As the cozy gaming revolution picks up, more and more players want their in-game characters to represent who they are in real life. It's in that spirit that Square Enix's Harvestella will allow you to create a non-binary character, becoming the first Square Enix game with a character creator to let you make this choice.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Harvestella producer Daisuke Taka said that the inclusion of non-binary representation in games is "still something of a rarity", but that it's "important" to reflect the increasing visibility of gender non-conforming folks in gaming. Taka says "all players are welcome" in the world of Harvestella, and that including non-binary options for character creation is "completely normal" for him and his team.
According to Taka, the benefits of including non-binary pronouns far outweigh the work involved; it's a "relatively small" amount of effort to include them, but the impact is "huge", the producer says. He also admits that there won't be too much of an impact on Harvestella beyond NPCs using different pronouns for you, but that this will still hopefully mean more players feel included.
It's fair to say the industry seems to be looking to increase its efforts on the inclusion front, although there's a lot of work still to be done. From the dark days of the mid-2010s, when Tomodachi Life didn't even include gay romance, we've come a long way, and now life sims like Story of Seasons and Harvestella are embracing different gender identities, sexualities, and preferences.
Harvestella is a life sim-RPG hybrid that lets you farm crops, raise livestock, and adventure through a fantasy land while battling monsters. Various classes will be available, so you can tailor your combat experience to your liking, and you'll also be able to indulge in activities like fishing and cooking. The game launches for PC and Nintendo Switch on November 4th.
