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The game has just been nominated for two Gayming Magazine Awards due to its (optional) gay romance.

"TRIGGER WARNING," the post begins. "Among all the various awards and nominations we’ve received, we’ve also just been nominated for the @gaymingmag GAYMING AWARDS! I’m really proud of that, because I absolutely stand by the fact that the way we did it is exactly how something like this should be done. Non-coercively, naturally, and educationally (because we show how things really were in the Middle Ages without idealizing them)--and without shoving it down anyone’s throat or trying to re-educate them like so many titles that are rightfully called 'woke' these days. We made the gay community happy and gave them the CHOICE to be themselves, just like we did for others in other choices and quests, and anyone who isn’t interested probably didn’t even notice. Except, of course, for [a] very small and very loud minority."

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[–] Regrettable_incident@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

How hard is it to just not say stuff? Is this prat trying to calm pushed outraged right wingers? I hadn't heard any outrage. And if there is outrage, so fuckin what. Just shut up, idiot, and let the game speak for itself.

[–] deafboy@lemmy.world 2 points 15 minutes ago

Dan Vavra is simply a king of dickheads, and cannot pass a single oportunity to show everyone.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 12 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

included optional gay content

Claims to not be woke

Seriously tho, what in the actual fuck is this guy trying to say, other than trying to appeal to rightoids while doing the same thing the games he is bitching about do. They constantly cry about ThE wOkE aGeNdA when you can select pronouns that LITERALLY have 0 impact on gaming, but apparently including WoKe content in the actual game is ok if you're on their side.

Completely not transparent or shameless, as is tradition.

[–] absquatulate@lemmy.world 9 points 2 hours ago
[–] graynk@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 hours ago

The games are great, if only he could, like, not open his mouth...

[–] g0nz0li0@piefed.social 19 points 3 hours ago

This is total bullshit.

“We did it right by not forcing it on players” just plays to a bullshit fallacy that acknowledging same-sex relationships == forcing people into same-sex relationships. This narrative is right wing outrage bullshit. It exists to allow the people who absolutely do not want same-sex marriage to exist in any form insist they are actually just very worried that heterosexual people are being forced into homo- bi- trans- sexually etc (which is actually not a thing).

This dickwad is trying to pat himself on the back for successfully navigating a moral outrage that he and his right wing pals invented. This is part of the ongoing narrative to normalise intolerance and to insist that being intolerant is actually the right moral choice.

Fuck him, fuck his game, fuck them all.

[–] musket528@sopuli.xyz 7 points 3 hours ago

i've re-read this several times. still unsure what this mf meant💀

[–] Aielman15@lemmy.world 43 points 6 hours ago

I can confirm. I played the gay romance in KCD2 and the penises never touched for the entirety of the playthrough. Thanks to this, I was finally able to play a gay character that felt authentic to real life and, more importantly, I didn't turn gay myself.

To make sure of that, I replayed the game three more times, always choosing the gay option. Lo and behold, I'm still very, very straight. In fact, it worked like a vaccine: now I can watch gay porn without it having an effect on my sexuality (I'm super duper straight! I only watched gay porn to MAKE SURE that I was still straight).

Bravo Daniel.

[–] ChristerMLB@piefed.social 53 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (5 children)

In a lot of places, not just far-right assholes, the word "woke" has taken on the role of terms like "social justice warrior" and "political correctness" - i.e. in describing a self-righteous, superficial, performative and preachy kind of style.

Yes, that is not what the word "originally" meant, yes it is partially the result of right wing propaganda, yes "political correctness" and "sjw" have similar issues, but it is still a real thing.

What the man seems to me to be trying to say is that their goal was to do a medieval gay romance in a way that was not preachy or superficial – is that not good? Isn't there a bit too much token representation and pinkwashing going on?

[–] Tedesche@lemmy.world 1 points 51 minutes ago

Thank you. I’m a lefty myself, but leftists have such a hard time seeing that criticism of their own side actually has validity. I totally understand what this developer is saying about depicting a progressive topic without being “woke” (preachy) about it. I see the same thing in movies/shows that depict female heroes—there are some that just mad the hero a woman, and then there are others that pump the “girl power” angle, overplay the female lead, make it explicitly clear she’s better than all the male characters, bloat the script with feminist jargon, blah, blah, blah. It’s stupid. You want to do the progressive thing? Fine. Just do that. Don’t brow-beat your audience with a political message about it.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

In a lot of places, not just far-right assholes, the word "woke" has taken on the role of terms like "social justice warrior" and "political correctness" - i.e. in describing a self-righteous, superficial, performative and preachy kind of style.

