Publisher Square Enix has announced a fundraising partnership between Life Is Strange: True Colors and LGTBQ+ human rights organisation OutRight Action International.
The partnership aims to raise $10,000 (£7,447) to “support OutRight Action International and the real change they make for LGBTIQ people around the world”.
Founded in 1990, OutRight Action International works with LGBTQ+ organisations from the grassroots level upwards, working in fields of advocacy, research, and resourcing movements. It has a permanent presence at the United Nations, where it can “advocate for human rights and equality for LGBTIQ people, serve as secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group and act as a watchdog on all 193 world governments.”
Anyone who puts at least $2 into the “digital donation drive” will also be entered into a draw to win a one-of-a-kind denim jacket, similar to the one protagonist Alex Chen wears in Life Is Strange: True Colors. The jacket will also feature unique patches designed by the Life is Strange team, artist mxmtoon – who provides Alex’s singing voice in-game – and “a special patch created by the Life is Strange community”.
“This campaign has been brought to life with the help of a wide range of LGBTIQ+ and ally creators, such as Travis Alabanza, Fenne, Lilly, Devin, Azu, Nathan Byrne, and many more,” Square Enix said, via statement.
The Life Is Strange series has always been inclusive of LGBTQ+ characters and earned a loyal following amongst queer players. True Colors is the first game in the franchise where the main character is canonically bisexual though – while previous games allowed players to choose between love interests of different genders, in True Colors, developer Deck Nine firmly establishes that protagonist Alex Chen has had relationships with men and women prior to the beginning of the game’s story.
“Representation is a huge part of Life Is Strange: True Colors, and that’s why we’ve partnered with OutRight Action International” Square Enix said. “For 30 years, OutRight Action International has documented, defended, and advanced human rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people around the world.”
The fundraiser runs until October 11, at 10am PT (6pm BST), and the prize is open to residents of the UK, US, Canada, Germany, France (excluding Overseas France), Sweden, Austria, Spain, Norway, and Australia.
Elsewhere, classic UK video games TV show GamesMaster has announced a trio of hosts for its upcoming revival, while beloved Japanese developer Treasure has teased more games coming to the N64 online service on Nintendo Switch.
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