Yesterday, it was reported on Twitter and Reddit that Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet’s MMORPG, had added a transgender NPC — or rather, featured the transition of an NPC, Sya, who had formerly been known as Symon. Sya appeared with yesterday’s game patch that featured the re-opening of Lion’s Arch, a city destroyed and rebuilt within the game’s narrative. Sya’s story is linked to the destruction and rebirth of the city.
While there are no dialogue options for the player to ask Sya other questions, players can choose not to pursue some of the line of discussion shown in the gallery, such as why she transitioned, by exiting the dialogue. Teddy Nguyen, a GW2 designer, has been tweeting about the addition of the character and the positive response from the fans.
On the heels of an E3 that featured more women than ever, it’s lovely to see more and more steps toward a more inclusive gaming industry, and lovelier still to see characters in games reflecting more diverse worlds and people.
[via GearyDigit on Reddit]