LOL no, "woke" is anything that acknowledges LGBT+ individuals exist and have a right to live their lives as they want is woke. These fucking snowflakes cry about being asked to pick fucking pronouns, even when there is 0 impact on the game.

Crying 'woke' instantly tells me all I need to know about someone. The same goes for people who try to pretend it's about preaching a message instead of acknowledging these people can and do exist.

What the man seems to me to be trying to say is that their goal was to do a medieval gay romance in a way that was not preachy or superficial – is that not good? Isn't there a bit too much token representation and pinkwashing going on?

And you're parroting the message loud and clear. Acknowledging their existence is always tOkEn RePrEsEnTaTiOn

[–] Katana314@lemmy.world 10 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

So what should be the word we use for “media that depicts positive social ideologies?” Apparently “woke” includes the definition “while being super preachy about it.”

Of course, in that split, it’s also common people will call something “preachy” when a gay guy is there, and doesn’t even waste the viewer’s time. It happened to that horrible conservative animated show, as well.

[–] ChristerMLB@piefed.social 1 points 27 minutes ago

So what should be the word we use for “media that depicts positive social ideologies?” Apparently “woke” includes the definition “while being super preachy about it.”

For a lot of people it does, yeah. I don't know if the best solution is to run away from the word, though – like you say, it's good to have a word for this stuff, and a different word is just as susceptible to being tainted by conservative strategists.

[–] mellowistheyellow@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Its not good, because you are now playing into the toxic norms that already exist. So its ok if straight stuff is upfront, but gay stuff has to be optional? This is completely pathetic and I will never support this, this team or game.

Dude is doing so much mental gymnastics to make himself sound superior. Again, it is really pathetic.

[–] MagnificentSteiner@lemmy.zip 21 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Now now, don't be getting all reasonable. This is the internet after all!

[–] NoForwadSlashS@piefed.social 10 points 6 hours ago

without shoving it down anyone’s throat or trying to re-educate them like so many titles that are rightfully called 'woke' these days. We made the gay community happy

Not anymore you didn't.

[–] Jrockwar@feddit.uk 29 points 8 hours ago

How can you ever depict a gay relationship in a game without "being woke"? By having the characters say "no homo" loudly and high five while they fuck? I swear right-wing asswipes find new mental gymnastics routines every day to redefine what they mean with this word.

[–] orochi02@feddit.org 16 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (2 children)

Idk, I Kind of get him (prolly gonna get downvoted for this).

For me personally I Must say when I learned more about homosexuality, I learned that it is Not This cliche Image that Most guys have in mind with some gay twink trying to Hit on any guys they can. Most gay people are just normal regular everyday people with just a different preference in people that Theyd Date but Most cis people totally envision either some annoying gay twink or a drag queen. I have a feeling though that nowadays regarding representation, people that are pro gay & lgbtq do not really help at educating unaware cis people with the fact that gay people are just that. Normal people with a different preference just like anyone who can like different things from others.

[–] Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 5 points 1 hour ago

I'll respond because it seems like you're trying

Most guys have in mind with some gay twink trying to Hit on any guys they can.

I'm not sure how common this mental image is, but try to get it out of your head. The fact is there are some people who just want to have lots of sex with lots of people, some of these people happen to be straight, some happen to be gay, some happen to be guys, and some happen to be gals and some happen to be anywhere in-between any of the above. And that's okay, because different people are different and who cares what happens between consenting adults? And you know what else is okay? Some people don't want to have sex with anyone, some people only want to have sex with certain people, and some people are anywhere in between.

Most gay people are just normal regular everyday people with just a different preference in people that Theyd Date

All. All gay people are just people. Sexual interest is a spectrum, some people are only interested in other people of the same gender, some people are only interested in people of the opposite gender, and some people are somewhere in between, maybe mostly-straight or mostly-gay. And that's okay no matter where on that spectrum you fall.

