Games obsessed with "gay space marines"

By Fred Dutton Published 18 September, 2010

So says Mafia II producer.

What's the biggest problem the games industry faces in 2010? Used games? Piracy? No, it's "gay space marines" according to Mafia II's senior producer.

When MTV's Multiplayer blog put the question to 2K Games' Denby Grace he replied, "It's a very good question and maybe a little general for a concise answer. An obsession with gay space marines."

Grace also revealed the best advice he'd been given during his career. "Recently actually from one of my bosses. 'Keep being an ass****, you're good at it.' He meant it in a nice way - I think. You have to be a little tough in my role, and sometimes break some hearts to make games."

We've been in touch with 2K to see if Grace would care to clarify his statement. We'll update if we get a response.

Mafia II hit PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 last month. Eurogamer awarded it 4/10.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (116) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • NewbieZilla #1 2 years ago

    Mafia IoI

  • Ryboy #2 2 years ago

    Hmm, gay Space Marines or gay Italians in suits with more cut-scenes than Metal Gear Solid. What a fucking knob.

  • randompanda #3 2 years ago

    Really makes the industry look mature.

  • Plewt #4 2 years ago

    Yes, keep being an asshole. I'll keep not buying your shitty games.

  • MeBrains #5 2 years ago

    well... I think he's right.

    gay space marines, together with more macho men like in maffia.

  • Restart #6 2 years ago

    4/10

  • hollowroom #7 2 years ago

    @Restart

    Perfect.

  • DAN.E.B #8 2 years ago

    Sour grapes?
    I hate gamers because they dont buy my average drivlle what the hells wrong with them?

  • Silent-Hal #9 2 years ago

    So an extremely derivative mafia story is better? Fugeddaboutit!

  • Maldoror #10 2 years ago

    I'm gonna give his trolling a 4/10 as well

  • CaoSlayer #11 2 years ago

    BALD space marines.

    Fixed.

  • OnlyMe #12 2 years ago

    I'm a big Mafia fan and I have to say that's a little uncalled for. It's really unnecessary to use the word gay in such a context.

  • djed #13 2 years ago

    sure I can't buy you a drink?

  • HisDudness #14 2 years ago

    Yeah I'm pretty sure the Space Marines have a "don't ask don't tell" policy towards homosexuality.

  • Edmund0Dantes #15 2 years ago

    But why?, it doesn't seem to make any sense. Gay space marines???????

  • eddiep #16 2 years ago

    Controversy sells. Well, maybe not :)

  • Bassassin #17 2 years ago

    I would say more homoerotic than gay (although Marcus & Dom - hmmm...) but he's got a point. I'm pig-sick of every 3rd-person action-adventure expecting you to play as some steroid-addled, musclebound, grunting bonehead. Gah.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #18 2 years ago

    Well, Marcus and Dom do seem very happy.

  • Deckard1 #19 2 years ago

    "oooooh look at those purple armour suits aren't they TO. DIE. FOR"


    "oooh he's shooting at us, he's shooting at us! That slutty little bitch! YEAH WELL THOSE SPACE BOOTS MAKE YOU LOOK FAT.... slut"

  • kadooosh #20 2 years ago

    Mafia was awesome in my opinion but I also think halo is, sounds like sour grapes to me. Maybe he should be a bit nicer as no one likes to work for a c*nt! Let alone perform for them!

  • riceNpea #21 2 years ago

    no no what he is referring to is an area of space known as gay space and the marines that patrol that area. gay space is like normal space but with better decor. it can be found just below Orion's Belt.

  • nasanu #22 2 years ago

    I like this guy. Personally I am sick of all the 'wear tight clothes and slap your mate on the ass' type of macho games (gears of war being a massive offender). I am not into that. Give me a castle and a stick over a spaceship and a gun any day.

  • coolbritannia #23 2 years ago

    What a nob.

  • makeamazing #24 2 years ago

    Perhaps he is talking about Happy Marines.... marines shouldnt be happy with aliens and other marines trying to kill them!

