Starfield: Inclusion of pronoun choices in blockbuster game prompts online fury
"I almost refunded my game when Starfield asked me for pronouns," one content creator said
By Dale Fox
An online backlash has arisen around the new blockbuster video game Starfield and its inclusion of pronoun choices.
Some gamers have reportedly requested refunds of the newly released title, calling it “a woke game.”
A search for “Starfield pronouns” on Twitter reveals criticism amid a minority of the gaming community, including some high-profile streamers.
The role-playing game (RPG) set in space includes a menu in which players can customise the appearance of their character. It also allows you to choose your character’s pronouns if you wish, and the game will use them in conversation dialogue throughout.
UK-based gaming streamer HeelvsBabyface, who has around 40,000 followers on Twitter, streamed an expletive-ridden rant in which he denounced publisher Bethesda’s inclusion of pronouns in the game.
Western Gayming Industry, with the mighty @heelvsbabyface.#Starfield pic.twitter.com/J6yHjE0gfp
— Dan Vasc (@danvasc2) September 3, 2023
“Do you want to get immersed in our world? Yeah, well guess what – f*cking pronouns,” he is seen angrily screaming into his camera. “You take everything we love, all our immersions, all our fantasies, all our escapism and you just can’t help shovel your dogshit f*cking crap ideology into everything,” the furious gamer added.
“Requested a refund for Starfield“
Meanwhile, other content creators have suggested that the inclusion of pronoun choices in Starfield had led them to consider requesting a refund. “I almost refunded my game when Starfield asked me for pronouns,” Nina Infinity wrote.
I almost refunded my game when #Starfield asked me for pronouns.
— Nina Infinity (@Nina7Infinity) September 2, 2023
I still might.. I’m annoyed about it.
“People pretending that putting preferred pronouns in a video game is completely normal are being disingenuous af. Starfield is a woke and shitty game,” she added in another post.
“Requested a refund for Starfield. F*ck Bethesda and f*ck the political radical weirdos in the western gaming industry,” another creator, Dan Vasc, wrote.
Requested a refund for Starfield.
— Dan Vasc (@danvasc2) September 2, 2023
Fuck Bethesda and fuck the political radical weirdos in the western gaming industry. Staining with ideological clown world bullshit what should be first and foremost an escape from it.
Back to Skyrim.
While a minority, vocal critics of Bethesda’s pronoun choices echo past inclusivity efforts in gaming.
An update to The Sims 4 earlier this year included trans-friendly customisation options. This led to a religious group claiming the game would “bring on the apocalypse,” Pink News reported.
Starfield will release in the UK on 6 September for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S consoles.