On top of that both romantic interest and ones own gender are spectrums as well. These spectrums can have very different settings from each other and that's okay too. On the subject of gender, people have a physical and a mental gender, and sometimes those don't match. That's okay too (y'know as in it's okay to have that problem and be working to align the two in whatever way that makes them happy)

Most cis people totally envision either some annoying gay twink or a drag queen

First of all, don't use that slur. Full stop.

Secondly, drag is not a gender nor a sexuality nor a sexual or romantic interest. People who do drag are just people who do drag. They can be anywhere on the various spectrums I already outlined.

I have a feeling though that nowadays regarding representation, people that are pro gay & lgbtq do not really help at educating unaware cis people

They are trying to educate unaware cis/straight people, its just between algorithms, echo chambers and those who wish to eliminate everyone who isn't white straight cis, there's plenty of corners its not reaching.

This is not a failure of gay people, and this isn't any one gay person's job to educate the world. This is the world trying to pretend that gay people don't exist, when in fact they do exist and have existed for as long as gender and sexuality have existed

The reason we have pride is because we are in the first time in human history when anyone who isn't cis, straight, etc. isn't forced to ignore or suppress those feelings but can actually go be exactly who they want to be and be with whoever they want to be. Even now, as kids start to realize there's something different about them, they're first led to believe it's because there's something wrong with them. This might last a short time, this might last a lifetime, but pride is about squashing those self-doubt demons and shouting out to the world "I AM WHO I AM AND YOU WILL DEAL WITH IT!"

The importance of representation is in helping put the image in people's heads that it's okay to be different and that you don't have to be a white cis straight male to do certain things. Whether it's Mr Rogers sharing a pool with a black actor on a hot day, or Lt Uhura being played by a black woman in Star Trek, or Kora kissing Asami in Legend of Kora, or anything else, it's about showing and helping people know that they can be who they want to be and they can be happy about it. Media drives a sense of normalcy, so what's normal in media becomes normal in society. If it's normal for gay people to exist in media, people will see it as normal for gay people to exist in society.

Now, more on topic, Kingdom Come Deliverence is in a weird spot because it sets out to be the most realistic representation of a specific period and place in medieval history as possible. In the medieval period (and for most of history for that matter) people didn't really have an individual identity, so the idea of gay or straight people didn't really exist. They were however extremely sexist and mostly considered whoever did the penetrating to be powerful and whoever is being penetrated to be weak (and there's some hilarious historical texts where people are just generally confused about what to think of lesbians because there's no penetrating going on so did anything actually happen?) so CK:D in being an accurate period piece happens to place itself right in the crossroads of this culture war, as it presumably depicts gayness as many conservatives would prefer, something to be hidden away and ignored and maybe prosecuted if it gets too inconvenient for them, but CK:D depicts it this way not as a handout to conservatives but as an accurate depiction of history without commentary.

So TL;DR: gay people are people and different people are different and that's okay

[–] CoyoteFacts@piefed.ca 16 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

It's worth mentioning that this sort of thinking gets really close to "there are good ones and bad ones" in some people's minds. IMO there's a lot of representation for the "non-normal" queers because they are the most vulnerable and because it needs to be clear that it's a package deal. People don't get to draw the line in places like "gays are okay but trans people are icky", and unofficially supporting mindsets like that would legitimize disgust-based morality.

People need to learn the lesson that others inherently deserve rights and respect regardless of their own personal feelings, otherwise we're just going to be fighting this battle over and over again for each minority group.

[–] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 7 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Yeah, the moment you start thinking that it's only acceptable for people to be gay as long as they express themselves in ways you approve of is the moment you start thinking like a fascist.

At that point you're no different than the racist with the black friend who is "one of the good ones."

The solution to the problem the previous poster is describing is that we need simply need more representation. There need to be enough queer people in media that no one character or couple has to serve the role of being a proxy for all queer people and relationships. Give me fruity gays and bitchy queens, and give me boring normal gay people who live in their white picket fence houses and drive trucks. Give me Loid from Warframe and give me Bill from The Last of Us. Celebrate the wonderful spectrum of humanity. Let it all exist instead of fighting over which parts are worthy.

[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 21 points 8 hours ago

Well, all interest I had in this game is suddenly gone after the stupid "woke" comment. I was waiting for a sale but now I'll just remove it from the list.

[–] BlameTheAntifa@lemmy.world 14 points 7 hours ago

Anyone that uses woke as a pejorative is a fucking fascist bigot. I will never support anything by this company or Vavra ever again.

