Playing Dirty: The queer hero
by Scott Jon Siegel 
{ Jan 4th 2007 at 12:27PM }
This week, Scott Jon Siegel contributes Playing Dirty, Bonnie Ruberg's column on sex and gender in video games:
In her last several columns, Bonnie has talked about the role of effeminate men as protagonists in video games. In her examples, she's discussed threats to the heterosexual male archetype, and, I believe, has hinted at the possibility for an even more potent figure: the queer hero.
In my mind, the queer hero is almost a challenge to the industry, which so often writes archetypal characters for the sake of easy identification by their audience. Homosexuality has been present in video games for years, but often as a farce -- at best, a flamboyant frog in Rare's Banjo-Tooie but, at worst, figures to be ridiculed, as amusing as a minstrel show.
The queer hero is not merely "gay for gay's sake." Rather, I define the queer hero as a protagonist whose orientation is arguably less-than-normative, but which ultimately plays no part in the telling of his or her story. This automatically discredits the lipstick lesbians of Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, whose "taboo" romance played an overt role in the game's marketing to a young male audience. No, the queer hero is, to put it simply, "cool," and seen as "cool" neither because of his/her sexuality, nor in spite of it.
Assuming this character couldn't possibly already exist, I've fantasized for years about the making of a truly great game, with a protagonist who just happens to be gay. But one random, crude webcomic made me double back on my assumption, and take a closer look at one of gaming's most popular franchises. In Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy, the once-rookie cop from RE2, returns to the series wearing blue-jeans and a bomber jacket -- dressed for success. I played through the entire game without giving it a thought, but looking back, I think I found my queer hero.
It's not just the outfit (although Leon did receive one of the best makeovers in video game history). In Resident Evil 2, Leon entered the story late, after a rough breakup with his girlfriend. He later assumes a spark between himself and Ada Wong, only to get burned when it's revealed that she'd been using him to get what she wanted. But this is not the same Leon we later meet in RE4.
In RE4, Leon encounters two major female characters, but two prominent male ones as well. Ada returns, but any heat Leon had for her has invariably cooled off. She's a figure of overt female sexuality in the game -- dressed to kill in a red one-piece with a thigh-high slit down the side -- but Leon barely gives her a second look.
Ashley Graham, the barely-legal daughter of the American president, is the main focus of Leon's mission, as he has been sent to find and rescue her. Wearing a tight sweater and short, plaid, schoolgirl's skirt, Ashley's a comely character, who (as we all know) flirts unsuccessfully with Leon towards the end of the game:
Leon's relationships with male figures in the game prove to be equally interesting. Early on, he befriends Luis Sera, a former Madrid police officer and native of the village. Though knowing very little about him, Leon puts his trust in Luis almost immediately. Later, when Sera is stabbed through the chest by Saddler, we are treated to the game's most sentimental sequence, as Leon holds the dying Spaniard in his arms.
Jack Krauser, mercenary and one-time friend to Leon, appears as a rival figure in the storyline. Though betrayed in time by both Ada and Krauser, Leon takes Krauser's betrayal more personally, reveling in it during a phallo-centric knife fight between the two men (and what is undeniably the sexiest sequence in the entire game).
Frigid to women, yet heated to various temperatures by the men in his life, is it possible that Leon S. Kennedy is the queer hero? Could his next Resident Evil appearance feature an offhanded comment about a boyfriend in the city? Would Leon even have time for boyfriends in his line of work?
Worst-case scenario: What if Leon isn't queer as I had hoped, but just another effeminate, pretty-boy het? If not Leon, then whom? Who will save the industry from its own archetypal protagonists? Who will be our queer hero?
Scott Jon Siegel is a fledgling game designer, and fancies himself a bit of a writer on the topic as well. His words and games can be found at numberless, which is almost always a work in progress.
In her last several columns, Bonnie has talked about the role of effeminate men as protagonists in video games. In her examples, she's discussed threats to the heterosexual male archetype, and, I believe, has hinted at the possibility for an even more potent figure: the queer hero.In my mind, the queer hero is almost a challenge to the industry, which so often writes archetypal characters for the sake of easy identification by their audience. Homosexuality has been present in video games for years, but often as a farce -- at best, a flamboyant frog in Rare's Banjo-Tooie but, at worst, figures to be ridiculed, as amusing as a minstrel show.
