The lead writer of the highly anticipated, upcoming video game Dragon Age 3: Inquisition has revealed that one of the games' playable companions will also be the series' first established gay character. Previous games Dragon Age and Dragon Age 2 both allowed for same-sex relationships, but not with characters for whom being gay was an important part of their back story.
In an interview with the game's official website, writer David Gaider described new character Dorian as a mage born into a prestigious family, whose rejection of his corrupt society has made him an outcast among his kind. Gaider said the fact that the character is gay "added an interesting dimension to his back story, considering he comes from a place where "perfection" is the face that every mage puts on and anything that smacks of deviancy is shameful and meant to be hidden. Dorian's refusal to play along with that façade is seen as stubborn and pointless by his family, which has contributed to his status as a pariah."
He also revealed that the character will be highly intelligent and sarcastic, and added that "writing Dorian [was] a very personal experience for me, and I'm hopeful that will make him seem like a fully realized character to fans in the end."
In the Dragon Age series, the player is able to create an avatar of the race and gender of their choosing, and engage in evolving relationships with a cast of adventuring companions they pick up along their quest. In some cases those relationships can become romantic, and Dorian will be a romantic option only for players who choose a male avatar. Earlier this month, it was also revealed by a Bioware official over twitter that there will be at least one female companion only romantically available to a female avater; a rebellious and impulsive elven archer named Sera. Developers have also stated that the game will feature an overhauled and more nuanced romance system.
Dragon Age comes from developer Bioware, which is owned by Electronic Arts, publisher of the long-inclusive Sims series. Bioware also created the blockbuster Mass Effect series, which included gay and lesbian characters as well as multiple same-sex romance options in its most recent iteration.
Dragon Age 3: Inquisition has been slated for release on October 7 across multiple gaming systems. Check out a recent trailer below.