, prefer men to women, for their protagonist.


Bioware made other games since, with different origin stories? I assume you mean in SW:ToR, but that statement was made in regards to other DA games. I forget whether it was DA2 or DA:I, but it's not like we had little origin stories about the Freelancer or the Pathfinder, either.

Basically it’s doubtful they’d have another Dragon Age game that has Origins-like origin stories since that’s part of what made DAO unique. Hope that clarifies.

Alright. I remember an interview, which involved one of the high level devs of Bioware, I forget who, someone like Gaider or Darrah or someone at that level, saying that while the origin stories for the Warden(s) of DA:O were well received and fans wanted more of them, it would be impossible to make stories like that, for the protagonists of future DA game. And that was how that question ended. I do remember the interview and seems to be legit, as since, no DA protagonist had an origin story. Which is a huge detriment for the franchise going forward, I feel, but Bioware was very clear on that.


Thank you.

Not stating/displaying a protagonist's sexuality just means audiences will assume they're straight, because we live in a society where heterosexuality is the assumed default. And just as many anthro protags are shown to be in hetero relationships. Crash Bandicoot, for instance, canonically has a girlfriend in the first game. Picking Bubsy as your example rather seems like cherry-picking, given his relative popularity/fame.

Your personal anecdotes aside, there's a significant LGBT audience starved for representation. As you yourself stated, you don't know that many LGBT people. I happen to know a lot.

But this is all beside the point. The thread asks how I convinced people to play Dragon Age, and that's how I did it. I wasn't making any claims about what would work for all people, or even all LGBT people.

Then assume otherwise. Heaven knows, in spite of Sonic having a relationship with Amy (is he still dating Amy?), it didn't stop the internet from shipping him with whoever and whatever. Maybe they're bi. Maybe they have huge bisexual orgies, the moment the game ends. Personally, I don't want to know. I don't want to know who or what Sonic fucks.


You know, when I started playing video games, Snake was an arcade game. A lot of places had the game cabinet and we'd all cram to play. Now, as far as I recall, Snake wasn't even human. And I didn't see snakes playing the game. In fact, I don't know a single gamer snake.


It's true, they don't. The vast majority of women don't. And not only do they not play, they are actively against men playing video games, too. And just like the comic book industry showed, exemplary so, changing the industry to pander to the female audience, actually put the existing female audience off, as well as a large chunk of the male audience, turned the younger audience off completely and it didn't engage enough women through its change to make up for its losses. Which is why the number of Comic book stores have shrunk and why 2 weeks into the COVID-19 crisis, the comic book industry collapsed. The video game medium could turn itself on its head today trying to appeal to women and they will still hate video games tomorrow.

I never wanted to be represented in movies, books, comics, sports or video games. I never felt excluded for not looking like someone. I can't relate to the notion of seeing myself in the protagonist, because I don't self insert and if I did self insert, I'd probably find myself underwhelming. I don't play games to be me, or see me. And if I did, that would be pandering. And I don't like pandering. Nor do I believe that pandering to demographics will somehow unlock this huge untapped market segment. It will more than likely alienate the existing customer base.

You might call my response disingenuous garbage, but it is just an exaggeration and the point is, basically, the same. I hear you, I love you, but I don't want to play as you. I don't even want to play as me. Why would I want to play as me? I "play" as me every day and frankly, it's not as exciting as it used to be.

not to mention I am an overweight man in my thirties with a penchant for philosophical conversation. I'm not someone for martial glory. I'm not really a man of action. I like talking about things and debating things.

If I were the Inquisitor I'd probably die of a heart attack within the first five minutes. Though my Inquisitor probably is the closest I've come to a self insert.

I guess I'll add my two sense here. I am a pretty meh person, suffering from bi-polar issues and severe anxiety but I still love self inserting. I love it because I can put myself, namely my better qualities, into a hero's arc. This is something I'll never be able to experience in real life. That might be sad to some but for myself and others its liberating. I'm sure you in some way experience this to because its a facet of being human.

Also I still don't understand why anyone would care about pandering for more than two seconds. Like people are upset that a company is trying to make their brand grow and succeed? You cant just have the same formula and expect the market to stay with you. Plus its exhausting to hear pandering generally thrown at the inclusion of LGBTQ+ and women characters. I don't complain about male protagonists, get disappointed sure but not complain. I just wish more people would let companies take risks and not whine. 

On topic: You wanna know how I get people into playing Dragon age? I ask what their fav games are if they say they like crpgs I tell them to go to DA:O and look up the combat. Story? show them the intro to origin stories. The whole set up of origins is great. But for real Ostagar is possibly the best. You just got of a life or death situation (or for the dalish I'm still currently dying  ) then you spend all this time getting a big lore dump and its quite nice. All to be ended with you triumphantly doing your job only to have it go horribly.


I will say its much harder to tell the people I generally interact with why they should check out dragon age. They either dislike crpgs and would find the game play of DA2 and inquisition to be boring (and well they aren't wrong). The other group that I talk with regularly are a bunch of boomers and trying to get them into video games is rough 

Just wanted to say that I am in the exact same boat (Bi-Polar, severe anxiety). I love getting the chance to experience great adventures without having to leave the safty of my home. For me having played DA and MET are as good as having seen an amazing movie or gone on a trip to some far away place. I will always remember it as something special that I do not regret having done.

Yeah you seem REAL empathic.

You're right. I don't understand.


So pandering is good now? Just checking.


If you're saying that I expect to see someone that is a carbon copy of you, then no. But if the entire squad represents the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community, it gets trivial. Even if there is an in game explanation to it, I can't relate, because I don't randomly ask people up about their sexual orientation. Maybe it's a common thing in the US and Canada, but I doubt it.