The queer hero is not merely "gay for gay's sake." Rather, I define the queer hero as a protagonist whose orientation is arguably less-than-normative, but which ultimately plays no part in the telling of his or her story. This automatically discredits the lipstick lesbians of Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, whose "taboo" romance played an overt role in the game's marketing to a young male audience. No, the queer hero is, to put it simply, "cool," and seen as "cool" neither because of his/her sexuality, nor in spite of it.
Assuming this character couldn't possibly already exist, I've fantasized for years about the making of a truly great game, with a protagonist who just happens to be gay. But one random, crude webcomic made me double back on my assumption, and take a closer look at one of gaming's most popular franchises. In Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy, the once-rookie cop from RE2, returns to the series wearing blue-jeans and a bomber jacket -- dressed for success. I played through the entire game without giving it a thought, but looking back, I think I found my queer hero.
It's not just the outfit (although Leon did receive one of the best makeovers in video game history). In Resident Evil 2, Leon entered the story late, after a rough breakup with his girlfriend. He later assumes a spark between himself and Ada Wong, only to get burned when it's revealed that she'd been using him to get what she wanted. But this is not the same Leon we later meet in RE4.
In RE4, Leon encounters two major female characters, but two prominent male ones as well. Ada returns, but any heat Leon had for her has invariably cooled off. She's a figure of overt female sexuality in the game -- dressed to kill in a red one-piece with a thigh-high slit down the side -- but Leon barely gives her a second look.
Ashley Graham, the barely-legal daughter of the American president, is the main focus of Leon's mission, as he has been sent to find and rescue her. Wearing a tight sweater and short, plaid, schoolgirl's skirt, Ashley's a comely character, who (as we all know) flirts unsuccessfully with Leon towards the end of the game:
Ashley: So, after you take me back to my place, how about we do some ... overtime?
Leon: Heh. Sorry.
Ashley: Somehow I knew you were going to say that ...
Leon: Heh. Sorry.
Ashley: Somehow I knew you were going to say that ...
Leon's relationships with male figures in the game prove to be equally interesting. Early on, he befriends Luis Sera, a former Madrid police officer and native of the village. Though knowing very little about him, Leon puts his trust in Luis almost immediately. Later, when Sera is stabbed through the chest by Saddler, we are treated to the game's most sentimental sequence, as Leon holds the dying Spaniard in his arms.
Jack Krauser, mercenary and one-time friend to Leon, appears as a rival figure in the storyline. Though betrayed in time by both Ada and Krauser, Leon takes Krauser's betrayal more personally, reveling in it during a phallo-centric knife fight between the two men (and what is undeniably the sexiest sequence in the entire game).
Frigid to women, yet heated to various temperatures by the men in his life, is it possible that Leon S. Kennedy is the queer hero? Could his next Resident Evil appearance feature an offhanded comment about a boyfriend in the city? Would Leon even have time for boyfriends in his line of work?
Worst-case scenario: What if Leon isn't queer as I had hoped, but just another effeminate, pretty-boy het? If not Leon, then whom? Who will save the industry from its own archetypal protagonists? Who will be our queer hero?
Scott Jon Siegel is a fledgling game designer, and fancies himself a bit of a writer on the topic as well. His words and games can be found at numberless, which is almost always a work in progress.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Scott @ Jan 4th 2007 12:36PM
Funny how the blogs along this topic usually receive almost no comments. I wonder why that is?
Ben Friesen @ Jan 4th 2007 12:50PM
Eh - gay characters are a niche market - there aren't enough gays for them to have mainstream appeal. (Something like 3-4% of the population is gay, and by making a homosexual main character you're alienating a much larger part of the population than you're gaining with a main character.)
Kestrel @ Jan 4th 2007 12:43PM
Cloud was gay.
Tom @ Jan 4th 2007 12:43PM
Come to think of it, being as I beat the game about 3 times, it does make sense though, I mean if not ashley then why not ada, what's wrong with leon! I just though of that, I mean Ashley was like 18 and I remeber sera commenting on ashley's breasts while leon acted like he did'nt care? It is strange, but could also be disproven, but still a thought.
