Visual novels are video games where the player can influence the plot through their dialogue choices. They also have a complex plot. Visual novels (VNs) are video games that allow the player to influence the story through dialogue choices and a sometimes complex plot. They can be romantic – otome or dating sims – or sexual – hentai.

Smaller independent developers, unlike mainstream games which have taken a long time to adopt the pronouns they/them/they, have created a number of queer visual novel. These titles are more accessible than bigger studio games and can be as entertaining and resonant as anything else in gaming.

Gay games visual novels

Visual novels have been used by LGBTQ developers for many years to tell stories. This genre has something for everyone, from sexy VNs like yuri to eldritch terror. These games offer gamers a sense that mainstream video games may lack.

In many of these titles, players are able to select the gender, sexuality, or appearance for their characters. The number of choices is less than in a ChoiceScript, but it allows the player to get to know their character on a deeper level. This allows for greater empathy between the player and their character and can make the experience more relatable to LGBTQ gamers.

This is especially important when dealing with gay games that deal with the themes of coming out, homosexuality and other issues that are often not addressed in mainstream video games. There are notable exceptions to this rule, like Bioware’s announcement of an LGBTQ romance in Star Wars Battlefront II. However, for every LGBTQ relationship in a mainstream game, there are ten in a VN.

VNs provide a fantastic medium for delivering authentic content. The popularity of the games shows there is a need for more LGBTQ games. There will be more LGBTQ video games and VNs in the future, as there is a growing market.

Gay game visual novels

Many queer developers create visual novels as a way to tell their own stories, even if they don’t necessarily start off that way. Many queer developers start with visual novels, whether it’s because they think that games created by or for LGBTQIA+ people are stuck in a single genre, or because the projects are cheaper and easier to create.

The games are more accessible to players. Contrary to most video games they do not require voice acting, and players can read the dialogue rather than listening to it. They are also often cheaper to produce and compatible with more platforms than other games.

Visual novel games are also used as educational tools, but their most common use is to display sexually explicit images. In Japan, this type of game is known as eroge. Scenes showing genitalia are typically censored in Japanese releases, but can become uncensored when the games are licensed for sale outside of the country.

Many of these games target a gay market, but some are designed for non-LGBTQIA+ users as well. The upcoming superhero visual novel Superfighters from Schell Games, for example, has an all-LGBTQIA+ cast and allows players to form both romance and platonic relationships with the characters.

Visual novels gay game 

Visual novels can be a great way to get started in game development, especially for small teams and solo developers. It’s easier to create games with the stripped-down character art and dialogue of visual novels.

This is true in particular for LGBTQIA+ video games. Because they are more comfortable with this format, queer developers tend to create visual novel games. The developers can also take on difficult topics, which might be hard for other developers.

Butterfly Soup for instance is a YA romcom that tells the story of two Asian queer girls falling in love. It tackles issues such as PTSD, mental illness and relationships in a more accessible way than many similar titles. Sentimental Trickster – a drama-heavy slice of life visual novel for boys that follows Haru’s journey to overcome trauma and build new relationships – is a good example.

This accessibility and a feeling of comfort with the format are probably what led to the proliferation of LGBT visual novels in the first place. These games often have their roots in fandoms or otome-culture, or even pre-existing work like anime or Manga. These games are sometimes called dojinshi (), and are made by fans of the franchise or genre they’re based on. Some are romance or dating sims, while others are sexy or erotic and known as eroge.

Visual novels gay games

Visual novels are an unusual genre of video games. They tackle topics that mainstream gaming avoids, such as friendship and romance, and can include representations of LGBTQIA relationships and people.

For example, the 2017 gay game Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator allows players to choose a cisgender male or female protagonist and features multiple bisexual romance options. The game also features a lesbian character, a panromantic boy, and a deaf-mute girl as other playable characters.

These stories also allow queer developers to create messy LGBTQIA narratives, which aren’t scared to depict the struggles LGBTQIA individuals face. This can be helpful for gamers who want to understand LGBTQIA experiences and see that even the most “lovey-dovey” of games can have a difficult side to them.

There is still hope despite the challenges mentioned above. It’s more common than ever for games to be LGBTQIA inclusive. Support them by playing, sharing, and supporting game developers. As the gaming industry grows, we can hope that larger studios are inspired by independent voices to look for new ways to incorporate diverse perspectives into their titles. For now, we can continue to support these creators by making a lot of noise and getting excited about the gay games they make.