Bioware reveals first "fully gay character" for Dragon Age

Bioware's David Gaider has revealed details in a post on the Dragon Age website regarding Dorian, a powerful mage character that will be accompanying players in Inquisition later this year. Aside from a few interesting details with regards to the mage's background and sharp tongue, Gaider also confirms that Dorian is gay.

"Dorian is gay-he is, in fact, the first fully gay character I've had the opportunity to write," Bioware's writer said. "It added an interesting dimension to his back story, considering he comes from a place where "perfection" is the face that every mage puts on and anything that smacks of deviancy is shameful and meant to be hidden. Dorian's refusal to play along with that façade is seen as stubborn and pointless by his family, which has contributed to his status as a pariah."

When asked if he was happy with the way the character turned out, Gaider said: "I suppose this aspect of Dorian will make him controversial in some corners, but I was glad to include it. It made writing Dorian a very personal experience for me, and I'm hopeful that will make him seem like a fully realized character to fans in the end."

While the wording may have been a little bit clumsy (Gaider had to defend himself on Twitter), it's still another step in the right direction from Bioware, a studio already famed for their inclusive approach to relationships in their games. Dragon Age: Inquisition is heading to PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox 360 on October 10.