DiRT @ Jan 4th 2007 12:45PM
Leon could just as easily be a member of NAMBLA. Would that make the story better? Or does this just make Bonnie a dumb nerd who spends too much time trying to figure out what's in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction?
burntoutd @ Jan 4th 2007 12:56PM
What About Hannigan, the girl that communicates with Leon?
Pointythings @ Jan 4th 2007 12:47PM
Whoa! There's only one comment! Cool, someone might read this.
After reading that I'm now almost completly convinced Leon is gay. I comend Resident Evil for their bold attempt to break tradition and a mostly homophobic audience.
moofree @ Jan 4th 2007 1:02PM
Leon is gay, just like Bert and Ernie and Samwise and Frodo.
Oh wait, no they're not!
It's really a non-issue. Those japanese like their men to look flashy and girly. Nothing new here.
billychaos @ Jan 4th 2007 1:17PM
I think before they dare start putting queer hero's in games the US population needs to first understand what a queer male really is. The media has presented Will and Grace and suddenly that's the 'icon' of what gay people are. It's at the point where people think gay = flamboyant, effeminant and anyone that does not act this way "must NOT be gay". Shockingly, gay people themselves share this distored view.
White Rose Duelist @ Jan 4th 2007 12:48PM
The first thing that needs to happen for gay characters to be acceptable is for there to be another Samus Aran. Video game heroines were nonexistent prior to Metroid. In that game, not only did it not matter that Samus was a woman, it wasn't even apparent. She just showed up, dressed *appropriately* (heroines still have trouble with that one) and got the job done. Then, everyone said OMG when her gender was revealed, and the way was paved.
johnny @ Jan 4th 2007 12:49PM
hes not gay
Izuna Drop @ Jan 4th 2007 12:49PM
That's a pretty funny assessment of RE4.
I think ignorance and bias would cause, at least at first, even a successful game franchise to be "demonized. "Would Metal Gear Solid or Halo sell as well if Solid Snake and/or Master Chief were gay? I would venture to say that they would take a huge hit.
Maylon @ Jan 4th 2007 12:51PM
Uh, sorry to tear down the entire thing, but I don't remember many games where the Protagonist was overtly straight. Point in case:Master Chief. My point is that its a non-issue merely brought to the forefront by "special" interests for the sake of being heard. Well, I hear you, now would you sit down and shut up?
bm @ Jan 4th 2007 12:52PM
Now I usually take the side of the homosexuals in these kinds of discussions, but...that's not exactly how the ending went. Leon made it clear that his heart belonged to the girl in red.
Gays are a minority, get over it. Transsexuals are a minority too, and there are many more examples. None of these people are worth any less than anyone else. It's just that if you're not part of one of these minorities, you don't really care to create, or play, a game starring one of them. If you do, go and make one, instead of trying to guilt talk other people into it.
Hak Foo @ Jan 4th 2007 1:04PM
Be careful (although it is probably too late) the referenced/linked webcomic is borderline not work safe. No nudity or anything, but slightly obscene (in its use of foul language).
While I'm not offended by it, I wish I wouldn't have opened it at work.
Skwurl @ Jan 4th 2007 12:54PM
"The queer hero is not merely "gay for gay's sake." Rather, I define the queer hero as a protagonist whose orientation is arguably less-than-normative, but which ultimately plays no part in the telling of his or her story."
Yeah, good luck with that.
Maylon @ Jan 4th 2007 12:56PM
And please stop labeling anyone who has an opposing viewpoint to this as homophobic, my ex-roomate was a transexual.
Dan @ Jan 4th 2007 12:56PM
I remember him hitting on Hunnigan at the end of the game! Telling her she looked good without glasses and that shey should hook up when he got back or something like that! and she told him to remember that he was still on duty. HES NOT GAY!!!
32_Footsteps @ Jan 4th 2007 12:56PM
I think one huge problem in trying to pin a certain hero as gay or straight is that we're dealing with a completely different culture as the one making these games.
When I read this piece, I see what Americans would consider signs of homosexuality - effeminate features, dismissal of a woman during a tense situation, good fashion sense, more emotional with his comrades-in-arms, and so on.
However, keep in mind to the average Japanese (presumably the ones making the game, or at least the ones to which it is initially marketed), these are not homosexual markers at all. If anything, these are markers for the ideal masculine, heterosexual man in Japan.
