First major video game to feature a transgender lead character announced by Microsoft, ‘raising the bar’ for future LGBTQ inclusion in gaming
- DONTNOD studios worked closely with Microsoft and LGBTQ group GLAAD
- Nick Adams, Director of Representation at GLAAD said the game ‘raises the bar’
- Twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan unravel memories of a troubled childhood
The first transgender character to lead a story line in a video game has been debuted by Xbox Games Studios, ‘raising the bar’ for the industry.
In a sector that has long struggled with representation the announcement from X-box partner France-based DONTNOD Entertainment has been met with applause after featuring a transgender male at the forefront of its plot.
Set in small-town Alaska, the tell me why game story line places the player at the heart of a mystery where identical twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan reunite after ten years apart – using their ‘supernatural bond’ to unravel memories of a loving but troubled childhood.
Tell me why will be coming to Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Xbox Game Pass and Steam starting Summer 2020
Florent Guillaume, Game Director for the tell me why franchise said: ‘The core mechanic of the game is the special bond Tyler and Alyson share and is also a theme strongly anchored into the DONTNOD storytelling approach.
‘Over the course of the story, players will explore the identical twins’ different memories of key events and choose which memory to believe.
‘Ultimately, the choices players make determine the strength of the twins’ bond—and the future course of their lives.’
Set in small-town Alaska, the tell me why game story line places the player at the heart of a mystery where twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan
DONTNOD say they have worked closely alongside Microsoft and the LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD in shaping Tyler as an authentic representation of the trans experience, as well as a genuine, multidimensional character.
Nick Adams, Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD said: ‘Microsoft and DONTNOD have approached Tyler with a real commitment to authenticity.
‘Tyler is a fully-realised, endearing character, whose story is not reduced to simplistic trans tropes.
‘Creating a playable lead trans character – and taking such care to get it right – raises the bar for future LGBTQ inclusion in gaming.’
The story of tell me why is comprised of three chapters that will release on a clear and predictable schedule – it was unveiled at X019 in London by Xbox Games Studios
Mr Guillaume added: ‘Tyler and Alyson are both playable characters and equal heroes in the story.
‘We love them both and we are especially grateful to Microsoft for its full support, openness and help regarding Tyler’s identity and character, as a transgender man.’
Fans of the studios took to Twitter to share their delight at the announcement: @Okay_Skyler said: ‘First dontnod gave us a game with lesbian/bisexual protagonists, and now they give us a trans man as our lead? thank you dontnod.’
Fans of the studios took to Twitter to share their delight at the announcement
Another by the name of @SincerelyUrFwnd tweeted: ‘She was never gonna let me be anything but her little girl’- says the boy twin. Transgender vibes…Loving it.’
Another by the name of @SincerelyUrFwnd tweeted: ‘She was never gonna let me be anything but her little girl’- says the boy twin. Transgender vibes…Loving it.’
The story of tell me why is comprised of three chapters that will release on a clear and predictable schedule – it was unveiled at X019 in London by Xbox Games Studios.
Tell me why will be coming to Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Xbox Game Pass and Steam starting Summer 2020.
The characters use their extraordinary bond to unravel memories of a loving but troubled childhood
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