[–] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 17 points 8 hours ago

Not very surprising. I remember one of the Warhorse head devs wearing a band shirt of a far right band while representing the studio and giving interviews. That caused quite a scandal in Germany‘s gaming community.

[–] TommySoda@lemmy.world 76 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

Bro... You literally had to say nothing and you failed at that. And to use the word "woke" is stupid. The amount of flak they are gonna get for this just for saying that word will be immense. This would blow over by Tuesday if you said that entire thing but left out the work "woke"

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 80 points 11 hours ago

Using the word "woke" disqualified him of any notion this was a rational thought. He wanted to accept the award to promote his game and make money, but slyly wink at those who are a part of his in-group.

[–] 956@piefed.social 28 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

What games in the same vein as KCD2 have shoved hat relationships down players throats?? What would they even be referencing as the "woke" games?

Imagine finding a way to piss off everyone simply by opening your stupid mouth....lol

[–] FartMaster69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 7 hours ago

Something something dragon age something something concord.

Sprinkle in some pointless complaints about The Last Jedi and you have a full chud comment.

[–] Speculater@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Baldur's Gate 3? But you have to try pretty hard to have gay sex... I've heard.

[–] DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz 5 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Eh not really, Gale is pretty quick to offer it up

[–] Speculater@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Lol, true enough.

[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 62 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Well, that sours me enough to the game that its no longer on the wishlist.

[–] EvilBit@lemmy.world 37 points 11 hours ago

The guy has always been a piece of shit so I’m glad more people are learning this.

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 15 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

Can anyone who has actually played the game elaborate and give their thoughts?

[–] scholar@lemmy.world 28 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

The game has a gay romance option, which is something that you can unlock over the course of the game with the right dialogue options and is fairly tastefully done. The game is very intent on being a 1403 simulator and the characters are all written with that in mind, but it's nice that the game recognises that gay people would have existed regardless of the cultural attitudes at the time.

I think his comments refer to the implementation of the romance in the way that it doesn't feel like it was put there so the studio could boast about how progressive they are.

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

I think his comments refer to the implementation of the romance in the way that it doesn't feel like it was put there so the studio could boast about how progressive they are.

Big "I'm doing the thing I complain about, but it's different when I do it" energy from his statement.

[–] tabris@lemmy.world 13 points 6 hours ago

but it's nice that the game recognises that gay people would have existed regardless of the cultural attitudes at the time.

The late mediaeval period was actually fairly accepting of gay relationships, with a legal doctrine of Brotherment being practiced in several countries, where two men would legally join their lives and assets, and which often included declarations of affection.

[–] smoothoperator@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

In the first game everyone is assumed to be straight, and your character receives a stat boost from having sex, which sometimes happens in the story, but mostly will happen at "bathhouses", i.e. with prostitutes.

The exclusively female bathhouses, and the stat boost, persist in the second game, but there is an option relatively early in the game for your (male) character to start a gay romance with an important, recurring character.

I didn't follow through with that, but I was very pleasantly surprised to see it - both characters are sort of supposed to be womanizers, but it makes sense in the context of the story that they could discover feelings for eachother. It's up to you whether your character has a childhood sweetheart feminine love interest at home or not (from the previous game), but other than this relatively unimportant detail (beyond the roleplaying of it), the gay romance appears to be arguably the most significant romance in the game.

All that said, the game director who speaks is an asshole. Given that, I was pleasantly surprised at how "woke" KCD2 actually is. Guess he might has a different idea of "woke" than the rest of us, e.g. more "female ghost busters movie", less "gay representation".

[–] wcSyndrome@lemmy.zip 11 points 7 hours ago

I agree with your comment except to say that Henry (the playable character) is a pretty blank slate. It's been a little while since I've played it but I wouldn't call him a womanizer though Hans definitely is

[–] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago

Based upon the comments here it looks like no one here has played it.

[–] ech@lemmy.ca 11 points 11 hours ago

I'd love for this asswipe to just shut up forever, but maybe if he keeps piping up more people will understand how terrible he is.

[–] BroBot9000@lemmy.world 11 points 12 hours ago

Fucking shithead

[–] november@piefed.blahaj.zone -1 points 11 hours ago

He even needed ChatGPT to write his own shitty opinion for him, what a loser.