If Leon Kennedy was meant to be gay, he would have been taller, been much more muscular (and frequently showing off his muscles), have much less hair (either having a buzz cut or being bald), and would have obsessed about the need for togetherness and brotherhood as code terms for homosexuality.
Hey, it would be a big step to have a gay hero in a video game. But keep in mind, if we're talking about a Japanese-made game, they are going to have a drastically different perception of what kind of attributes a gay hero would have. Whereas an American might design a Leon Kennedy and think that he's gay, a Japanese might just shave off Rambo's hair and leave it at that.
seifer @ Jan 4th 2007 1:14PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/djseifer/wrong-hole.jpg
Somehow, it all makes sense.
Paul @ Jan 4th 2007 1:02PM
Anyone else watch The Wire on HBO?
Omar, one of the main characters, steals from drug dealers to make his living. He is a total f-ing badass. He is also openly gay. Nonetheless, everyone in the show is afraid of him.
A game based on Omar would be sweet.
jayntampa @ Jan 4th 2007 1:13PM
I could see Leon being gay -- no big deal either way.
Anyway, Master Chief is probably gay, or bi -- he's a Spartan and Spartan men historically had sex with other men. It was just a given in their militaristic society.
Of course, I'm joking about MC ... I have no clue, I always viewed him a asexual due to his, err ... modifications. If I was making the perfect warrior, I'd get control over the sex drive right away.
Anyway, discussions like this are good -- it gets people talking and thinking. Plus, the narrow-minded bigots get a chance to spout off. That's the only way to point them out as morons.
babycakes @ Jan 4th 2007 1:13PM
I'm so thrilled to read an article such as this. Kudos. My only point of disagreement is that I don't think we should necessarily ask for queer characters whose sexuality plays NO part in their own personal narrative. In much the same way that heterosexual game characters have enjoyed existing in a world of assumed sexuality (aka, heteronormativity), would it be so bad for there to come a queer character whose sexuality DOES play some role? It's not like actual, real people are completely oblivious to their/others' sexuality anyway. Why fight it? I'm not talking about overt sexual content (though in applicable cases, fine), just an admition that sexuality exists in people and that's fine.
Intentless @ Jan 4th 2007 5:00PM
Leon is not gay... Simply professional. Just because your a guy doesn't mean you have to go after every chick you see. Being as he was in the business he was in with a life threatening situation I think women are the last thing on his mind. He had a mission to do!
Ibere @ Jan 4th 2007 1:25PM
Yes, he totally hit on Hunningan two or three times during their communication. Anyway, that ending made me scratch my head. "OMG you have this totally cute and hot girl hitting on you and you say no! Stupid!!!". I wish I could control Leon in that scene.
Now that I wrote this.. maybe this is the solution for you queer hero: just let players choose his sexual orientation.
takun @ Jan 4th 2007 1:06PM
Leon is not gay, wow. He's just a guy who puts his duty above other interests. The reason he befriended Luis was because as a native, Luis had knowledge of the village and could help Leon complete his mission.
Barney Bear @ Jan 4th 2007 1:07PM
Agree with #10: whatever your sexual orientation, you still pull the trigger the same.
yourself @ Jan 4th 2007 1:32PM
I think some people already mentioned it, but Leon CLEARLY is hitting on Hunnigan throughout the game. There's just no denying it. And although I don't remember word for word, as I haven't beaten it in a while, I could've sworn Leon said something other than just "sorry." I remember just automatically assuming he meant he was passing on Ashley in favor of Ada, and I feel like there was something concrete I was basing that on. I could be wrong about that, although Hunnigan alone disproves the homosexuality.
And between the mention of knives in this post and swords in the Castlevania column from a few weeks ago, I'm getting kind of tired of "weapons are phallic." The knifefight didn't come across as sexual at all, and the whole thing just tends to be an incredible stretch and misuse of metaphor. Yeah, most weapons are shaped like penii. But think about it like this: if you took out every single sword in a video game and replaced it with an axe, a weapon that cannot be considered phallic, would that dynamically change anything? But would you be so quick to call it sexual without your 'overt' phallic symbolism?
Moore Cowbell @ Jan 4th 2007 2:55PM
Yeah it's kinda interesting how many movies made in the 80's were REALLY ambiguously gay. I watched Top Gun the other day, and that movie is rife with homosexual overtones. Hell, I HOPE that Leon is gay. That's a pretty good (ie: non-sterotypical) role for a gay hero. He DOES look fabulous, tbh.
