In-Game Romances - What's Next?

Videogames have come a long way over the past decade; becoming more and more inclusive of the different types of people that play them. This has been particularly notable in the area of romance - with many gamers wanting to reflect themselves in the stories that they immerse themselves in. This is a pretty poignant topic for myself, in fact, as having my female warden in Dragon Age: Origins fall in love with Leliana was one of the first ways I was able to express my bisexuality. I had previously married versions of myself off to other women in The Sims but having an in-depth and growing relationship with the red-headed bard of Thedas was a real turning point in feeling that my sexual preference was normal.

We’ve seen companions in games be of all kinds of persuasions, and that is a wonderful thing but something is still missing. A step to evolving even more, becoming that bit more inclusive and that is with regards to polyamory. Again this is a pretty important subject for myself as I identify as polyamorous. Fallout 4 has made strides in this area, allowing players to have consensual relationships with more than one NPC, something that I would have perhaps expected from Bioware before Bethesda. Although this is the first videogame (that I am aware of) that allows polyamory, it doesn’t do much in the way of addressing it as the act of having multiple partners is never discussed, it’s just something that you can do. There is of course the question of whether that’s something that has evolved from the game state - ie. post-apocalypse, you take what you can get kinda thing. It’s somewhat similar to the Fable franchise where you can have numerous spouses in different towns in the game, but it’s never talked about as an actual viable orientation.

In games there is often the chance to have multiple lovers in the form of a threeway, or perhaps even more (Leliana, Zevran, Isabela and the Warden in Origins for example) but it’s never anything more than casual and based on sex rather than an actual romance. It could be said that this sort of representation of non-monogamy is actually somewhat damaging to the topic of the poly lifestyle as people, especially those younger and more easily influenced are seeing that the only option for more than two people to be together is in some sort of gratuitous one night stand.

Certainly a poly relationship wouldn’t be out of place in a franchise like Mass Effect, particularly with races like the Asari, whose cultural seniority is prevalent throughout. The chance to show a situation with a primary and alternate partners where balance, compersion and love reign supreme would just work so well here. With a company like Bioware, who produce such outstanding and in-depth romances, the opportunities for education and normalisation are endless not to mention groundbreaking in not just the gaming industry but even the whole of the media.

Even EA might consider making the jump to allowing polycules within their Sims games. Currently, jealousy is a major game mechanic, causing severe relationship damage when a sim exclusive to another becomes involved with a third party. How about introducing a trait where sims can identify as being polyamorous, allowing them to meet and form open relationships with others who feel the same way? I’m no game developer, but surely something along these lines isn’t so far a stretch of the imagination. That isn’t to say this sort of idea should be obligatory, but it would be nice to have the option. Being able to love and marry whoever you like, regardless of gender has always been a huge bonus of the franchise for me, so this feels like the next logical step.

Let’s look at another situation where allowing a poly relationship would have really added to the game, in this case in the snowy peaks of Skyrim (specifically Riften). Ah, Mjoll... As soon as I met Mjoll the Lioness, I knew she was the one for me, fierce, beautiful and fucking badass as fuck. I wooed and married her, shacking up in Riften only to find that another soul haunted her every step... Aerin. The backstory of these two characters is that Aerin saved Mjoll’s life and nursed her back to health, and it is my opinion that they share a very strong affection for each other. While I don’t think it should be necessary to force the protag in love with one into a triad with both, I think it would be nice for a reveal where one will continue to be involved with the other as well as yourself, and the player has the option to accept this. I mean, come on, if you’ve played the game that makes so much sense right?

Think of a point and click adventure, or interactive novel with quick-time events where you become close to a character you know is involved with someone else, discover they are in an open relationship and in that moment you have to decide whether pursuing something with them is something you are happy to do. There are so many scenarios that could be explored it makes me wish so hard that there were already opportunities like this out there in game for me to experience.

Ultimately, I’m not saying that I expect this step into poly romances to be handed to me right this second, but I think it’s time to start providing them soon. I for one, am ready.