With the release of Dragon Age the Veilguard just weeks away, conversations about the game’s amount of inclusivity have -once again- become a hot topic among fans. Given BioWare’s history, and the progression of LGBTQIA+ issues since the franchise’s last entry; Dragon Age: Inquisition; ten years ago, players have high hopes that the game will go further than before. And bring to the fore even more options for players to see themselves in their games, and to be truly seen, as a whole.
Inclusivity
The Dragon Age franchise, and by extension, Bioware, have always been known to subscribe to the ideals of offering a gaming experience focused on the player. Throughout the series run, players have been given numerous ways to make each game their own, make their character feel like an extension of themselves, and immerse themselves in a world that quickly feels like home. It’s this inclusiveness, and the feeling of being seen and understood, that has endeared Dragon Age to so many and made it a franchise that fans can’t help but go back to time and again.
Evolution
This genuine desire has sparked a growing list of inclusions in the franchise throughout its years of evolution. In Dragon Age: Origins, circa 2009, the character creator was -ostensibly- not as diverse as the current industry standards. However, the story still broke ground on inclusivity by including non-traditional, queer relationships. With two (of four) romanceable companions specifically coded as bisexual, Leliana and Zevran, players got their first look at what the series would eventually become in later additions.
Upon the release of Dragon Age II; some fourteen to sixteen months after Origins, in 2011; it was plain to see that BioWare’s commitment to inclusivity in the new game would continue to be a running theme in the franchise for years to come. A mirror to its previous incarnation, Dragon Age II included an even split between straight romance options and queer, with the inclusion of two more bisexual characters: Anders and Isabella.
Problems
Unfortunately, however, many fans found the two characters to be problematic representations of queer people in general -with the latter being an overly sexualized and promiscuous pirate and the former being a fanatical terrorist and betrayer. The lack of Transgender options and characters was also seen as a misfire, giving the growing momentum for the LGBTQIA+ rights movement at the time, prompting BioWare to go even further in their representation for later sequels.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
The most recent addition to the franchise, Dragon Age: Inquisition took a bolder step into the world of inclusivity than its previous iterations. Not only were the sexualities of the companions more compartmentalized and specific; by breaking down into subsections of the LGBTQIA+ community and including strictly gay and lesbian characters, alongside bisexual ones; but the game also included an out-and-proud transgender character: Krem.
As a member of the Bulls’ Chargers and their lieutenant, Krem’s inclusion into the game was a bright spot, that many fans didn’t see coming. Yet it was easily accepted, simply because of how well Bioware handled his story and how fans were able to hear all about Krem’s journey to self-realization directly from the source.
Dragon Age the Veilguard
Building on this foundation of more than a decade of active inclusion, Dragon Age the Veilguard is now primed to go even further. Taking the intention of allowing its players to see their true selves in-game, to heart, Bioware has implemented even more additions to the series’ next installment. Simpler aesthetic additions include more inclusive skin tones, textures, hairstyles, and body types -for all characters.
Rook, specifically, will also have a large range of customization. For those transgender players who wish to see Rook reflect themselves, Bioware has implemented both the option to choose the character’s pronouns and (if desired) can add top surgery scars.
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