Levi @ Jan 4th 2007 1:10PM
Siegel brings up some good points that crossed my mind while playing the game. I thought that the knife fight was quite symbolic. Well, I always think that when a male character would rather "swordfight" with another male character instead of paying attention to the female characters.
But whenever I play RE4, Leon is definitely hetero. I always move Leon around so it looks like he's looking up Ashlee's skirt. Or I draw my gun and make her go down on her knees. Video game porn FTW!
helava @ Jan 4th 2007 1:11PM
More than the 'queer hero', why not let the players decide the course of such actions? I mean, nominally, the goal of the game is immersion within the character. If Leon, for instance, were to say in a cutscene, "I don't know how to add 1 and 1," it would break the immersion.
Depending on the orientation of the player, a gay relationship may break that level of immersion, just as a straight relationship would break that immersion for a gay player. If a relationship, in a game, is really important, why not give the player the *choice* who to be involved with? After all, aren't games fundamentally about making choices?
ChrisBo @ Jan 4th 2007 1:11PM
*SPOILERS*
You remember that Leon is a man on a mission, right?
Leon is a very focused person in RE4 and his first priority is his mission. He knows Ada's a double-crosser, so only a complete idiot (or James Bond, who is not an idiot) would give Ada an inch in his heart during this very dangerous mission. True to it, Ada points a gun at him at the end and takes the sample she was seeking. Leon's just smart enough to not trust Ada nor give her any leeway.
Luis--why wouldn't he trust him? Luis was tied up when they first met and their goals seem pretty compatible without much threat of the double-cross that attributed to Ada. Plus, Luis helped out several times during the game. Also, I'm sure Leon would've reacted to Ashley's or Ada's death the same way as he reacted to Luis's. Remember Ada's supposed death scenes in RE2? Those scenes mirrored his reaction to Luis's death quite nicely, didn't they?
His rejection of Ashley: I'll quote Thomas Wilde's RE Plot Analysis FAQ, which reflects my thoughts: "12. Leon has no luck with women whatsoever. The only one who's interested in him is jailbait. (Yes, Ashley's 20, but her dad's the President. She could be in her late forties and she'd still be jailbait.)" Would the White House really look kindly on one of the President's bodyguards gettin' it on with the First Daughter? Again: not gay, just smart and dedicated.
Krauser: Really, does everything involving a knife have to be phallic and have hidden meaning? They were army buddies, so their friendship probably delved deeper than the "saving each other's lives" boundry he had with Ada in RE2. Look, seriously, honestly: Men can have friends in the military without being homosexual. They can have deep friendships that AREN'T gay. Really, they can! Trust me!
Also: I don't ever remember hearing Leon went through a rough breakup just prior to the events of RE2. I never even heard he had a girlfriend before RE2! Where'd you get that? Also, in RE2, he didn't enter the story "late," he entered at the beginning.
rb @ Jan 4th 2007 1:25PM
A character's sexuality is only relevant if it pertains to game play. For example, if the game offers the character the option to have sex (i.e. God of War or Fable). This article makes assumptions about Leon's sexuality based on appearances and implied innuendo. If we what to break down barriers and stereotypes, shouldn't we stop doing this?
This article also implies that a character's sexuality that is not explicitly stated is heterosexual. The beauty of games that leave some of the protagonist's personality to ambiguity is that the player can interject their own personality into him or her and make him more meaningful.
Jonathan Tran @ Jan 4th 2007 1:37PM
I think it would be hard to make the character "gay" without it mattering to the story/gameplay. I mean, as someone said, most characters are not even straight, we just assume they are. Who's to say that even Samus Aran is not gay, or Master Chief, or Sonic? Unless the game involves the characters' relationships, usually this won't come up at all, except in RPGs, some adventure games maybe. Do you think Gordon Freeman is straight? If so, why?
