A new mobile RPG has appeared in stores for iOS and Android in Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan. The twist: The playable heroes are gay. The game aims to support gay people and promote acceptance in certain countries.
What kind of game is it? The new mobile RPG is called GYEE and is being developed by Kiwifruit for iOS and Android. The motto of the game is: “Playing Gayly”.
GYEE revolves around the theme of being gay and playfully addresses issues that the gay and LGBTQ community still struggles with in some countries.
GYEE is currently available only in Chinese and English versions in Southeast Asia. Versions for Japan and North America are yet to come. There is no information yet about a version for Europe.
What is the game about? GYEE is a kind of hero RPG. You recruit various powerful heroes, the so-called Gyees, and form teams with them to embark on adventures. The special thing is: The Gyees are gay. About one in 20 people is a Gyee.
In the world of Luxium, they have a hard time because they are often not accepted or experience discrimination or even attacks for what they are. Nevertheless, they proudly show and stand by their nature.
In the game, there is a certain anti-Gyee sentiment and fear of the Gyees, which is why they are hunted by a faction. At the same time, the world is threatened by a dark danger. It is now the players’ task to support the Gyees.
GYEE supports gays in homophobic countries
Here is the background: In the West, we have relatively few problems with homophobia. Games like Overwatch continually raise awareness.
In the countries where GYEE is offered (such as China and Taiwan), gay people are still often met with hate. GYEE wants to make a statement to help gay people there live better and more autonomously.
A twist is that both the game mechanics and the characters can easily be transferred to other games. They seem everyday, “normal”, and not “ostentatiously gay”.
The game mechanics additionally promote dealing with gay people who are self-accepting and secure in themselves.
