Hades, Ikenfell, And Immortals Fenyx Rising All Nominated For GLAAD Media Awards

Hades handled the Patroklus and Achilles story really well. I hope it wins.

@nessisonett I agree! I just got to it and it was so lovely. Have you seen the Than/Zag story, too?

@BenAV I loved how many outfits and characters there were, too. The battle system reminded me of the very first Harry Potter game on GBA (and that's a good thing)!

@KateGray I wasn’t that big on Zag and Than as a pairing mostly because the Zag/Meg story felt slightly better realised. I’m not gonna make my Zag a two-timer either!

I'm just going to leave a comment saying that LOU2 is gonna probably win just bc critics liked it, and with that I'm taking my leave as there will proabably be lots of spoelrs for hades.

@Snatcher I think it’ll realistically be between Tell Me Why and TLOU2. Both have prominent story beats in which LGBTQ+ characters’ experiences directly fuel their actions.

@Snatcher LOU2 has the worst representation of LGBTQ themes I've ever seen in games. Even my LGBTQ friends think so too. If it wins, then LGBTQ related themes in games is as good as dead.

I thought the same sex romance in The Outer Worlds was presented extremely well. No comment made at all about the gender of the people involved, it was simply presented as a romance.
Also, no mysteriously effective armoured bikinis in the outfits. I mean, I like implausibly skimpy armour as much as the next Dragon's Dogma player, but yeah, it was refreshing.

@BoyfriendOfDeath Lev is a great character. Dina and Ellie have a hugely toxic and stereotypical relationship. It goes both ways.

Funny how Ancient Greece was more progressive than many 21st century countries.

Don't give Ubisoft anything. It was just accidental representation due to checking off the open world rpg checklist of character customization. Don't give Last of Us 2 anymore awards, it's already caused enough problems. Hades was genuine by presenting the relationships as normal without any grandstanding.

When are furries going to get the same in game representation? It's blatant speciesist.
I'm going to start a petition to allow inter species relationships in Animal Crossing! Who do those bigots at Nintendo think they are!!!!
/s

@BoyfriendOfDeath Critics suck ass they ruin everything.

@Mr-Fuggles777 Comparing LGBTQ+ relationships to inter-species relationships? Are you a preacher from the 1920s?

@Mr-Fuggles777 Dude, play Mario Odyssey, it's about a giant reptile planning his wedding night with a human princess.

Oh the comments here smh
And this "award" is not helpful either.

@TheBeastFromTheEast What’s wrong with the award? Genuinely, I’m interested to hear what’s wrong with recognising games that feature well-written representation of an oft-marginalised group.

@nessisonett hey its 2021 people can identify however they feel like, whether that be male, female or giant wolf who are we too judge?

On a more genuine note I do find it fascinating and also ironic how the LGBTQ community is quick to discredit fringe communities like furries whilst also preaching for acceptance of stupid s*** like pronoune recognition.
If someone wants to dress up as a giant Teddy at home and it makes them feel happy and fulfilled then good on them, in exactly the same way as someone who wants to float between genders. It's about being comfortable in your own skin/fur.
As long as no one is getting hurt and everything is consensual then let people have fun with whoever and however they like.

@Mr-Fuggles777 I didn’t dismiss furries, I dismissed the comparison between inter-species relationships and gay relationships which has been used for years as a snide way to put people down. In fact, during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, it was spread that victims were having sex with animals when many were in stable relationships. You also saying that pronoun recognition is ‘stupid s**t’ again proves that you have no place in this comment section except to spread genuinely harmful rhetoric in an article celebrating the positive steps made in the media this past year to represent a community of which I am a proud member.

@nessisonett as am I, although fully monogamous nowadays I've always been actively bisexual.
I didn't realise that I had to fully agree with all of the crazy rhetoric to be part of the community.
It's the idiots playing gender games who are the ones actively damaging and discrediting the community.

Reuniting Pat and Achilles was my final goal in Hades and it felt great to help them defy fate. Seeing them together made my wife squee.

