Celebrating Pride at Gamemode One 2025
- Gamemode One
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
Heya Folks!
Pride month has wrapped up here in Halifax, and we were thrilled to celebrate this annual event once again with our amazing team members!
At Gamemode One, we are committed to creating a welcoming environment for everyone. From our staff to our community members, everyone deserves to feel supported and have a sense of belonging.
Pride Month is such a wonderful time to come together, uplift each other, and make sure everyone’s voice is heard—especially in our local communities and the gaming world! As part of our celebrations, we asked our awesome team members to share a little something about queer characters in gaming that have really made an impact on them. Since we’re a game studio filled with passionate gamers, we thought it would be a fun topic to explore together!
Here’s what they shared:
I want to give a quick shout-out to Lev from The Last of Us Part II, but my favorite has to be Helmut Fullbear from Psychonauts 2. Helmut's character arc and his level in the game truly make him a standout queer character in my gaming memories. I loved how relatable his struggles with anxiety and belonging are. It doesn’t hurt that his vibrant personality is brought to life by Minecraft legend Jack Black. Who wouldn't want to fight anxiety minions while listening to Jack Black sing a rock ballad? Shout out to Helmut’s husband Bob, I love you too, but Helmut's level was more fun, haha.
-Anton Charpentier (Community Manager)
One of my favourite 2SLGBTQI+ characters in gaming is the blue, pansexual, genderqueer alien icon Liara T'Soni from the Mass Effect trilogy. Watching her journey from being shy and unsure of herself, to becoming the powerful and fearless Shadow Broker over the series was so rewarding. I always found her loyalty to Shepard especially touching. She’s responsible for their resurrection in the second game, and if Shepherd doesn’t have a love interest in the third game, she’s the one who places their name on the memorial plaque at the ending. Thanks, Liara, for being such an amazing squadmate!
-Joanne Leung (Graphic Designer)
I grew up playing the N64, and one game I sunk a lot of hours into was Mario Tennis. They had what seemed to be this new pink dinosaur, that was like a female Yoshi in my eyes. She quickly became one of my favourite characters. It wasn't until later that I learned she used to be an enemy character, and to my surprise, used to be considered male! This was after I had discovered my own gender issues, and it felt so good to see a similar circumstance represented by a character I already loved.
-Kit Houle (Game Designer)
A queer character that I found very motivating is Madeline from Celeste! The community wondered, and following the game's release she was confirmed to be a trans woman. While not everyone can know the experience of gender questioning and transitioning, I found through the game the ambiguous motive that Madeline has for climbing Celeste mountain communicates something about surpassing something difficult, or even impossible. And yet with determination and discovered friends and family, she perseveres and comes out a new, whole person. It's a simple but moving story, and while not it's not the explicit theme of the game I always feel Madeline's journey is a reflection of a queer journey, and an uplifting one at that!
-Trent Baker (Junior Programmer)
Thank you to everyone for sharing your favorite queer characters that have made a lasting impact on you. Each of these stories adds a rich tapestry to our gaming experiences and speaks to the power of understanding and acceptance. Whether you're part of the 2SLGBTQI+ community or an ally, your presence is valued in our community, and together we can continue to celebrate and uplift diverse narratives in gaming. Let’s keep championing inclusivity and honoring the characters that inspire us to be our authentic selves.
If you’re interested in finding more ways to celebrate Pride or support the movement, here are some awesome resources you can access:
Canadian Pride Historical Society
Main Website (Lots of resources here and a great organization to support)
Main Website (Lots more resources and a great organization to support)
Government of Canada
Qualia Counselling Services
2SLGBTQIA+ is the acronym recognized by the Canadian queer community. 2S sits significantly at the front to recognize the Two-Spirit people as the first 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Thanks for reading!
-The Gamemode One Team
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