“Fallout 2,” the post-apocalyptic sequel by Black Isle Studios, was the first game to feature the ability to marry a character of the same sex when it was released in 1998, six years before Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. When it comes to legalizing same-sex marriage, the real world is actually behind the virtual world. (Previous editions allowed gay couples to move in together and have a civil union.) “The Sims,” the popular virtual dollhouse franchise from Electronic Arts and Maxis, has included same-sex relationship options since its 2000 debut, though gamers who wanted nuptials for their Sims of the same sex had to wait until the release of “The Sims 3” last year. Unlike the static storylines of a TV show or film, role-playing games offer an individualized experience that’s usually defined by a player’s choices. It’s the latest example of how gamemakers are giving players methods of portraying gay characters in role-playing games, the genre that bestows gamers with the power to customize characters from the outset. For the first time in the series, a player’s character, regardless of their sexual orientation, can adopt children. Molyneux and his team at British developer Lionhead Studios are adding another way to play as gay - or otherwise - in the franchise’s epic third installment, which tasks players with leading a revolution in the newly industrialized Albion. ![]() It means they can be who they are rather than who I require them to be.” My fascination is with what that means to people. You can get married as many times as you like. “We don’t require you to be of a certain type to get married,” said Peter Molyneux, creative director at Microsoft Game Studios Europe. ![]() Though not integral to the plot, gamers have been able to woo characters of the same sex since the sweeping saga launched in 2004. While the fight for gay rights remains heated in the United States, same-sex marriage and gays in the military have never been issues in Albion, the virtual nation where “Fable” players battle bandits and other baddies. It’s just one path players can go down as the heroic protagonist of “Fable III.” When the Prince of Albion isn’t battling reanimated corpses, searching for mystical medallions or attempting to overthrow his tyrannical brother, he has a pretty nice life at home with his husband, Kyle the Blacksmith, and their two adopted sons, Alex and Tim.
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