@Mr-Fuggles777 Those ‘idiots playing gender games’ are real people with real lives facing unprecedented levels of hatred. Bloody hell.

@nessisonett will leave this conversation as this isn't the forum to discuss this.

I'm not being disrespectful but the "Twitter Trend Queers" those who jump on the movement because they feel disenfranchised anf think its cool are the ones doing the damage to genuine Trans People and the ones I direct my comments towards.

@Murbs
Apart from the slavery, and allowing only a small part of the male population the franchise (if we're talking about Athens)

GLAAD awards for computer games?!? This is great!

@Deady have you read The Song of Achilles? I like to think it's a great prequel to Hades, even though that title should probably go to... the actual Iliad

@nessisonett i honestly didn't see anything wrong with his original comment. I could see how you could have viewed it in a different way but I dont believe that was his intention be "genuinely harmful".

@KateGray I’ve read the Iliad but not the Song of Achilles. I’ll check it out, thanks for the recommendation. Doomed lovers get me every time, whether it’s Orpheus and Eurydice, or Wander and Mono, Beren and Luthien, and more. The pervasive themes of reunion and reconciliation in Hades swept me away, and Zagreus’ desire to help these lost souls defy the gods makes him one of my favorite heroes ever.

@Rambler you beat me to it like an ancient Greek likely beat their slaves.

@Mr-Fuggles777 howdy! "genuine trans person" here! Walk directly into the sea

I know that it's like 95% judges recognizing big names but I'm really holding out hope for Ikenfell to win, it really snuck in as one of my favorite games of 2020 at the end of last year. I loved the character dynamics and the ways it explored a lot of gay and queer stuff in a really casual way that you really don't see in media that isn't lgbtq-led. Plus, how often do you see key party members with neopronouns in games?

@Mr-Fuggles777 I'm bored enough that I'm actually going to explain my earlier comment for anyone who comes across this in the comments later: whenever anybody says "oh, I'm just talking about the FAKERS and the ones who aren't RESPECTFUL about it", they're liars down to their core and they're just looking for excuses. Homophobes are the least subtle people on the planet, and they can't help themselves from trying to be casually bigoted even when they can tell that outright homophobia/transphobia/bigotry will get them kicked out of whatever space they're in.

Never believe anyone who tries to convince you that it's just the "easy targets" that they're making fun of, because that target's just going to slide closer and closer to you the more you listen to them.

I'm surprised Celeste is not mentioned. Isn't she trans as well?

@DrDaisy
I’m confused - do you mean the game Celeste and its protagonist Madeline?
If so, her being trans would be news to me!
Or maybe the lucky girl is completely stealth at her young age. 😄
But I did think the game was a really moving tale of overcoming anxiety/depression.

I’m just glad to see the LGBTQ community getting unbiased representation in Hades and other hit games.
Speaking of Hades, Dusa struck me as trans somehow, given how she deflected Zag’s curiosity about her past physical attributes, saying something like the past her is past and she’s living an authentic life as herself now.

I don't have too much of a problem with LBGTO+ representation, I do have a problem with the GRANDSTANDING of LBGTQ+ respresentation as much as possible to the point where the story is put to a screeching halt/completely sidelined and that LBGTO+ character is made a mary sue even if the personality of that character is mean spirited to everyone.

Those who have been spending time with the shenanigans of current year Hollywood and comics know what I'm talking about. They need to know it's a marathon, not a sprint.

To the people here, who want to know why I sad this... my problem with this award, is that it feels like homosexual people need to be placed on a high pedestal and tell the world how bad it is about them and that those people are victims. But in fact, ot does the very opposite, making many people mad, especially honosexual people. I talked to some of them and told them about things like this award show and they cringed. Said they don't want this but to live in peace.

