Gaymers

I recently discovered a new label for myself. I am, apparently, a "gaymer". Before anyone starts thinking about cider, I should probably mention that it's a combination of "gay" and "gamer". Yeah. As far as atrocities against the English language go, it's not good, is it?

The term has been around for quite a while as a catchall for LGBT gamers. I've been spared knowledge of it until now, probably thanks to my infrequent forum use. However, it's been drawn to my attention by the New Gaymer Survey, the second of its kind. Composed by a master's degree student of video game design, the poll looks into a largely invisible minority in an audience that is generally characterised as being (a) straight and (b) male. The survey includes detailed questions about gaming style, console and computer ownership, preferred genres and awareness of recent titles with homosexual situtations or characters.

Sexuality in games is arguably a bit of a non-issue, particularly if your character's primary interaction with the world involves blowing it up. It's of more significance in titles with a detailed plot or open game world.

Origin's classic RPGs, particularly Ultima VI and VII, were among my first brushes with homosexuality in gameland. Not only could I play as a female character but I could also have (sometimes inadvisable) off-screen sex with either gender. I was a teenager at the time – things like that seemed important. I blame the hormones. It wasn't a major plot point and the gay option was no more (or less) of a problem than the straight one. It was just a tiny detail that made a surprisingly big difference to my experience of the games.

A similar approach is taken by a much more recent release. Bethesda's Fallout 3 features what is possibly the most unsatisfying sexual encounter in modern gaming (you don't get to see anything and it has no effect on the plot or your conversational options), but you can experience it regardless of your character's gender. It doesn't matter, nor should it.

Probably the best current example of equality of gender and sexual orientation is in Lionhead Studios' Fable II. In its brilliant open world, you can form sexual, emotional and marital relationships with members of either or both genders. Courtship works in exactly the same way for both (that would be through trinkets and flattery – much like real life, then). The same can be said for The Sims 3, although not even my Sim's hot girlfriend could get me past the soap-opera grade tedium or generate any actual interest in the game.

Being able to choose my sexuality and gender have an effect on the sense of immersion I experience with a plot-oriented game. That particularly applies to RPGs, where I like to create characters who are basically myself, only with a sword, more muscles and optional scales.

Although it's nice to feel that my sexual orientation hasn't been sanitised out of a game world, gay content isn't enough to redeem a weak or uninteresting game. Its absence certainly doesn't put me off playing a title that is otherwise tight, action-packed and well-written.

It's always good to see gamers being treated as the diverse collection of adults we actually are. The continued inclusion of realistic and age-appropriately portrayed gay characters only reinforces gamers' diversity and maturity as a group.