The following is a list of confirmed video games with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer characters, including any others falling under the LGBTQ umbrella term. The numbers in this list are possibly higher because some characters remained unconfirmed, unsourced, or controversial.

History

During the 1980s, characters who can be argued as identifying as LGBTQ+ were rarely shown in a realistic or non-stereotypical context and were often the objects of ridicule or jokes.

In the 1990s, games (often Japanese ones) continued to use stereotypical LGBT characters which did not reflect the diversity in LGBT communities. However, more efforts were made to make more diverse and less one-dimensional characters.

In 2018, GamesRadar's Sam Greer found 179 games with any LGBT representation. Of those 179 games, only 83 have queer characters who are playable characters. And of those, only eight feature a main character who is explicitly pre-written as queer as opposed to them being queer as a character creation option.

In 2024, GLAAD found that under 2% of digitally-distributed games for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo consoles were noted by their respective companies as having LGBT content, and under 2.5% of Steam games were tagged as LGBT.

Games The following is a list of confirmed video games with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer characters, including any others falling under the LGBTQ umbrella term. The game character roles are either a player character (PC) or a non-player character (NPC).

1980s Year Game Character Classification NotesReferences1985 Le crime du parking Paco Gay The culprit in the murder mystery is revealed to be the tailor, Paco, who is gay and deals drugs. Le mur de Berlin va sauter Carlus Gay The main antagonist and left-wing terrorist Carlus, who wants to blow up the Berlin Wall, is gay, and a lot of the action is spent in gay nightclubs and public baths. 1986 Moonmist Vivien Pentreath Lesbian In one of the possible storylines, it is revealed that Vivien, a friend of Lord Jack, was in a relationship with his former fiancée Deirdre—before her apparent suicide—and was jealous that she chose Lord Jack over her. Deirdre Hallam Bisexual woman 1988 Caper in the Castro Tracker McDyke Lesbian A murder mystery problem-solving game for Apple Mac computers written in the HyperCard language, distributed on underground gay bulletin boards, starring the lesbian detective Tracker McDyke. C. M. Ralph, who wrote the game, later released a straightwashed version called "Murder on Main Street" and published by Heizer Software Tessy LaFemme Gay, Drag Queen 1989 Circuit's Edge Yasmin Trans woman The game features a transgender woman named Yasmin, alleged to be the player character's former lover, and a gay man named Saied. Saied Gay Phantasy Star II Usvestia Gay Usvestia will teach the MUSIK piano technique needed to progress in the game more cheaply to male characters because they "look cute". In the English version, he instead says "He looks smart," and the gender-based disparity is left unexplained. Leisure Suit Larry III: Passionate Patti in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals Kalalau Bisexual Kalalau, a character from the previous game, is married to Larry, but dumps him at the start of the game for another woman, Bobbi. Bobbi Lesbian Bobbi is a woman in a relationship with Kalalau. She is described within the game as a lesbian.