It is a thing of subtlety how to talk with people about Homophobie, but this and the LGBTQ+ group is anything else than subtle but more "in your face" and forces things to be changed what should be changed, almost like BLM and feminism demand. I know, it is a difficult topic, but events like thid GLAAD award is just the wrong way. I hope I could explain my points and the points of my homosexual friends, which agreed with me in that point and even suggested me to write what and hiw I feel about this as long as I stay friendly and open.

I know that we all live in one world but it feels like the conversation and demands are coming from the wrong side with a hateful and disgusting tone. That is not the solution people like or want. Those people are no victims, but aggressors when you compare them with people around you in the "real" world outside the internet.

-Popcorn-
-Popcorn-

@TheBeastFromTheEast So what you’re saying is that LGBTQ+ people should be less in your face and instead be ‘subtle’/keep it to themselves. Got it.

@nessisonett Actually, yes. As you so pointedly use -every- opportunity to post about. If someone used every hetero-based relationship for internet activism, you'd be miffed too.

@nessisonett Please, don't twist my words. You know very well what I mean. All I saw in the last years were accusations coming from the LGBTQ+ side, that demanded to force homosexual context into stories and characters, that felt unnatural aside of attacking hetero people. I don't want to see a fight between homosexual and hetero people, but the solutions we get are not helping anyone. Instead of pushing it into other peoples faces and deforming known characters, there are ways to create new things, stories and characters on subtle ways without using the crowbar if you know what I mean.

I think a great example believe it or not is Lego. For YEARS, they always had female astronauts, police officers, basically anything in their build lines always had representation. They never made any pronouncements or activist statements, but it had always been there. Nobody wrote articles, but I always noticed it, and thought it was all the more cool for it.

‘I’m OK with gay people in media but not if there are too many or are too in my face’ is not an acceptable stance. If gay relationships didn’t bother you then you wouldn’t even notice. If heterosexual relationships weren’t seen as a cultural norm then every single piece of media in the world would be seen as ‘pandering’.

JFC... some of you disgust me in this comment section. Intolerant and disgusting. You spew this venom and wonder why folks feel marginalized and disenfranchised.

@nessisonett Nor is it what anyone said. And "too in my face" is offensive to anyone, it's the very nature of "in my face". It's a disservice as well, to continually misread criticism as "violence". Gay or any non-hetero relationships DON'T bother people, it's the constant pandering or activism. Likewise for media. Pandering isn't the media, it's the pandering.

@Teksetter I still haven't played Celeste, but from what I hear there are several clues that
Madeline is trans, or at least that the creator is an ally. I've seen screenshots of a trans pride flag on Madeline's desk.

OT, I'm happy that awards like this exist as they highlight games that I might have overlooked without them. Ikenfell, for example, sounds right up my alley, and I was not aware of Immortals' character creation options.

The problem with this comment section is that y'all unintentionally imply other awards are worthwhile tbh. These mostly pointless awards are just more LGBT focused than say, the other mostly pointless game awards from December. They're all meaningless and a waste of your time at the end of the day.

I mean looks at avatar yet I don't care about this at all. But I'm also not butthurt lol.

@kkslider5552000 Well that's no fun at all! It's the internet, we're supposed to be butthurt...
And I agree on the awards, Animal Crossing far and AWAY was the most awesome game of the year, it practically was loved by everyone and made lockdown bearable.

@kkslider5552000 This! It doesn't matter what you are, what you like or what skin color you have. Just do your best and people will like you for it. Why is it so hard to understand?!

@nessisonett honestly, read what people write and if you don't know... ask. No one needs your "white knight" help as long as those people not asking you for it. People have ways to defend themselves, they don't need a hero like in stories. I understand that this might pisses you off, but it doean't help. It makes thing worse.

straight people be like "if you dont go back to being nonexistant im going to have to go back to being homophobic :/ :/ :/"

@TheBeastFromTheEast this mf said straight people are oppressed

Really loving the LGBTQ+ news and articles coming from Nintendo Life. This sort of thing is really important!

