Marketing to LGBT consumers LGBT themes in video games

the belief young, white, heterosexual males force driving industry forward challenged record-breaking success of sims. video game developer maxis had resisted wright s goal of creating title on grounds girls don t play video games. title seen unappealing young heterosexual males. in 1990s, industry began make effort market games women creating software titles strong, independent female characters, such in tomb raider , resident evil. video game companies moving further expand marketing base include perceived market of affluent homosexual young men including lgbt characters , supporting lgbt rights. bioware included female same-sex scenes in mass effect, female same-sex relationships in mass effect 2 , same-sex relationships either gender in mass effect 3, , allowed sexual interaction between gender groups in dragon age: origins. in dragon age ii, taken further allowing romance-able party members romanced either gender (with exception of particular dlc-only companion), opposed first game s requirement of choosing between 2 bisexual rogues.

even games considered appeal non-traditional demographic continue censor homosexuality. instance, despite tremendous success of sims, recent version of franchise suppresses homosexual identity. autonomous romantic interactions exist heterosexual characters default. in sims 3, players must manually initiate multiple same-sex romantic interactions before character converted homosexuality , begin engage in such interactions autonomously. town marked gay-friendly, unlocking autonomy other characters. if player not force @ least 1 character engage in same-sex advances several times, player s town have no visible homosexuality.

criticism

critics of suppression of gay identity conclude that, homosexuality normalized in broader culture, in video games well.

a 2006 survey exploring gay gamers first academic study of gamer group. 10,000 respondents, survey exhibited reverse bell curve of gamer sexuality, people identifying either heterosexual or homosexual.

a 2009 academic paper explored cultural production of lgbt representation in video games , found factors lead significant increase in lgbt content included: presence of motivated producers in industry (those personally, politically, or commercially interested in lgbt content), how audience text or medium constructed (what public backlash both lgbt community , conservative groups be, industry-based reprisals in form of censorship or ratings), structure of industry , how funded, , how homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgender identities can represented in medium.