Eurogamer's Pride Week 2025: Celebrating Queer Culture in Gaming

Hello! This week, Eurogamer has been celebrating Pride with a series of features exploring the intersection of queer culture and gaming. It’s been a pleasure to host stories from a diverse array of voices, including Keza MacDonald, Dom Peppiatt, Ed Nightingale, Caelyn Ellis, and Ashly Burch. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed, both on and off the page. As always, Eurogamer remains committed to celebrating the achievements and addressing the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in gaming throughout the year. We look forward to continuing this tradition with another Pride Week in 2026.

The Evolution of Queer Representation in Gaming

Keza MacDonald, The Guardian’s gaming editor, kicked off Pride Week with a compelling exploration of bisexuality in video games. Her article delves into how the industry’s approach to representation has evolved, from the early days of “playersexuality” to the nuanced queer narratives seen in titles like Life is Strange and Hades.

“When queer representation in games really started taking off in the mid-2010s, it began with lesbian stories and romances. Before 2014, when I was in my mid-twenties, I had never played as a teenaged girl in a video game, let alone a queer one; then came The Last of Us: Left Behind, with its heart-wrenching depiction of a young Ellie’s formative relationship with her best friend.” — Keza MacDonald

MacDonald’s reflection highlights the strides made in gaming, illustrating how these stories resonate deeply with players who have long sought authentic representation.

Exploring Polyamory and Chosen Families

On Tuesday, Dom Peppiatt delved into the portrayal of polyamory in games. As developers strive for more authentic queer stories, Peppiatt notes the increasing presence of well-crafted polyamorous options in games like Hades and I Was a Teenage Exocolonist.

“Given the lack of poly representation across popular media as a whole, I am actually pretty surprised with how well games handle it.” — Dom Peppiatt

Meanwhile, Ed Nightingale’s feature on Wednesday focused on the vibrant queer community within Final Fantasy 14. Nightingale explored how the game offers a welcoming space for players to form meaningful connections and find chosen families.

“As a lifelong Final Fantasy fan, I – like many queer players – have always been fascinated by the series’ distinct fantasy realms and its colourful casts… That’s why, when I attended the Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest events in 2023, I was struck by the diversity and kindness of the game’s community.” — Ed Nightingale

Games as Catalysts for Real-World Action

On Thursday, Caelyn Ellis, a Eurogamer contributor, called for action in these challenging times. Ellis argues that games equip players with the tools to become real-life heroes, drawing parallels between in-game adventures and real-world activism.

“Right now, queer people, particularly trans people, are under attack. We need more than allies; we need accomplices, defenders and, at the risk of sounding a little trite, we need heroes.” — Caelyn Ellis

Ellis’s rallying cry underscores the potential of games to inspire players to engage with and address the pressing issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community today.

A Conversation on Queerness and Representation

The week concluded with a special podcast featuring Ashly Burch, hosted by Dom Peppiatt. The discussion explored the importance of queer roles and authentic representation in gaming, touching on Burch’s iconic roles in the Horizon series and Borderlands.

“I think my favourite thing about this talk was the way that, time and again, it became evident that queerness is not just a ‘one-size-fits-all’ thing.” — Dom Peppiatt

This engaging conversation highlighted the multifaceted nature of queerness and the critical role of representation in fostering understanding and acceptance.

As Eurogamer wraps up its sixth annual Pride Week, the celebration of queer culture in gaming continues to evolve, reflecting broader societal shifts towards inclusivity and diversity. The stories shared this week serve as a testament to the power of games to not only entertain but also educate and inspire.