Why Dragon Age: Inquisition's Transgender Character Is So Important
Like any kind of cultural medium, video games can court controversy and face many criticisms from a variety of groups. Despite being a young industry compared to other visual mediums like film and television, video games have come a long way in lots of respects since they first emerged in the latter half of the last century. However, they also have a lot to learn in key areas like representation. There are some notable exceptions like the queer characters in The Last of Us series, but these are often few and far between.
Transgender characters, in particular, are often maligned or included simply to exist as punchlines rather than attempts at genuine inclusivity. However, the gaming industry is taking steps, however small, in the right direction. Looking at the Dragon Age franchise alone shows how much of a difference a few years can make. The series went from a mocking portrayal of transgender characters in Dragon Age: Origins, to a praise-worthy depiction in Dragon Age: Inquisition with Cremisius Aclassi, or Krem, as he is known by his ragtag group of fellow mercenaries called The Bull's Chargers.
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It can be difficult to create a truly diverse cast of characters in a game, particularly when development teams have been incredibly homogenized in terms of race and gender for decades. Many well-known studios have been the center of controversies surrounding sexist working practices and toxic environments, with recent accusations swirling around companies like Blizzard. It's no wonder that these kinds of places rarely produce inclusive and appropriately diverse games that are more typical of the smaller indie studios.
Despite a less than stellar track record of
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