Baldur’s Gate 3 was a groundbreaking game for many reasons. The number of endings, the length of its script, and ultimately, its commitment to telling an incredible story with a diverse cast of characters make it an all-time great. Notably, it was also one of the first major titles to include the gender-neutral pronoun options they/them.
As it transpires, Baldur’s Gate 3 actors had actually begun recording lines for the game with only he/him and she/her pronouns, before a conscious decision was made to bring them back in to re-record lines with they/them pronouns.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Commitment To Diversity Epitomized By Recording Of They/Them Pronoun Lines
Last week, we caught up with Baldur’s Gate 3 performance director Aliona Baranova. The director/actor is taking part in a new, unannounced project, and we got to spend some time discussing that, alongside shifts in the gaming industry.
While there’s still a lot of catching up to do in diversifying the medium, Baranova said that Larian’s decision to record every line with they/them pronouns was a “game-changer”.
“I feel like it was a game-changer when Larian decided that every single line that mentions pronouns would be recorded with the they/them option,” she said. “It did feel like a game-changer. A brilliant one. We’d already started recording, and we already had a lot of lines down with just he and she pronouns, but we brought people back in to make sure, even if it was just one line, to say they/them.”
I feel like it was a game-changer when Larian decided that every single line that mentions pronouns would be recorded with the they/them option,
At the same time, we spoke to Shadowheart actor Jennifer English, who echoed Baranova’s thoughts. She feels that, while diversity and inclusivity still have a little way to go, Baldur’s Gate 3 did a fantastic job.
“Inclusivity can always be improved, I think, across the board, but I think Baldur’s Gate 3 did it so, so well, and it’s sold so well,” she said.
English feels that this is something that other directors and game studios need to be taking note of, telling me, “Developers take note. You can take those risks, in inverted commas, and reap the rewards, if you just do it from the heart. Do it with good writing, and good performances and direction, and just be passionate about it.”
With Baranova and English’s Baldur’s Gate co-star Samantha Béart recently saying that queer and diverse stories are being “cut”, this seems like solid advice.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Engine
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Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
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Full cross-platform play.