@JasmineDragon
Hey thanks! I played through Celeste but must’ve been too stressed out by the platforming to notice any trans clues. More motivation now to revisit that wonderful game and maybe try to complete some of the B-side screens. 😄

@AngelFox Actually, Lego didn't always have decent female representation. It started featuring women in decent, active roles about halfway through the 2000s, with a scattering of female police officers and others. The Alien Conquest (2011) and Chima (2013) themes were among the first (original Lego themes) to have larger numbers of female MCs, and it was unusual enough that numerous long-term Lego fans commented on it at the time.

This was less than a decade ago.

@JasmineDragon No, that is not true. There where female Lego figures before. You people make the mistake, that female characters HAS to be mc for some weird reason, but for a kid, it doesn't matter and in the end, those toys are made in the first place for... children. You overcomplicating those things into oblivion and forget that children don't care about things like that. My sister and I played with Lego when we were young and none of us told our parents that we need more diverse Lego characters. Seriously, don't go down that road.

And now to the real deal, shall we

@Slowdive "...peaceful civil rights movement..." yeah, I really can't agree that. I made completely different experiences, but go on...

"Are you that insecure?" What does anything I said has to do with insecurity? Do you know me that well, that you could say this about me? Going on...

"I'm a white, straight guy myself, and yet I have to wonder why others from my ilk act so fragile, and lash out in the name of defense every time marginalized groups get a little attention." Again, are you talking about me by saying this? If that is the case, where is the proof for all those accusations? Going on...

"This ridiculous victim complex can lead to pretty nefarious ideologies, something I've witnessed in my personal life."

What are you talking about, hahaha!!! What... victim complex and nefarious ideologies... again, what?! We're not talking about crazy conspiracies like Lizard People from inner Earth, but why a homosexual character should get a special award that makes no sense whatsoever.

Since when is it important that someone has a different sexual orientation that makes him/her nominated for a price?! This has nothing to do with victim complex or ideologies... but rational thinking. Again, it doesn't matter what skin color or sexual orientation you have, but what your actions are. Only that and just that. But somehow, people now want a price for being homosexual, because they believe that this makes them something special?

Be as mad as you are at me, my friend. But in the end of the day, this award is bogus as saying "You're just a hater for not giving gay people a chance to win something!"

I don't care if a character is homosexual or not, but the actions he/she does, is. And for that, homosexual characters can actually compete with hetero characters. Show action and stop acting like a white knight. You only making a fool out of yourself.

@myMaudlinCareer Who is saying that? Please show the quote.

@iulis84 Are you afraid to say my name? Yes, I call this award useless, because a sexual orientation doesn't make you something special, but your actions do.

@Ooyah "It seems that people will only be civil as long as everybody else agrees that they are right. Truly open-minded discussions are still a rare thing, it would appear."

Who exactly wasn't civil here? And I disagree with you that open-minded discussions are a rare thing, but attacking and demonizing people for having an opinion... now that is very common nowadays.

And with that said, think whatever you like about this topic or me, but I stay with what I said that this kind of award is wrong and not necessary, because a sexual orientation makes you not something special but what you do.

@TheBeastFromTheEast What do you mean when you call me "you people"? Let's talk about that.

@JasmineDragon That means that you and some other people said the same thing, nothing more, nothing less. Why? What do you think I meant?

@Slowdive

"You are contradicting yourself."
Quotation please?

"You do care."
Yes, I do care for people, but I don't care for oxymoron awards, that are completely useless and could be put into the same category as hetero characters.

"Very, very much so in fact. "
In what fact?

"Otherwise you wouldn't even be here, venting your frustrations because people who are not like you get attention, or more ideally, equal treatment in a world dominated by guys like myself."
What are you talking about? We're talking about an award, that is meant for homosexual characters for the whole reason being homosexual... what? It seems you don't get what I mean when I say, that a sexual orientation makes you not a better person than someone else, but the action you do. Is this so hard to understand or are we talking not the same language?!

