A Potential Haven for Queer, Disabled, and Neurodivergent Gamers?

[Sneefy]

Hey folks! 🌈✨

I’m incredibly hyped about Avowed, Obsidian’s upcoming RPG. As a queer, trans, autistic, disabled, and otherkin gamer, I’m always on the lookout for games that provide inclusive and immersive worlds. With Obsidian's track record of rich storytelling and nuanced characters (Pillars of Eternity fans, you know what I’m talking about!), I feel cautiously optimistic that Avowed could be a groundbreaking experience for folks like me and other marginalized players.

Here are a few things I’m hopeful for (and maybe a little concerned about):

Representation Matters
Obsidian has included LGBTQ+ representation in their past games, but I’m hoping Avowed takes it even further. Will there be queer characters and romance options? Trans and nonbinary visibility? What about NPCs with disabilities or neurodivergent traits? A world as diverse as Eora could really shine with these additions, especially if they’re handled with care and authenticity.

Accessibility Options
As a disabled gamer, accessibility is huge for me. Will there be customizable controls, text scaling, colorblind modes, and other quality-of-life features? Games like The Last of Us Part II have set the bar for accessibility, and it would be amazing to see Avowed follow suit. Immersion shouldn’t come at the expense of usability!

A Safe and Inclusive Community
With Avowed likely to attract a wide audience, I hope the community it fosters will be welcoming to queer and marginalized voices. Moderation tools and clear anti-harassment policies are essential, especially for online discussions or multiplayer features (if any).

Emotional Depth and Complex Themes
I love when games explore themes like belonging, self-discovery, and identity in ways that resonate with marginalized players. As an autistic and otherkin person, it’s powerful to see characters who wrestle with feeling "othered" or finding their place in the world. Avowed’s dark, magical aesthetic seems like a perfect backdrop for these narratives.

I’m curious—how are you feeling about Avowed? Are there any specific features or story elements you’re hoping for, especially if you’re also from a marginalized background? Let’s keep this discussion positive and constructive. 💜

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! And Obsidian, if you’re lurking: please make us proud. 😊

– Sneefy
"Magic is for everyone. So is gaming."

[76561198277894558]

Me too. I quite enjoy these features in games. It made Rune Factory 5 a lot more entertaining for me and it's nice to see more good quality of life in other games.

[Call Sign: Raven]

Representation Matters
Yeah, it represents a good 3% of humanity, a good start but really stuck at the surface.

Accessibility Options
Not sure, game's not out yet.

A Safe and Inclusive Community
Not in the slightest. The art director is openly racist, their team has been exposed to have some massive internal bias issues.

Emotional Depth and Complex Themes
It's a video game, don't hold your breath on that one.

Hope that helps.

[76561198277894558]

Originally posted by Call Sign: Raven:

Representation Matters
Yeah, it represents a good 3% of humanity, a good start but really stuck at the surface.

Accessibility Options
Not sure, game's not out yet.

A Safe and Inclusive Community
Not in the slightest. The art director is openly racist, their team has been exposed to have some massive internal bias issues.

Emotional Depth and Complex Themes
It's a video game, don't hold your breath on that one.

Hope that helps.

Hey friend. Can I have a linked source with a url posted to the claims you have made? I am interested in your research.

[Call Sign: Raven]

Originally posted by 76561198277894558:

Originally posted by Call Sign: Raven:

Representation Matters
Yeah, it represents a good 3% of humanity, a good start but really stuck at the surface.

Accessibility Options
Not sure, game's not out yet.

A Safe and Inclusive Community
Not in the slightest. The art director is openly racist, their team has been exposed to have some massive internal bias issues.

Emotional Depth and Complex Themes
It's a video game, don't hold your breath on that one.

Hope that helps.

Hey friend. Can I have a linked source with a url posted to the claims you have made? I am interested in your research.

Sure, you can start here, hopefully you give it an honest listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OXHlQdU9X4

And here if you would like some follow up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUnva6k0Vs

[Yikes]

So true xista, we the modern audience will win this cultural battle against the CHUDS.

[Ferreus]

So... you are from North Korea... How Inclusive...

[🍈Little Goblin🍈]

wow this Madness is still going on

[Call Sign: Raven]

I mean if you're smart enough to use the term "neurodivergent" then you're probably smart enough to be able to see that Hansen is an overt racist.