    I think i understand what he is trying to say, but he hasnt said it very well. He is obviously not very happy that many of the big sellers seem to be space'd based marine games. But sometimes you just have to live with it and get on with it. I am pretty sure Mafia would have sold alot better if they had done the polish they needed and not cut all that content. A game like that is very much word of mouth, and bad reviews and word of mouth damaged the game sales. (/me is getting it in the next week or so).

  • Hantheman #25 2 years ago

    I take his point, but seriously does he not have a PR team? I can imagine the homophobia lobbies sharpening their knives. Plus he's wrong. There are far worse things in gaming right now that macho shooters (which have been around for years- Duke Nukem/Doom/ Wolfenstein).

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #26 2 years ago

    It's not the "gay space marines" you should worry about - it's those damn orks in tutus

  • Chazmeister #27 2 years ago

    It's a bit of an unfair comment really as the obsession isn't just with space marine games, it's with shooting games in general. Games are just as obsessed with contemporary military marines in stuff like Modern Warfare and Battlefield etc, as they are with the puffed up beefcakes in combat armour in the likes of Gears of War and Killzone. Personally I prefer my shooting thrills with a sci-fi setting, but yes it would be nice to see a few more mature takes on the genre like Mass Effect. The time is ripe for another Blade Runner game me thinks.
    Edited by Chazmeister at 18/09/10 @ 10:56

  • GiarcYekrub #28 2 years ago

    I don't think six had that much character

  • Chufty #29 2 years ago

    Are there REALLY that many macho space marine games anyway, compared to, say, WW2 or high fantasy settings?

    He really is a bit of a dickhead.

  • LazyNinjaUk #30 2 years ago

    I'd rather play all the 'gay space marines' games every made, than sit through Meh-fia II again. I wouldn't go critiquing other games unless you can make an even slightly competent game yourself.

  • mossychops001 #31 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 11:49:27 04-05-2012

  • menage #32 2 years ago

    Well, he is an asshole. Gay isn't something poeple should use to trash something. Fuck him, up the ass.

  • randompanda #33 2 years ago

    menage, implying that someone should "fuck him up the ass" is also pretty homophobic.

  • spekkeh #34 2 years ago

    I would say more homoerotic than gay (although Marcus & Dom - hmmm...) but he's got a point. I'm pig-sick of every 3rd-person action-adventure expecting you to play as some steroid-addled, musclebound, grunting bonehead. Gah.

    +10 million.

    In fact, it would be nice to have an openly gay protagonist for a change. And not for emancipation or anything, but just a developer/publisher that dares to stick its artistic neck out and try something completely different. I'm not gay, but I'm sure as hell not a knucklehead on roid rage either, so it shouldn't be much of a problem to get a compelling and identifiable story.

    I guess Nintendo did it with Tingle of course. Well maybe a little bit more emancipating then.

  • menage #35 2 years ago

    It was kinda meant as a spoof on his bad joke, but I'll take it back.

  • TheBrow #36 2 years ago

    You can't have gay space marines! I mean, they can't swim, they attract enemy radar, they attract sharks, they nudge people when they're trying to shoot, they always insist on sitting at "The Captain's Table"... they *muck about*. Imagine... the fear... when you go to sleep with a gay man on board and think "Oh God, when I wake up, will everyone be dead?" You can't run a ship like that...

  • SleepyDeathFred #37 2 years ago

    " it would be nice to have an openly gay protagonist for a change"

    This.

    And the antidote to so-called "gay space marines" isn't chauvunistic, misogynist gangsters anyway.
    Edited by SleepyDeathFred at 18/09/10 @ 11:55

  • GreyBeard #38 2 years ago

    Lol at the people oblivious to how hysterically homoerotic a lot of modern character-design is. Seriously its like the 80's all over again!

    "Let of some steam, Bennett!".

  • Spekingur #39 2 years ago

    So, does that make Starcraft II and DoW2 gay in his opinion?

    Not much of thinker this man.

  • alcides #40 2 years ago

    There's actually been more research on homoeroticism in ganster movies from the 30s-40s than anything on Halo.

    Homophobic moron, btw!

