For as rushed as the game part of the game was, I think DA2 is still one of the most unconventional games BioWare ever made, partly because of its laser focus on one small area, its history, and stakes that didn’t involve saving the world. The entire point of the game was that there was never a villain. There were a…

Good points, although the Qun does get treated with a lot of moral complexity - there is a whole thing about how other marginalized groups, like elves, join the Qun because that’s their opportunity to be treated as equals. The comments in this article about religion and sex are weird given that canonically the Qunari…

I largely agree with most things written in this response. Hell, I absolutely loathe “Demands of the Qun” and was expecting to be on the same page with the original article about why it is awful, but this just goes to a really weird direction that doesn’t seem to get the Qunari like at all.

That’s simply not true, though. We’ve met Qunari humans, elves, dwarves, etc.

Regarding Iron Bull, I think the problem isn’t Iron Bull or “Demands of the Qun” so much as it is a more general issue with how the Qunari have been portrayed.

Eh, arguably French imperialism started that one (with money they siphoned from US rebuilding grants (we knew about it and looked the other way)). Also I don’t get the Afghanistan resource grab thing. Unlike Iraq it isn’t particularly rich in easily exploitable resources (pretty sure Poppies are one of their main…

His comment kind of captures the perspective of those kinds of guys. real women repulse them, because they see women as faceless objects meant exclusively to get them off. 

Separating the art from the artist is a method of critical analysis. It’s a rhetorical device meant to evaluate the work on its own merits. Like if a novel has a female villain and the author went through a messy divorce with his wife you might connect the two so you separate the art from the artist to ensure you’re…

Years of these fools arguing about how games aren’t taken seriously as art and they miss that this is like 99% because no one can actually appraise video games artistically or culturally and discuss them at length critically, flaws and all, because gamers start sending death threats and the studios themselves will not…

Oh please, there plenty of vitriol and condemnation for conservative and centrist politicians for the anti-trans rhetoric and policies. One can walk and chew bubblegum at the same time, and it is very easy to call out JK Rowling along with the ghouls in government. This isn’t an either/or, and your “but you…

I would take you less time to Google why Rowling is transphobic than it took you to type out this comment, much less expect someone to reply to it.

You cant separate the art from the artist when the ‘art’ is what keeps her relevant and influential enough to promote transphobia on a massive scale.

I wonder if the same hate-spewing, comment warriors railing against a trans person expressing thoughts on a game based on the works of an anti-trans creator also have the same energy to go over to The Root and complain to black writers for reporting on issues that affect black people?

“but I wish they would see the value of the games crit ecosystem as not so much an extension of their own PR efforts to be gamed for positive buzz, but as a place that lifts up the medium of games as a whole by taking them seriously.”

I was hoping that at least the Kotaku Commentariat down here would be on board with…

You THINK you care about trans rights but the first time that it causes the slightest discomfort for you you get huffy and petulant about it.

Your “allyship” is rooted in convenience and your self-image as a good person, but lacks any substance.

Just read the article dummy, it’s not clickbaity at all and is a thoughtful exploration of the issue

So you’re telling me the battle in Kansas City, where FEDRA lost, happened like a week before Joel and Ellie showed up? How convenient.

I understand not wanting to support anti-Trans billionaire JK Rowling 1,000%. I’m not defending any part of that revolting cunt’s war on the Trans community.

Is it really an absurd casting choice to have a known and excellent character actress play such a part?

I think we should wait until her story’s complete before coming down one way or another on her performance. It seems highly unlikely that we’re going to be seeing her for the whole season, particularly with how this episode ended it has more of the feel of “Part 1 of 2" than anything. Don’t get locked into a stance…