Queer representation in video games has only become as prevalent and consistent as it is now in recent years. Having queer characters was so incredibly rare that even the first installment ofThe Simsfranchise didn’t allow same-sex relationships—a franchise that is now famous for having bisexual characters as the default.
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Bisexuality in media was hard to come by, even as gay characters started to be introduced in various franchises. Bisexual characters are now a mainstay of most dating sims and RPGs that provide players with a myriad of dating options, likeMonster PromorStardew Valley. As much as those representations of queer relationships are fun and appreciated, this list celebrates characters that are canonically bisexual in some of gamers' all-time favorite franchises.
1Leliana & Zevran (Dragon Age: Origins)
The first installment of this iconic franchise was truly ahead of its time. Having been released in 2009,Dragon Age: Originshad bisexualromance optionsas a part of their world from the get-go: Leliana, the female human bard who works as a spymaster for the Inquisition and has a dark past waiting to be uncovered, as well as Zevran, the male elf assassin who was brought into the Antivan Crows and House Arainai as a lad.
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Leliana and Zevran helped pave the way for other games in this genre to include bisexual romance options and everyDragon Agegame since has included bisexual romances for players to pursue.
2Liara T’soni (Mass Effect)
This iconic Asari captured the hearts and minds of players everywhere when the firstMass Effectgame graced the lives of gamers in 2007. The Asari race is fascinating, as being mono-gender and able to reproduce regardless of their partner’s race or sex, their attitude towards sexuality and gender was much more liberal and free than the world outside the game was at the time. Asari can be any sexuality and have very different views on gender and sex than the other races inMass Effect.
Liara is romanceable throughout all three games for either male or female Shepard. This nerdy scientist isan adorable romance optionand players will definitely enjoy the emotional journey they’ll experience with the ambitious Dr. T’soni, should they choose to pursue her.
3Zagreus (Hades)
This beloved main character should come as no surprise to those who know the franchise. Being based on Ancient Greek mythology,Hadeswas bound to include at least a few bisexual characters. Most important, though, is Zagreus, the character players embody as they slay enemies andtry to escape the Underworld.
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In the game, it’s hinted that he has some history with Megaera, but their relationship has since ended thanks to Zagreus messing up somehow. Players can rekindle this romance later in the game, or they can go for Zag’s other romance option: Thanatos. Having been raised side-by-side, these two have a strong bond that causes Than to be extremely hurt when Zagreus tries to escape without telling him. Both relationships show a different side to these characters and players will experience a beautiful story regardless of what option they choose.
4Alex Chen (Life Is Strange: True Colors)
The most recent installment of theLife Is Strangefranchise,Life Is Strange: True Colorsfeatures Alex Chen as its protagonist. While it isn’t the firstLife Is Strangegame with romantic options, it is the first to offer the choice to actually pursue a romantic relationship with one of two options. Players can choose to eitherromance Stephor Ryan, but their choice doesn’t alter the fact that Alex is a canonically bisexual character.
Players who pursue one of the romances will be pleasantly surprised with the game’s conclusion as it takes players through Alex’s life with her new lover, with players even getting to make choices for how it shapes out for them.
5Clementine (The Walking Dead)
When players first meet Clementine inThe Walking Deadshe’s a sweet child who our protagonist, Lee, takes under his wing asthey navigate the zombie apocalypseand try to find her parents. As the franchise continues we get to see Clementine grow up and become a young, capable woman.
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By the time players get to the events inThe Walking Dead 4, AJ is a child and Clementine is his guardian, mirroring the relationship she had with Lee in the first game. It’s in this game that players are able to pursue a romantic relationship with one of two characters: Violet or Louis. She meets them by chance early in the game and finds that they’re running a safe haven for kids at an old school. Both of these romance options are great choices for Clementine—though, as is the case with this series, nothing good can last.
6Unnamed Protagonist (Unpacking)
While this may seem like the weirdest entry on the list, it’s actually one of the coolest. This adorable indie game all about unpacking the life of the unnamed protagonist tells a rich story as they move around from place to place.
As players go on this journey, they get to see them move in with a couple of partners over the course of their life. The first partner we see our protagonist move in with is a boyfriend—they’re moving into his apartment and need to find a place for their stuff among his. This is then followed by them moving back into their parents, implying the relationship has ended, though this is further implied with a photo that has had someone removed from it since we last saw it.
The protagonist then finds a new partner through a couple of chapters, until the final chapter concludes with them moving into their house and even setting up a nursery for a baby. It’s pretty obvious that this new partner is female, as is our protagonist, meaning that even though players never learn the name of this protagonist, it can be deduced thatthey’re bisexual, and that’s pretty cool!
