Do any of y’all tire of the way games handle relationships? There’s pratically no ethically non-monogamy built into most games and even if there is there’s either no recognition of your relationships or there’s jealousy from the other characters you are involved with.

Mods help a little but there’s usually no recognition or discussions. There are two games that have frustrated me in recent memory.

One is BG3 when I tried to date both Lae’zel and Shadowheart and Shadowheart angrily told me she wasn’t “going to be my sidepiece” when that was far from how I saw her or what I actually wanted.

The other that frustrated me is Coral Island since yes you can date more than one person but the game really pushes marriage for reward, if only for an achievement probably and I find that really disheartening that these games are always built this way, can we please have some thought for those of us that don’t do things the ways developers biases expect and recognition of how meaningful these relationships can still be, even if we were dating the entire village?!

Not allowing multiple partners (or even if they do, not multiple spouses if the game insists on only allowing certain content or rewards for getting married) shows such a monogamous and scarcity mindset from the developers that I find shocking and kind of disgusting, though sadly unsurprising. Let me sit down with the characters and let me explain what I’d like, not just assume I’m using you because I don’t actually like you… please!

I really wish there was more not only ethical nonmonogamy in games but more realistic actual R.A. where we could discuss what we all what. Some might see this as a silly pipe dream or fulfilling a fantasy, but really I think to me at least it’s because representation matters and I want to see myself reflected in these games, not just have to accept monogamy or if the game insists on marriage then only one marriage and then 0 other marraiges, partners or important people to me.

What do y’all think?

  • As someone who is demisexual and has views on romance I quite agree. Also my partners are all some combination of ace and aro and afaik all R.A. which is why I’d like to see R.A. in games and other media as I think it fits that perfectly for aro and ace folks, including myself.

    Yeah, it’s a shame that the core of such relationships aren’t necessarily care (unlike from my understanding QPRs) but how much they have sex or how much they love (read show conventional romance) each other and if either of those things stop then it’s over, which I strongly dislike.