The Elder Scrolls Online Narrative Director Responds To Non-Binary Companion Backlash

By 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:James Lucas

Published Oct 31, 2024

Followed

Summary

The Elder Scrolls Online Update 44 introduced the game's first non-binary companion with Tanlorin.
Unfortunately, a vocal group within the community voiced backlash and even hurled transphobic abuse at their inclusion.
But for ZeniMax, it was a no-brainer to make Tanlorin non-binary, and narrative director Bill Slavicsek points out that ESO is already full of queer characters who are accepted without judgement.

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Elder Scrolls Online Update 44 introduces the game's first 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:non-binary companion, Tanlorin, voiced by Our Flag Means Death star Vico Ortiz.

It's a huge step forward for representation in the game, but a vocal subsect of the community has voiced outrage and spouted transphobic abuse, justifying their anger by saying that Tanlorin's inc꧙lusion is 'immersion breaking' and that they supposedly 'don't fit into the world of Elder Scrolls'. To that, narrative director Bill Slavicsek says, "They're wrong."

The Elder Scrolls Online two characters in the midst of a volcano staring at each other while a battle rages behind them.

The Elder Scrolls Online Is Aw𒁏are Of Battlegrounds Queue Issue, Fix In The Works 🌟

"When that came u♏p, we were like, 'Okay, well, we gotta fix that as soon as we possibly can.'"

Posts 168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 🔴

"We have mixed marriages and gay and lesbian characters in abundanc🎀e throughout the game," Slavicsek tells ♒TheGamer. "It just makes sense to us that all possibilities exist in Tamriel. We treat it as a real and living world. You just might not notice because we don't shout it from the rooftops or put signs proclaiming it everywhere. And you know why? Because in Tamriel, this is just the way the world is.

"No character in the world blinks an eye or thinks there's anything unusual about meeting the baker and his husband, the serving woman and her wife, or to have Naryu and Jakarn flirt with you, regardless of your character's gender. And that's no𝕴t even mentioning Alchemy, the three Living Gods of the Tribunal, or the Daedric Princes who can appear as any gender they so desire! It's part of the world and so it's no big deal𝔍."

The Elder Scrolls Online companion Tanlorin pointing a dagger in an Ayleid ruin

Getting A Non-Binary Actor For The Role Was "Extremely Important"

Slavicsek stresses that designing a new character like Tanlorin is a team effort, and so he worked closely with VO lead Rebecca Iꦍchnoski "to make sure we match actors to the characters they play very meticulously". And so, getting a non-binary actor to play the role of Tanlorin was "ꦯextremely important".

Vico♔ Ortiz did a great job bring🔯ing Tanlorin to life!

Having that representation is likewise vital behind the scenes so as t♍o authentically bring to life characters such as Tanlorin with care and intimacy. ZeniMax ensured it incorporated queer voices to do just that: "We have a diverse group of people working throughout the team, including the writer of this content who identifies as non-binary, Andrew Siañez-De La O."

ESO has always been a diverse game, from 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the in-game Pride Parades held by the community to the rich, queer cast and talent who have brought so much character to its world. So, despite all the fury that might be spilling out online, it was a no-brainer to take that a step further with an LGBTQ+ companion. As Slavicsek says, "it j꧋ust felt right to make Tanlorin non-binary".