What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Queer Tropes in Video Games is a 2019 three-part Feminist Frequency video miniseries directed by Anita Sarkeesian and hosted by Carolyn Petit. It examines how games have portrayed LGBTQ people, including homophobic and transphobic patterns, villainous queer coding, and the gradual emergence of more dimensional queer characters and relationships.
What kind of series is it?
It is a documentary-style YouTube miniseries, not a feature-length documentary. Feminist Frequency released the three episodes in March 2019; GamesBeat reported that the project was produced with support from the LGBTQ Video Game Archive. Ars Technica described the series as a data-first look at recurring representation patterns across decades of games, with an approximate combined runtime of 46 minutes.
The series is organized around patterns rather than a claim that queer representation is widespread throughout game history. Sarkeesian explained the limits of the historical record: “As we were going through the research and figuring out what tropes we can talk about, we realized, the history of video games doesn’t have that much queerness.”
What does the series examine?
Its focus is how games have represented gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people—and what those portrayals communicate through story, character design, and play. The episodes consider homophobia and transphobia, portrayals of gay relationships, and queer-coded villains: characters presented with traits or signals associated with queerness even when the game does not explicitly identify them as queer.
#1 Best Overall
That distinction matters. An explicitly queer character has an identity or relationship established in the text; a coded character may invite that reading without the game confirming it. The series asks viewers to consider whether queerness is linked to danger or villainy, whether queer characters have agency and dimensional relationships, and whether a game’s mechanics make room for queer relationships or merely use them as surface detail.
What are the three episode titles?
- “Are You Gay or Just Coded That Way” examines queer coding and the way games can imply queerness without naming it.
- “Video Games’ Relationship Status: It’s Complicated” considers games’ evolving portrayals of gay relationships.
- “Press B to Hate Gay People” addresses homophobia and transphobia in games.
Together, the episodes trace recurring representational patterns rather than treating individual examples as isolated curiosities.
Rank #2
Which games illustrate the patterns?
Queer coding and hostile stereotypes
Coverage of the series identifies the queer villain in Police Quest: Open Season (1993), Alfred in Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000), and Joe Slade in Dead Rising (2006) among its hostile or stereotyped examples. These characters help illustrate the concern that queer-coded traits can be used to mark a character as disturbing, threatening, or villainous rather than to develop a full person.
More varied portrayals
Examples discussed as positive or more nuanced counterpoints include Ellie in The Last of Us: Left Behind, Dream Daddy, and Batman: Arkham Knight. They are useful points of comparison, not proof that every aspect of each game’s representation works the same way. The series’ broader questions remain whether queer characters have agency, whether relationships are treated as meaningful, and whether identity is explicit or left to coding.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #3
Why does the series still matter?
The series offers viewers and developers a vocabulary for noticing repeated patterns: whose identity is stated, whose is implied, and whether queerness is associated with danger or allowed complexity and agency. Its historical framing also explains why it does not present a continuous record of queer characters—Sarkeesian noted that the history of games contains comparatively little queerness to examine.
In 2019, Sarkeesian told GamesBeat, “Representations of queer and trans people matter now as much as they ever have.” The series’ point is not that representation alone settles questions of inclusion, but that recurring portrayals are worth recognizing as games evolve.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- The Game Console 2.0: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox
- No Starch Press
- ABIS BOOK
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
