Dragon Age Video Game Featuring Gay Character Banned In India

The Electronic Arts (EA) game series, Dragon Age, has always had bisexual characters to interact with the main character as the player sees fit. This sexual fluidity has been praised in the past for its open-mindedness.

The latest of the series, Dragon Age: Inquisition, has already been hailed as a critical darling and features the first exclusively gay character to date. The character is named Dorian, and his description on the Dragon Age: Inquisition website is:  “Being from a proud bloodline of the Tevinter Imperium has its advantages: Dorian was born with a flair for magic that made him the envy of his peers. He is charming and confident, his wit as sharp as any blade, and if some suggest his manner cocky, it could be attributed to being a powerful mage in a land where mages rule. Indeed, Dorian would be the pride of his family—if he didn’t oppose everything his homeland has come to stand for. He wears the labels of “pariah” and “outcast” proudly, knowing that views of the Imperium are unlikely to change until and unless someone of his ability stands up to make a difference. ”

EA has subsequently cancelled pre-orders of the game in several regions with strong anti-LGBT culture. Those who have ordered the game will receive a full refund. Their official statement goes into a little more depth behind their reasoning: “In order to avoid a breach of local content laws, EA has withdrawn Dragon Age: Inquisition from sale in India and the game is no longer available for pre-order. Customers who pre-ordered the game will be contacted directly and will be fully refunded.”

Images from the Dragon Age: Inquisition website