  • darkmorgado #41 2 years ago

    Hmmm. I think he should have thought a bit more before he went out and associated being gay with one of the worst things in the games industry.

    Stupid, stupid man.

  • gaanbo #42 2 years ago

    Mafia 2 is so crap you can tell without even playing it

  • darkmorgado #43 2 years ago

    Yeah, see, when game producers make this kind of comment, are we really surprised at the general level of hostility towards the LGBT community in gaming?

    THIS.
    As a gay man, it's f*cking disgusting hearing the amount of pathetic, ignorant trash talk over Live, on gaming forums and from the developers. Why the fucking obsession? Last time I checked I'm here to play games, not talk about where I do and do not stick my little chap. I don't go around obsessed with my sexuality, so why the hell are they?

    The industry (and large amounts of the community) need to grow the f*ck up. We are not all camp mincing queens (thank god), nor are we all fashion wunderkinds with an obsession in personal grooming. Some of us are just like anyone else.

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #44 2 years ago

    Happy space marines? I don't get it...

  • Boomerang #45 2 years ago

    @spekkeh

    An excellent point my friend. It took a long time for the gaming public to be able to play (and want to play) as a woman. Lara Croft may have been the big breakthrough.

    I feel we're a long way from having a gay lead character though sadly, as - generationally - there's still too much institutionalised homophobia. Or at least ... homo-apprehension. I wouldn't mind it, because i'm a semi-intelligent adult with my own thoughts and opinions, but there are too many close-minded idiots, catholics and rednecks that would be appalled at the very idea of this.

    Also, a lot of gaming in aspirational. People, more often than not, want to be the muscle-bound, ass-kicking, wise-cracking, minigun-waving hero. They mostly don't want to be the flower-arranging, drape-complimenting, poodle-walking gay guy. I know, i know, i'm stereotyping - but i'm making a point. I'd happily play that game, but securing funding, and an audience, would be very difficult in this day and age.

    In 5/10 years? Who knows.

  • darkmorgado #46 2 years ago

    It would be extremely amusing if Duke Nukem came out of the closet.

  • Mark1412 #47 2 years ago

    There was a really good article in a recent Edge about gay characters and gaming. I think the point that, what reason would you have in a game to play as a gay guy/girl came up, or what would that actually add to an experience, and the likelihood that such a choice on the developers behalf probably isn't going to be handled with much tact right now.

    I'm pretty indifferent when it comes to a character's sexuality and gender, if they're well-rounded, well written or just appropriate to the game then I'm happy. If that means they're female or gay fine, as long as it's not just a stunt.

    Also, this guy is a massive tool.

  • Nithron #48 2 years ago

    It really is just Gears of War though. All the other space marines I can think of are pretty straight.

    Which is weird in itself i suppose. I guess the future military still has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy?

  • Optyk #49 2 years ago

    At no point in the current GoW games do Marcus or Dom go into space.

  • riceNpea #50 2 years ago

    Denby Grace is an asshole and 2K Games are pussies. and us gamers are dicks.

    Pussies think everyone can get along, and dicks just want to fuck all the time without thinking it through. But then you got your assholes. And all the assholes want us to shit all over everything! So, pussies may get mad at dicks once in a while, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes. And if they didn't fuck the assholes, you know what you'd get? You'd get your dick and your pussy all covered in shit


    courtesy of the South Park team

  • dmcclure #51 2 years ago

    Logically speaking, unless the human genome changes massively in the intervening period, some characters in all games have to be gay. To be fair, the only examples I can come up with in shooters/sci-fi games off the top of my head are in Fallout 3.

  • riceNpea #52 2 years ago

    so you claim homosexuality is genetic? congratulations on being the first to discover this.

    @optyk

    and the navy seals aren't actually seals
    Edited by riceNpea at 18/09/10 @ 13:57

  • TheBrow #53 2 years ago

    'and the navy seals aren't actually seals'

    I don't think they're even navy.

  • darkmorgado #54 2 years ago

    so you claim homosexuality is genetic? congratulations on being the first to discover this.

    While it has not been conclusively proven, lots of studies have strongly suggested genetic links. There are things such as the increased likelihood of twins to share the same sexuality, or the higher incidence of homosexuality in families with other gay members.

