The sexualization of trans people without actually trans representation is definitely problematic.
The thing is the game was written by cis people, and even the best meaning cis libs can't help but do trans "representation" that's just like "Hello protagonist, I am [name], but oh, I used to be [deadname] and this is a painful secret past for me, which I am telling you immediately and unprompted on meeting you for the first time. This message repeats." and that's it, that's the whole character and the whole story. I'd rather see crass sexualization in a world where trans people obviously exist and that's it there's no more exploration or focus than that, rather than one where cis writers try to bring modern bigotry and trauma they don't understand in any real way into the story.
I've talked before about how a big thing with cyberpunk as a genre is that what it's really selling the consumer is a sort of heavily commodified fantasy of agency in a world that's just a worse, more excessive version of our own hellworld. Cyberpunk is fundamentally a very lib sort of anticapitalism, because it's recognizing that things suck but also presenting them as inevitable and selling you the only feeling of agency and identity you're allowed in that framework. And in that understanding of the genre, just presenting a world where things are still fucking terrible but being trans is unremarkable and doesn't make you a target for abuse is more important than trying to engage critically with modern bigotry since it's ultimately a commodified escapist fantasy, not real social commentary.
And no matter what it's still going to be better than, say, GTAO where NPC's literally scream transphobic slurs at you regularly.
The thing is the game was written by cis people, and even the best meaning cis libs can’t help but do trans “representation” that’s just like “Hello protagonist, I am [name], but oh, I used to be [deadname] and this is a painful secret past for me, which I am telling you immediately and unprompted on meeting you for the first time. This message repeats.” and that’s it
The only decent trans character i've come across in a AAA game is Krem in DA:I
I'm cis so i may not have picked up on some red flags, but he seemed fantastically written to me
I've heard about that, but I don't think I played long enough to see Krem more than once or so so I don't actually know how his story played out.
I guess my bigger point was just that I'm extremely cynical about cis writers writing trans characters and that I'm perfectly happy to be sold (well not literally, I don't have $60 to burn on a game and if I did I'd spend it on cheap liquor and still pirate Cyberpunk because I can pirate Cyberpunk, but I can't pirate bottom shelf alcohol) an escapist fantasy where I can play an objectively trans character and no one in-universe makes any sort of deal about that whether big or small.
I guess my bigger point was just that I’m extremely cynical about cis writers writing trans characters
Considering the absolute train wreck most trans "representation" in AAA games is, i am too lol
Mass effect andromeda comes to mind
"I came to another galaxy to escape my deadname... it's Dave btw" (paraphrased)
an escapist fantasy where I can play an objectively trans character and no one in-universe makes any sort of deal about that whether big or small.
That's pretty much my opinion when it comes to bi representation, just make it a normal thing and i'm happy
The thing is the game was written by cis people, and even the best meaning cis libs can't help but do trans "representation" that's just like "Hello protagonist, I am [name], but oh, I used to be [deadname] and this is a painful secret past for me, which I am telling you immediately and unprompted on meeting you for the first time. This message repeats." and that's it, that's the whole character and the whole story. I'd rather see crass sexualization in a world where trans people obviously exist and that's it there's no more exploration or focus than that, rather than one where cis writers try to bring modern bigotry and trauma they don't understand in any real way into the story.
I've talked before about how a big thing with cyberpunk as a genre is that what it's really selling the consumer is a sort of heavily commodified fantasy of agency in a world that's just a worse, more excessive version of our own hellworld. Cyberpunk is fundamentally a very lib sort of anticapitalism, because it's recognizing that things suck but also presenting them as inevitable and selling you the only feeling of agency and identity you're allowed in that framework. And in that understanding of the genre, just presenting a world where things are still fucking terrible but being trans is unremarkable and doesn't make you a target for abuse is more important than trying to engage critically with modern bigotry since it's ultimately a commodified escapist fantasy, not real social commentary.
And no matter what it's still going to be better than, say, GTAO where NPC's literally scream transphobic slurs at you regularly.
The only decent trans character i've come across in a AAA game is Krem in DA:I
I'm cis so i may not have picked up on some red flags, but he seemed fantastically written to me
I've heard about that, but I don't think I played long enough to see Krem more than once or so so I don't actually know how his story played out.
I guess my bigger point was just that I'm extremely cynical about cis writers writing trans characters and that I'm perfectly happy to be sold (well not literally, I don't have $60 to burn on a game and if I did I'd spend it on cheap liquor and still pirate Cyberpunk because I can pirate Cyberpunk, but I can't pirate bottom shelf alcohol) an escapist fantasy where I can play an objectively trans character and no one in-universe makes any sort of deal about that whether big or small.
Considering the absolute train wreck most trans "representation" in AAA games is, i am too lol
Mass effect andromeda comes to mind
"I came to another galaxy to escape my deadname... it's Dave btw" (paraphrased)
That's pretty much my opinion when it comes to bi representation, just make it a normal thing and i'm happy
Yeah, my "Hello protagonist..." thing was directly written with that one in mind lol.