1990s YearGameCharacterTypeClassificationNotesReferencesRise of the DragonPatrons of the Pleasure DomeQueerIn an establishment called the Pleasure Dome that caters to queer patrons, among other things. One of its patrons is a woman posing as a man posing as a woman.The Dagger of Amon RaTwo female loversLesbianThis game features a woman from a small town who gets a job for a New York paper in the 1920s. Two of the women she meets are involved in a secret love affair.Ultima VII: The Black GateSex workersBisexualIn the House of Baths at Buccaneer's Den, the player (the "Avatar") can pay for the services of male and female sex workers, regardless of the player's gender.GayBladePlayer CharacterQueerAs well as openly proclaiming itself as "The World's First Gay & Lesbian Computer Game" on the title screen, the player can select from various class choices such as Queer, Drag Queen, Guppie, and Lesbian with themed gear to match.Great GreedPlayer character and several male NPCsBisexualAt the end of the game, when given the choice to marry one of the princesses, the male player character can repeatedly insist to marry one of the male NPCs and this option will eventually be granted. This is probably the first instance of same-sex marriage being an option for the player in a video game. http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/great-greed/. Hardcore Gaming 101 article. Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender BenderRex NebularGenderqueerThe game requires the male hero to change his sex on a planet where women rule.Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent IsleA mageBisexualA mage sexually proposes to the player's character regardless of the character's gender. The player is given the choice to accept or decline.1993Dracula UnleashedAlfred HornerGayAlfred Horner is a gay man who co-owns a bookstore. This was the first time a gay character in a computer game was given a speaking role.1993Return of the PhantomCharlesGayCharles is portrayed as an effeminate theater director. He is one of the good guys who helps the playable character, a French inspector, solve the mystery of the Phantom of the Opera once and for all.1993Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!GaryGayGary is a gay towel attendant. Larry is given the option of flirting with him, although this leads to a game over.Police Quest: Open SeasonBob HickmanGayA gay bar is featured in the game. The player is a police officer trying to track down the murderer of his partner. His quest leads him to discover that his partner had a double life as a cross-dresser at a West Hollywood transgender bar.Streets of Rage 3AshGayAsh acts as a boss in the game and is portrayed with "tight clothes and effeminate movements". He was censored in some versions of the game.EarthBoundTonyGayTony has subtle attractions to his best friend Jeff, according to EarthBound creator, Shigesato Itoi.Ane-sanOkita Sōji / SohshiGenderqueerSōji is mentioned to be born male with a feminine demeanor in the game's introduction. Much like every other playable character from the all-female video game, Sōji marries a man in its ending.1995The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight MysteryBaron Von GlowerGayThe antagonist Baron Von Glower pursues the protagonist Gabriel Knight sexually and eventually leads him to be turned into a werewolf.Chrono TriggerFleaGenderqueerFlea, a major villain, is genderfluid and/or gender nonconforming. Notably, Flea stated in a self-referential manner "Male or female, what difference does it make? Power is beautiful, and I've got the power."1995The Orion ConspiracyDanny McCormack and his boyfriendGayThis is the first computer game to use the word homosexual. The main character, Devlin McCormack, lives on a space station where he investigates the murder of his son, Danny McCormack, and stops an alien invasion. His investigation leads him through the seedy, criminal underworld of the station, where he discovers that his son was homosexual by talking with his son's boyfriend.True LoveDaisukeBisexualAt the end of the game, the player character—whose default name is Daisuke—may attempt to start a relationship with any of the ten available girls, or with his best friend Kazuhiko as the only gay option. Depending on the choices taken and interactions experienced throughout the game, each girl and Kazuhiko may or may not be available for a relationship.Kazuhiko MiyoshiGayBahamut LagoonSendakGaySendak is an older wizard who, at one point, flirts with the male protagonist, Byuu. The player can choose to accept or reject these advances.Blazing DragonsSir BlazeGaySir Blaze, a dragon knight, is implied to be gay, similar to the cartoon.TrivetTrivet is a dragon jester who works for the king. He hates being a jester and is trying to look for another job. He learns about hypnotism. He hypnotizes Flicker into believing he is Princess Flame. The effect is temporary, and Flicker goes back to normal. When Trivet tries to hypnotize Flicker again, Flicker deflects it onto Trivet by making him believe he is Flame. Trivet-as-Flame flirts with Sir Loungealot for a few scenes. When Sir Loungealot kisses Trivet, it snaps him out of his hypnosis. Sir Longealot realizes he wasn't kissing Flame but Trivet. However, Trivet happily thinks that Sir Loungealot would care about him in that way, much to the dragon knight's repulsion.1996SimCopterPlayer character, unnamed menGayIn response to another developer adding "bimbo" characters into the game, the game's designer and gay man Jacques Servin inserted shirtless male characters into the game that kiss each other and the player character. Servin was fired, and a new version of the game without his modifications was released.Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of FleshCurtis CraigBisexual manCurtis is the game's protagonist. He is also a close friend with his co-worker, Trevor, who is gay. Curtis admits to his psychiatrist that he has feelings for Trevor and might be bisexual, and the two almost kiss later in the game. Curtis is also shown as having relations with his girlfriend and a S&M domme. The creators of the game talked about the mature sexual themes in the game during a 1997 interview. Curtis is the first playable non-heterosexual character in a video game.Trevor BarnesGay1996NiGHTS into DreamsNiGHTSAgenderAccording to Takashi Iizuka, NiGHTS doesn't have a gender and "[the] impressions of the character with regards to gender are totally up to the player".The Last ExpressSophie de BretheuilLesbianThis game has the player meeting two young adult girls named Sophie de Bretheuil and Rebecca Norton, who are almost always in each other's company. While at first they appear to be merely close friends, reading the diary of Rebecca suggests they are lesbians, but there are no explicitly homosexual gestures beyond hand-holding.Rebecca NortonSaGa FrontierAsellusLesbianInfused with the Charm Lord's mystical blood, Asellus is attracted to other women, and other women are attracted to her. Gina "calls Lady Asellus beautiful and blushes" at her during conversations, and they can marry each other in one of the game's multiple endings.GinaLesbian or heteroflexibleDevil Summoner: Soul HackersBetaGayBeta is one of the owners of the EL-115 Club alongside his brother Alpha. Described as an "over-the-top caricature of an effeminate gay man who speaks with a lisp", Beta continually comments on the male player's attractiveness.Star Ocean: The Second StoryClaude C. KennyGay, lesbian or bisexualThe player can choose to play as either Claude or Rena. They can have a friendship and romance level with each party member acquired. Ashton (a male party member) and Precis (a female party member) can go on a date with them, regardless of their gender.Rena LanfordAshton AnchorsPrecis F. NeumannThe Longest JourneyFiona and MickeyLesbianThis computer game features Fiona and Mickey, a lesbian landlady and her long-time lover. It also features a gay cop.A copGayThe Silver CaseTetsugoro KusabiGayTetsugoro Kusabi is a detective and one of the founding members of the HC unit. Kusabi takes a liking to the male protagonist, giving him the affectionate nickname "Big Dick". Kusabi is also enamored with his close friend and co-worker, Sumio Kodai, despite being married. In a 2021 r/games thread, game director Suda51 confirmed his sexuality.

2000s