In a study by GLAAD, there was a 70% increase in LGBTQ+ gamers from the 10% counted in Nielsen’s 2020 report. However, consistent representation is still lacking thanks to the common assumption that the core video game consumer is a white, heterosexual, cisgender man between the ages 18 and 34.
Only 2% of video games contain queer characters or storylines.
There is a growing harm for video game companies who ignore the LGBTQ+ community, but yet many still worry about isolating a core audience that are resistant or hostile to LGBTQ+ content. It’s a ridiculous thought process for publishers, especially considering some of the most well-loved titles—Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Baldur’s Gate 3, just to name a few—have featured queer characters and stories.
The growing harm from companies comes from the financial potential that is being ignored. According to GLAAD, LGBTQ+ gamers spend nearly an equal amount of money on video games, and nearly 21% of non-LGBTQ+ gamers and 29% of gamers overall wish there were more prominent LGBTQ+ content in video games. With these stats, it could be argued that non-queer gamers may appreciate LGBTQ+ characters and storylines than developers realize.
Ultimately, gaming is a way to escape, and LGBTQ+ gamers are 11% more likely than non-queer gamers to use video games as a way to escape real-world situations. About 66% of LGBTQ+ gamers admitted that gaming allows them to express themselves in a way they can’t in the real world, and for many, gaming has become their only way of socializing, despite the fact that online harassment is still a major issue.
Half of non-LGBTQ+ as well as 65% of LGBTQ+ players believe that game developers have a responsibility to make gaming more inclusive. But how do we encourage better representation, and what would this look like?
GLAAD’s report suggested that “as a baseline, there should at least be an equal proportion of games with LGBTQ+ characters as there are LGBTQ+ people who are gamers. That representation should also appear across game genres and platforms, so that all LGBTQ+ gamers, regardless of what they play, can see themselves represented.”
There has to be an industry-wide effort to encourage acceptance and making the gaming space less toxic. Gamers who feel accepted and included will spend more time playing games. More game time = more money for developers and publishers.
Learn more about GLAAD’s State of LGBTQ Inclusion in Video Games.