"In the end, it's all about power and the sharing thereof."
What power and sharing are you talking about? Since when is a sexual orientation giving you any powers?! Are you alright? lol

"You sound like you don't want to share even the slightest piece."
HAHAHAHAHA!!!! What are you talking about, dude XD Are you drunk? Did you read my comments or are you making a joke? I am the last person, who gives a damn about what sexual orientation people have. I work with a homosexual person together and we are the best friends. But even he would just laugh at this "token" award, believe me XD

"As long as you can reside in your privileged protective bubble -"
And now you just lost the game. You have absolutely no idea who I am, what gender I have, what skin color I wear. This weasel word just makes a fool out of yourself. Don't go this road, dude. Just don't.

"something you're not even aware of."
Yeah, because it isn't existing but in your head. Here, where I live, everyone is the same under law until he/she is doing something stupid and goes to jail.

"The very reason why these groups exist is because of people like you."
No, the very reason why these groups exist is to push an agenda against others and call them names, but as soon as ONE PERSON is going against them, the whole world is going down and everyone is damned for eternity... seriously, no one asked for those groups but butthurt people who want attention.

"If you're so concerned about actions, then maybe you should focus on what harms people who are mocked, discriminated against, or even physically injured or killed because they're not the dominant group in society."
You won't believe it, but I actually do. I talk to people, who REALLY getting into the crossfire of individuals, that harass them and help with solutions. This award, however, is not helping, but making it worse by saying "Look, I'm gay and I'm better than you. Deal with it!!" Again, sexual orientations and skin colors are pointless if you act like a Prima Donna. Do something productive, work hard and be helpful and people will accept and even award you for it.

"Have a nice day!"
I wish you a nice day as well

@TheBeastFromTheEast if you just took the L and logged off you wouldn't be writing a dissertation on why you're oppressed for being straight that nobody's going to read, and that's why the gays Keep Winning

@TheBeastFromTheEast
“This award, however, is not helping, but making it worse by saying "Look, I'm gay and I'm better than you. Deal with it!!"...”

I’d respectfully and civilly contend that this award show and similar events are not pushing an agenda of LGBTQ “superiority,” but rather celebrating the fact that there are LGBTQ characters in games at all! Video games and other mainstream media have either snubbed or misrepresented the community for so long, you can hardly fault them for holding a party when now finally there is some mature, fair representation.

Sir, my Lego honor is impuned!!!

@Teksetter I read on a message board somewhere (probably GameFAQs) that the protagonists was "confirmed trans" but that could have just been a guess or complete BS. I have the game but I gave up pretty early on because I got frustrated and I have a tendency to break things when that happens. I'll trying picking the game up again when I get better control of my impulses.

@DrDaisy Celeste didn't come out last year! This is just a list of 2020 games. Sadly, it doesn't look like Celeste made it to the GLAAD Awards nominations at all - they only introduced the game category in 2019, and the nominees for that year were all AAA games. Sigh.

@Teksetter Madeline was confirmed trans by the game's creator, who is also trans 😊 https://maddythorson.medium.com/is-madeline-canonically-trans-4277ece02e40

@JammyD agreed! ❤

@Beatrice Yeah, I really had to reach deep to figure out why Immortals was on here! Ikenfell is well worth a play, and it does fantastic work with its LGBTQ+ characters, but I think Hades should win

@KateGray
Wow you just made my day! 🌈😄
I guess now’s as good a time as any to come out here as a trans woman myself. I transitioned IRL a few years ago, but was hesitant to share too much online.
Off now to follow that link - thanks once again!!

Edit:
Back now from reading Maddy Thorson’s explanation, and I’m utterly flabbergasted! No wonder I loved Celeste’s story so much! Even if I didn’t presume she was explicitly trans, I still identified with her personal mountain climb so, so much. While playing, I did feel like this director really gets it. I probably should’ve just put 2 and 2 together, but I’m famously dense (and I never played the Farewell DLC, which leaves a few more clues, apparently).
Even the composer of that amazing soundtrack which I adore, Lena Raine, is trans! I’m so happily shocked!