[ENG CHR15]

This guys a troll, no? funniest thing I’ve seen for ages “a queer, trans, autistic, disabled, and otherkin gamer” had me laughing my arse off

[Sleepysteve]

Originally posted by ENG CHR15:

This guys a troll, no? funniest thing I’ve seen for ages “a queer, trans, autistic, disabled, and otherkin gamer” had me laughing my arse off

One can only hope.

[Character Name]

Your clown farming is probably going to be taken seriously at Obsidian.

[Scyriz]

Thinking the internet is any sort of a safe space in the first place is very wrong. If you can't handle the heat get off the internet and save your sanity and annoying people with your whining.

LGBT and other woke topics are not wanted in games by 99.5% of gamers, and are not needed, we know you exist, we do not need it in every game. If you feel that you NEED representation you have a personal problem you need to work out. Catering to people who are into those woke topics causes games and companies to fail, as 0.5% of the possible customer base is not enough to make a AAA game that cost hundreds of millions profitable, and virtue signaling does nothing to earn you money at all. All catering to these woke people does is hurt your product and hurt your profit and for what gain? you gain nothing, and lose everything by doing so.

Its time to wake up and read the room already, pronouns, lgbt stuff, certain political views are not wanted in media, and you including them is going to hurt your product and not help it at all as the market into that sort of stuff is super tiny.

I', fine that lgbt people exist in real life, you do you, I don't bother them and they don't bother me, what I do care is when you feel the need to ruin everyone elses entertainment just so your super small minority can feel represented, get over yourselves already, your not special, your not important, no one is, and no one cares if your lgbt either especially on the internet. Irl maybe people will care, but on the internet? people don't really need or want to know because its completly irrelivant online.

This game is already dead on arrival as it has 2 big woke red flags: pronouns and female chars that look like men. Them hiding the char creator also is a big red flag as I suspect its like veilguards, where the only female you can make is one that looks like a man as they have no female curves or anything, which veilguard got slammed for, as for a game shouting about being inclusive its char creator sure is very non-inclusive. Since you can't make a decent looking woman, or a curvy woman etc. Thats not a good example of being inclusive when you limit the char creator to one body type that only appeals to less than 0.5% of gamers.

[Scyriz]

People need to start getting perma banned for starting these threads, because its just bait to try to cause arguements as they know full well the vast majority doesn't want or feel games need this stuff.

[I'm Scared Of Bees]

Originally posted by Scyriz:

Thinking the internet is any sort of a safe space in the first place is very wrong. If you can't handle the heat get off the internet and save your sanity and annoying people with your whining.

LGBT and other woke topics are not wanted in games by 99.5% of gamers, and are not needed, we know you exist, we do not need it in every game. If you feel that you NEED representation you have a personal problem you need to work out. Catering to people who are into those woke topics causes games and companies to fail, as 0.5% of the possible customer base is not enough to make a AAA game that cost hundreds of millions profitable, and virtue signaling does nothing to earn you money at all. All catering to these woke people does is hurt your product and hurt your profit and for what gain? you gain nothing, and lose everything by doing so.

Its time to wake up and read the room already, pronouns, lgbt stuff, certain political views are not wanted in media, and you including them is going to hurt your product and not help it at all as the market into that sort of stuff is super tiny.

I', fine that lgbt people exist in real life, you do you, I don't bother them and they don't bother me, what I do care is when you feel the need to ruin everyone elses entertainment just so your super small minority can feel represented, get over yourselves already, your not special, your not important, no one is, and no one cares if your lgbt either especially on the internet. Irl maybe people will care, but on the internet? people don't really need or want to know because its completly irrelivant online.

This game is already dead on arrival as it has 2 big woke red flags: pronouns and female chars that look like men. Them hiding the char creator also is a big red flag as I suspect its like veilguards, where the only female you can make is one that looks like a man as they have no female curves or anything, which veilguard got slammed for, as for a game shouting about being inclusive its char creator sure is very non-inclusive. Since you can't make a decent looking woman, or a curvy woman etc. Thats not a good example of being inclusive when you limit the char creator to one body type that only appeals to less than 0.5% of gamers.

True games are only even playable if I can crank hog the whole time. I want to go back to when women in games where sexy. Like morrowind and oblivion. Or hot characters from more recent games like Chica.

Even the steam forums are too much of a safe space for me, because if I share my special stories about Mr Halo from Halo 4. I'll get banned.

[Vixziค็็็็็n]

Originally posted by Sneefy:

I can't tell if you're using chatgpt to reply to my chatgpt replies or not

Absolutely no one would need chatgpt to refute anything you say. You are the easiest person here to debate against it's light work. And that's sad because there are some really terrible debaters here so congratulations on the over achievement