b'GAMINGgames are meant to be just one thing: fun! Fun for everyone. This simple quote remains true, but only if the gaming community continues to take all players along for the adventure. As Ducharme explains, Visibility is central to representation and education. People looking at these things from the outside may not be very familiar with issues and Dorian the mage braves mythic creaturesidentity, but when they see it on their and real prejudices in Dragon Age: Inquisitionscreen, they learn about it, get used to (BioWare) it and hopefully become more positive about it. Finna and Shawn from Life is Strange 2 (DONTNOD Entertainment)Sometimes, we can forget that the goal is to create people. So if youre trying to people please and make a character too perfect, that simply isnt going to work in a solid narrative. Good intentions go a long way, but theyre not everything.PUSHBACKEven after years of social progress, there is a small but (frustratingly) vocal community that continues to push back against games that venture outside their view of normal. For me, the strategy is to combat those with persistent kindness, says Ducharme. No matter how negative the response or question might be, I try to come at it from a positive place of education. When people say, dont put politics in my game, I try to remind [them] that our existence as people isnt political in nature. These characters are essentially the same as the rest of the cast, except they are queer. That has nothing to do with politics.The resistance to LGBTQ+-themed games is less prevalent in the independent developer space, i.e., in the indie gaming world. Here, games like Dream Dad: A Dad Dating Simulator (Game Grumps), A Summers End - Hong Kong 1986 (Oracle and Bone), If Found (DREAMFEEL) and Boyfriend Dungeon (Kitfox Games) are often received by smaller, more supportive audiences. Satoru Iwata, a gaming industry legend and former Nintendo boss, once said, Video Issue 1 2022 | QBiz CANADA |11'