Battleborn

A figure with a mushroom-shaped head is jumping and throwing a dagger.
  • Developer: Gearbox Software
  • Publisher: 2K Games
  • Year: 2016
  • Genre: Shooter
  • Platform/s: Various

Battleborn features a diverse array of characters. The creative director, Randy Varnell, has confirmed a number of diverse sexualities within the playable character roster, including Reyna (bisexual), Shayne (gay), Mellka (exploring her sexuality), and Kelvin (asexual).

There have also been discussions about Shayne being gender non-conforming. Battleborn also features Shayne, who is gender diverse. The game uses she/her pronouns to refer to Shayne, they have a masculine appearance and use a chest binder. The artist who designed the character confirmed on their blog that they were attempting to design a character who is trying to figure out their gender; however, this statement has since been deleted.

A respondent to the Queer Representation (2016) survey mentioned Miko in Battleborn, a character who is referred to consistently by name, rather than with gender pronouns, thus making the character gender ambiguous. However, on the official Battleborn website for the character, Miko is consistently referred to as 'it', diminishing the positivity of this representation.

The unlockable lore in Battleborn references diverse sexualities. There is lore implying a previous relationship between Galilea and Ambra. A taunt between Oscar Mike and Whiskey Foxtrot implies Oscar has a crush: Whiskey shoots an image that features a 'Do you like me?' question from Oscar.

Oscar Mike is from a planet of biologically identical clones; however, on this planet there is a 'Queen Mike', implying that she chose her gender and remains respected. There is also a story where the 'main' Mike clone dates another Mike clone named 'Rachael'. There are many Mike clones, and some are trans. The Mike colony has been confirmed as being full of genderfluid characters.

Varnell has also confirmed that Varimorphs (Orendi's species) are genderfluid, and can alter their gender / sex. He stated that Orendi identifies as female, 'currently, at least'.

ISIC and El Dragon both have lines that address not only ladies and gentlemen, but nonbinary individuals.