I mean, is the game manual going to say "This character is a badass from Kentucky, with a chip on his shoulder and another Chip, his partner, at home" or something? laaaammmee
Only openly gay character is Zack from DoA, and to be fair it was pretty obvious.
joe smith @ Jan 4th 2007 1:25PM
Unless a game has the character's sexuality as a prominent part of the story and/or gameplay, what difference would it make if the character was conceived to be gay or not? As in real life, when playing a game, I could care less what or who the hero sleeps with.
honkyjesus @ Jan 4th 2007 1:30PM
scott, i think we found our homo too
and that person is you
you may want to take some writing courses at school
just trying to help you, man
Shadow @ Jan 4th 2007 1:25PM
Ok, I normally stick up for Americans in discussions in which we might get stereotyped(As such when people say America is going down hill because of some crazy politician in the news, or other such things), but this is where I draw the line. I'm so tired of people who jump the gun on labeling people gay. It's just annoying. In RE4 Leon hits on Hunnigan, and makes it clear he has a thing for Ada. I think it's also pretty clear the reason why he doesn't dig Ashley is because he thinks she's too young. Contrary to popular belief, not every guy would have sex with a girl on the spot just because she has blond hair and big boobs.
It's just so annoying how quick people, especially Americans, are to label other people as gay. Sonic's gay because he hangs out with Tails, Raiden's gay because he has long hair and is pretty, Snake's gay because he hangs out with Otacon, Leon's gay because he doesn't have sex with Ashley(WTF), etc.
Don't people realize how retarded they're sounding when they randomly name off people as gay when they're not? I'm sorry for ranting, but jeese. I mean, I'm down for making fun of characters as being gay even though they're not(I've made many a Sonic/Tails joke in my day), but when it comes to actually taking it seriously that's another thing. So Chugworth(Awesome comic by the way) shows a comic saying Leon is "Clearly homosexual" and suddenly it's to be taken as cold hard fact?
Ignatius @ Jan 4th 2007 1:18PM
First off, who cares if he's gay or not? He's a very handsome and attractive male to begin with. Sure, I can admit I'm bisexual and I thought he was pretty awesome when I first saw him... that isn't the point.
Here's the point; sexuality doesn't determine how a game will be unless there is truly a reason for the sexuality, such as a love interest or how a character acts toward certain genders. However, that character, whether bisexual, straight or gay shouldn't be portrayed as their stereotype suggests. Most bisexual and gay people aren't flamboyant boy-toy brandishing ninnies. I'm 17, I work at an IT Helpdesk job for a school and I play CS:S, Oblivion and the Wii. See any effect of my bisexuality in there? No.
Thing is, sexuality can change a story, but it can't change a person of how they hold themselves or act, that behavior is deep-down how they truly believe who they are, or simply wish to act. Being gay or bisexual doesn't make people crazy, it just means they have a different interest in their personal lives dealing with intimacy and affection.
Mark Korsak @ Jan 4th 2007 1:17PM
Thats freggin' ridiculous. It sounds like you're just trying to find gay characters to satisfy yourself now and seem angry that you can't find any, so you convince people that Leon is. You clearly missed a part of the story where the reason he didn't hook up with Ashley was because it was clear that he wanted Agent Hunnigan, the chick talkin to him on that codec like intercom thing (i forget what they called it in that game). Also, I doubt he wants to get serious with Ashley or do small things like comment on her breasts with Luis. Shes the presidents daughter, like that doesn't make him nervous. One slip up she may not like and he's on the presidents bad side. He doesn't want to mix up business with personal affairs. About the scene with Luis dying, they were good friends. Anyone that hangs out with each other as they have to go through fighting for their lives are gonna be close friends, and watching him be impaled right in front of you has to be a sort of tear jerker. This is like all those times the thousands of people call Cloud gay, which I still don't understand why. I have yet to be persuaded that either Cloud or Leon are gay, and completely believe that neither are. This is just a waste of an article...
OTAM @ Jan 4th 2007 1:31PM
Everyone knows the only gay characters in videogames are Zangief,Tails,and Link.
Dansk @ Jan 4th 2007 3:30PM
Megaman X and Zero: Clearly homosexual.
ZealousD @ Jan 9th 2007 2:33PM
The problem with having a gay hero but "not making it an issue", is that you really CAN'T. Being gay is not something that you can necessarily tell from the outside. Unless of course you want to make the character overly flamboyant. Then you'd just have some serious problems. Imagine a main character dancing around like a idiot waving a boa around after he blows some guy's head off.