    There is also, incidentally, no evidence at all to the notion that a person's sexuality is determined by their upbriging. It's a total fallacy. There is not any single social group or familial structure that has a lower or higher incidence of homosexuality.

    And there is also no evidence towards the absolutely ridiculous, ignorant and homophobic notion that we "choose" to be gay. There is, on the other hand, mountains of evidence against this notion. The most obvious one being common f*cking sense.

  • riceNpea #55 2 years ago

    'There are things such as the increased likelihood of twins to share the same sexuality'

    well without wanting to sound flippant but there's are pretty high chance i will share the same sexuality as a man born on the other side of the planet just because heterosexuality is 'the norm'

    do you mean if one is gay so will the other be?

    we should all be like Bonobo chimps. happily settling disputes with a good hard shag whatever the gender or familial ties. well maybe not that last bit.

  • darkmorgado #56 2 years ago

    do you mean if one is gay so will the other be?

    Yes. Sorry, I should have been more clear.

  • dutzan #57 2 years ago

    Actually he should have said the industry's biggest problem is gaming studios pumping out mediocre "a dime a dozen" games and expecting them to sell like crazy just because of the marketing hype inertia. Sometimes they get away with it. Sometimes they don't. Maybe he didn't have the whole APB info on his mind.

  • darkmorgado #58 2 years ago

    At no point in the current GoW games do Marcus or Dom go into space.

    Yeah, they missed the shuttle cos they were too busy shagging each other.

  • dannzyx #59 2 years ago

    female gay space marines! which game?

  • Icebox #60 2 years ago

    What a moron. And Mafia 2 is appalling.

  • riceNpea #61 2 years ago

    ' female gay space marines! which game? '

    metroid of course

  • Plewt #62 2 years ago

    I can imagine him sitting there jerking off to the backlash thinking how badass he is.

    But no Denby Grace, you're not badass, you're just the same boring douche we've seen a million times.

  • Smoped #63 2 years ago

    Now I make fun of Gears of War as much as the next guy, but it's not like it's taken over the industry.

  • Optyk #64 2 years ago

    "and the navy seals aren't actually seals"

    You sicken me.

  • Zephro #65 2 years ago

    Well if we ignore who it's coming from and maybe rephrase it as "macho nerd culture" then yeah I agree totally. All of the call of duties, gears of war, killzones, mafias etc are all like this. It's about being a mans man grrrr , like all video games writers do their research by watching Top Gun and Arnie films.
    Edited by Zephro at 18/09/10 @ 17:16

  • TheJuriel #66 2 years ago

    I do agree about 'gay space marines'. I just find the source to be a dumb dummy.

  • darkmorgado #67 2 years ago

    Funnily enough, the problem isn't "gay space marines" but rather "ridiculously over-heterosexualised space marines".

    They go so far trying to portray characters in games as macho that they come out the other end looking like parodies. And they all look like cover stars of those ridiculous muscle magazines. I mean, if people really looked like that in real life we would all think they had a bloody disorder.

    It's a case of "the lady doth protest too much" I think.

  • vijay_UK #68 2 years ago

    The wally was just having a dig at StarCraft II and its success: pure jealousy, nothing more. And his comment is designed to get publicity for his game. Perhaps it has worked, but it won't make me buy Mafia II. I'd rather buy a game because it is quality, not because someone is using cheap publicity shots.
    Edited by vijay_UK at 18/09/10 @ 18:12

  • jonsaan #69 2 years ago

    I like the sapce docking sequences.

  • SpaceMonkey77 #70 2 years ago

    Very funny. As opposed to what? Slim gangster types in suits? Its still dudes shooting stuff, regardless of your gaming avatar of choice.

    Well, looks like Gears following Ghost Recon series example, and including a female Gear soldier is a good idea after all.

    I liked the Mafia 2 demo, but the setting of gangsters has been done to death in GTA over the years. And after tv shows like the Sopranos, there's only so much you can do with gangsters and make it so good.

