E3 2018, the biggest gaming convention of the year, is well underway, and your favorite development teams are making announcements and updates for all the games they’re currently working on. Games like Kingdom Hearts III and Super Smash Bros. got new release dates, while other titles were announced for the first time. One big reveal excited the queer gaming community, courtesy of the first gameplay trailer for The Last of Us Part II.
In the sequel to the popular survivor game, the player follows the story of Ellie — the daughter from the first game. In the trailer that premiered at E3, we see Ellie share a dance with a female character named Dina. Ellie comments that every guy is probably staring at Dina, and Dina posits that every guy in the room is probably jealous of Ellie.
“I’m just a girl, I’m not a threat,” Ellie says.
“Oh Ellie, I think they should be terrified of you,” Dina replies and gives Ellie a big lesbian smooch. Smash cut to Ellie in a forest, slicing a guy’s throat. We stan a gay badass.
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Twitter, however, has been focusing way more on the kiss than the murder. Remember, in the gaming community, we’re like five years behind everyone else in terms of gender and sexuality representation. The fact that a female character is leading the game is still a source of controversy, let alone her being into girls.
And because of that, the gays and the girls claimed their territory:
If you're not gay or a girl you can't play the last of us 2. That means I can't play it but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the gays. Sorry, I don't make the rules
— Oliver (@Starkaane) June 12, 2018
THE LAST OF US 2 IS A GAYS ONLY EVENT, STRAIGHTS GO HOME
— ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ (@brinedhagfish) June 12, 2018
Nevertheless, I’ve seen people freaking out about how Sony and Naughty Dog (the game’s development team) are just giving into the SJWs and being “politically correct” by including a gay lead. Some fans pointed out that Ellie being gay has already been pre-established in the first game’s expansion, and maybe if those butthurt straight fanboys were real fans, they would know that. (Wow, gatekeeping is fun. I get why they do it so much.)
https://twitter.com/_Shmeals/status/1006356867671625728
Also if you have problem with a BIG GAY KISS in The Last of Us you clearly didn't play Left Behind so can't be much of a fan – sorry bout it
— Lucy O'Brien (@Luceobrien) June 12, 2018
The trailer for The Last of Us Part II looks amazing, both with the kiss and the subsequent gameplay. But just remember: It’s only for queers—sorry, we don’t make the rules.