You don't necessarily have the same problem with women. Samus Aran and Jade from BG&E are great examples of female characters where their gender isn't really an issue, because they still kick butt without having sexual overtones. Having a gay character means that you NEED sexual overtones in at least some fashion, because you have to reveal the fact that they're gay. You don't have to reveal that a woman is a woman (unless they're wearing a full body suit with helmt) because you can tell right off the bat.
Ben Friesen @ Jan 4th 2007 1:32PM
I stand by my statement that a (male) gay would alienate a lot of the gaming public. Like it or not, the role of videogames isn't one of social commentary - it's to make money. I do agree that a Samus-like gay character - where it has no real effect on the story or gameplay and isn't revealed until the end - would be a lot more effective than "Hey look! I'm going to save the *prince* stuck in the castle with my fashionable accessories!". Unfortunately, people usually only think in stereotypes.
Besides, Samus has sold out - just look at the footage for SSBB. (Idea! In the new Metroid it could be revealed that Samus is a lesbain!)
Antonio @ Jan 4th 2007 6:27PM
I'm gay and I find this column pretty ridiculous. You're blatantly emphasizing any possible homosexual elements and glossing over the hetero parts. I never picked up on homosexual vibe throughout the entire thing. And the knife fight was sexy? WTF?
Nyroska @ Jan 4th 2007 1:37PM
As a gay guy, I have to say, this is a stretch. As has been said above, dressing well and not taking advantage of every opportunity to get on with a female doesn't mean one is homosexual, especially in this age when Japan rules games.
That said, I would be interested in seeing the so-called "queer hero", not particularly for the statement it puts out there, but so that I can view the reaction that it sparks in the gamer community. The sociologist in me has always enjoyed the reaction that that kind of thing tends to have on the age group that gamers tend to be in.
Derbeste @ Jan 4th 2007 1:45PM
I'm a gay gaymer....
Here is my 2 cents......
Who gives a flying fuck?
I don't personaly play games to further my quest for equality. In fact, I play games to ESCAPE reality where sexuality seems to be an important character trait.
That's why I like games. No one cares what color you are, what gender you are, what your orientation is, or what color your shit was that morning after breakfast.
The LAST thing I want in games are those types of stereotypical "challenges" that have completely been played out in movies to the point of cliche.
Case in point....
Could you imagine these scenarios:
1. I'd like save the princess....but I'm French. And only Italians can go down pipes. Oh hell...I surrender anyway.
2. I'd like to save the princess, but I'm gay and have no motivation. Besides, I will not use my powers to help out a country wherein the prince and I cannot marry.
3. I'd like to help save the world, but I'm black/hispanic and none of the NPC will help me.
4. How about a hit man type game in which Samus Aran goes haywire and kills her past employers because they paid other male bounty hunters more for the same job.
If you want sociological statements....go watch an indie film. I like games because none of these usually "exist" at all.
That, my friends, is TRUE equality. Let's keep it that way.
(P.S. The one exception is MMOs. since all the players are real people, it's nice to have some friends "like me" around. But even then, you keep it to yourself. The game does not need to cater to any specific group.)
Huzzah!! @ Jan 4th 2007 1:50PM
Dammit now you got me wanting to play RE4 again!!
*tries to shove Elebits and RE4 discs into Wii at the same time, they fly out and cut his ear off*
Eh. It was worth it. I'll try anything once!!
*eats stapler*
Max @ Jan 4th 2007 1:57PM
Come on! Leave it to bloggers to deeply look into the possible homosexual undertones in a Resident Evil game. Is this a slow news day or what?
Japanese heros are just a nudge above being gay half the time, so don't think about it too hard without questioning human sexuality in general. There'll be a day where there's a gay hero, but that day isn't really here yet because nobody cares. It's about the gameplay, remember?
tack @ Jan 4th 2007 2:02PM
Personally I dont care, just keep it to yourself. Its when they feel the need to throw parades and include their perverse ways into culture that we should be irritated. I would not support a gay game. If a character happens to be gay and it has nothing to do with anything in the game, there's no problem with that. Brokeback the game, lol.
Ray P @ Jan 4th 2007 2:09PM
I realize the cliche is that the "guy always gets the girl" in the end, but does the fact that a character not try and have sex with every girl in the game automatically make that character gay? Is this really what our culture has come to?