Square Enix’s new farming game allows players to be gender neutral

It shouldn’t be a big request from gamers to have more gendered pronoun options in a video game, especially RPGs. A producer at Square Enix feels helping gamers feel welcome by including non-binary pronouns is such a small request that making it a part of his new game was a no-brainer.

The game in question is cute farming simulator During harvestwhich RPG giant Square Enix released just yesterday on PC and switch. Similar to Stardew Valleysign on During harvest are tasked with taking care of the harvest, befriending their neighbors and overcoming environmental disasters. During harvestEurogamer pointed out today, features a character creator that gives players the option to choose male, female, or non-binary pronouns.

in a (n Interview with Eurogamer, producer Daisuke Taka said he thinks it’s “completely normal” for games to contain a non-binary option for players. While gender-neutral pronouns feel like a small part of the overall farming sim, Taka said it’s important to let players choose their gender identity as the game is meant to be “for everyone.”

“The protagonist of Harvestella is the player,” Taka said Eurogamer. “We felt it was important for the player to create their own character and choose various elements including gender, appearance, voice and name. We felt this was important so that players are not restricted and are free to express themselves however they want, thereby becoming much more attached to their character.”

Continue reading: Trans inclusion means more than just adding potential gender options Hogwarts legacy

Recently, characters in video games that have been revealed to be gender neutral have been met with anger in the gaming community’s bigoted peanut gallery. Look no further than the vocal minority within the community Guilty Gear struts Combat came to community that had connections when Bridget and testament came out as transgender or non-binary. The charges were so violated that a Troglodyte took it upon himself to pose as a customer service agent and fake emails about Bridget’s gender.

Recently, Square Enix has made strides to ensure some of its games are more inclusive. in one July 2021 Interview with The player, Final Fantasy VII Remake Co-Director Motomu Toriyama said LGBTQ+ inclusion is an important issue for both gamers and developers.

“In the Final Fantasy VII Remake

we rebuilt the original game using the latest technology, but we felt it shouldn’t stop at the technical side and we needed to update the story content shown in line with modern sensibilities,” Toriyama said The player. In the same month, the company debuted a mascot featuring non-binary charactersMina, for this year’s Pride.

However, the JRPG giant doesn’t always get it right. For example, someone would like to remember Final Fantasy XVI Producer Naoki Yoshida that contrary to his centrist view that people of color are old final fantasy want violate the “narrative boundaries” of the upcoming game’s medieval European settingBlack and brown people are not a New Game Plus feature on planet Earth.

I’m much more into the mood I’m feeling During harvest Guy. “Visibility of non-gender people has become a lot commonplace, so we felt it was important to reflect that in the game and show that all players are welcome at Harvestella,” said Taka.