This feeling, a little brief elation, is why events like these GLAAD awards are important.

Truly, thank you for dragging me out from under my rock a little today!

@Teksetter I'm so honoured that you would feel welcome enough here to introduce yourself fully 🥰

Lena is a friend of mine and she's wonderful and talented and kind! I used one of her tweets in a recent post (the one about manhole covers) 😊

@KateGray
Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine! Such a nice little shot of validation this morning. ❤️
I’ve been a reader here for a while and the NL community has seemed welcoming enough, I’d just been waffling, as Alex would say. 😄
Mostly I’m just a notorious procrastinator - coming out takes energy, you know!

If you don’t mind, please tell your friend Lena that her work on Celeste has moved me to tears on some days, and gotten me through some really dark times. I’m eternally grateful for that soundtrack. ❤️❤️

Now I have to track down your article about manhole covers! Thank you again, Kate!

@myMaudlinCareer

"if you just took the L and logged off you wouldn't be writing a dissertation on why you're oppressed for being straight that nobody's going to read, and that's why the gays Keep Winning"
And insulting people because you have no fire to keep it up is what you thing the easy win. Others can't say that they think? I don't know or your friends, but I know mine and they dislike what is going on with awards like this. And before you accuse them like me and call them names or assume things about them as you did with me, do your research, because you know ***** about anyone. All you do, is making assumptions. Maybe it is not the L on my forhead, but on yours.

Or maybe you should just look into the mirror and ask yourself, if you do the right thing.

@Teksetter

Right, because it is so important to know what sexuality a character has. Not what a character does or what he/she stands for. No... that is no longer needed. Nowaday, we treat others like ***** because we can't learn from the past. We push agendas by saying "Like it or be an outsider!"

Let me tell you something and all the people who think I'm wrong in their eyes. I don't care if someone is black, white, gay, hetero or trans. But if someone is pushing this into my face and tell me that I accept this and watch silently how things I know get changed by those people for the sole reason they want respect, I say you start a war you can't win. Because if you burn down what others build up, it will come after you, whether you want it or not.

Be a strong soldier of those parties if you want, but be aware than one day, it will crumble all over you and then, you will be in my shoes along with my friends, who never asked for this. All they want, is to live a normal life. But it isn't possible because of ***** like this award and groups, that attack others under the name of political correctness and acceptance. This has nothing to do with anything but blind hatred and destruction on many levels.

Think what you want about it, but I will not allow that the lives of my friends get endangered or defamed by things like this. that is all I have to say.

@Slowdive Yeah, keep on dreaming and ignore the reality, why don't you. Until it is too late. Then what? I wonder...

@TheBeastFromTheEast i dont know how to explain to you that im not reading this, and it's weird that you're flooding the comments with something that's unrelated to the actual article. please go pick up a football or something

@TheBeastFromTheEast
Oookay Beast, that’s quite the dire imagination you’ve got, seeing a threat where there is none. Seriously, do you think your gay friends are arming themselves to murder the hetero overlirds?

I don’t engage in internet arguments with utter strangers, but do hope you’ll forgive me making the following request:
Please try to take a more nuanced view of people. Sweeping generalizations (“you people”) and seeing only difference while ignoring commonality just sows prejudice and fear.
Bend that great imagination of yours to consider that maybe it isn’t “us vs them” but rather “us vs. us,” and it does not have to be that way.
We’re all we’ve got.

@KateGray Oh. 😳 I somehow missed the awards being for a specific year.

@DrDaisy Celeste should win one anyway!

Small aside here: noticed a lot of comments, allegedly pro-LBGTQ+ included, using the term 'butthurt.' Isn't that a slight on (male) homosexuality as being bad, or an affliction ONLY gay men and/or women would experience (and therefore: "haha, don't be like them/that, ya pansy!")? I feel like it's equivalent to "doN'T bE gAy, dUDe!"

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I've never agreed with that term...never mind how I identify.