  • sink257 #71 2 years ago

    We're not obsessed with Starcraft, Warhammer 40K, Gears of War and Halo!!!!!!!!

    Wait...

  • Pastici #72 2 years ago

    Waiting for the response of "I can't be homophobic, some of my best friends are gay!".

  • abot #73 2 years ago

    What a mature comment Denby Grace. I think your boss is right, you are good at being an ass****. Thanks for making Game Producers look bad.

    Mucho Appreciato Denby.

    EG has contacted 2K to allow Denby to clarify his comment. I am curious if he will reply and how he will backpedal from his comment.
    Edited by abot at 19/09/10 @ 16:41

  • GaryHoward #74 2 years ago

    http://i50.tinypic.com/2ztf3mg.png FTW.

  • darkmorgado #75 2 years ago

    I would ask EG to forward the following question:

    "Why does your company feel compelled to link homosexuality towards your perception of the biggest failings in the games industry? Do you feel that homosexuality is wrong, or has no place in gaming?"

    This is an issue that has been skirted for many years. In many ways it is the elephant in the room - everyone is aware of it, but noone wishes to discuss it. More so, in my opinion, than the gender issue. The aforementioned article in EDGE attempted to address this fact, though it did so from a pure gameplay perspective. I would argue that the problem is more down to attitude. And this utterly vile comment from what, I can only now describe (despite previously having respect) as a vile individual, shows that the issue is far more down to attitudes than it is towards gameplay and marketing.

  • buzby_bill #76 2 years ago

    I think everything I was intending to say has already been said. Thank you Eurogamer Forum members for affirming my knowledge that gamers aren't all macho homophobic twats.

    Mr Grace, "I think he meant it in a nice way" ?? Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

  • sweatshop78 #77 2 years ago

    Squad Broken?

  • GreyBeard #78 2 years ago

    Derogatory? Oh for heaven's sake its transparently obvious what he's complaining about: The over-reliance on ridiculously hyper macho bro's in body armour (the homoeroticism is implicit in the cliche) as protagonists. Its getting stale and boring.

    There's not a lot to clarify if you've got adequate reading comprehension or don't freak out when the word "gay" is used as part of a characterisation.

  • jambii267 #79 2 years ago

    If i didn't know any better, i'd say he was joking.

    The biggest problem with gaming today? DLC.

  • taurus82 #80 2 years ago

    The Ultramarines would f**k you up (but not in a g*y way)!!

  • SEVQA #81 2 years ago

    Crap game developer obsessed with homophobic comments!

  • Tiresias #82 2 years ago

    'gay' being an acceptable insult is one of the things that's wrong with the gaming industry.

  • hiddenranbir #83 2 years ago

    But they can't be gay, they have girlfriends and wives! :o

  • Bluetooth #84 2 years ago

    He'll be sleeping with the gay fishes

  • SFG_Clan #85 2 years ago

    So we should be obsessed with homophobic wise guys?!

  • TitusCrow #86 2 years ago

    This kind of insight is why Mafia really knocked it out the park...

  • alcides #87 2 years ago

    A game about Gay Space Marines would be all kinds of gay space awesome.

    edit: [link url=http://www.gaychristianbajan.com/Images/Gears%20of%20War%20-%20Hunk%20Love%20-%20Bossama,%20Moralgay.jpg
    ]http://www.gaychristianbajan.com/Images/...[/link]

    AWWWWWWWWWWW!!
    Edited by alcides at 19/09/10 @ 02:01

  • jimr9999us #88 2 years ago

    Straight or gay, I'll be spending my time with the funnest crowd I can.

    So yeah, look for me open mouth kissing space marines.

  • dmcclure #89 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    Thank you. I am not sure my own answer would have been so erudite.

  • kangarootoo #90 2 years ago

    What a truly bizarre thing to say. Was he drunk?

    First off there aren't even that many space marine games, not really.

    Second, how on earth did 'gay' as an insult find it's way out his mouth without checking with his brain first?

    The main problem with the games business indeed. You know, I can think of a worse one...

  • Plewt #91 2 years ago

    Google him and you'll at least get an explanation why he replaced the word bald.

    Don't be ashamed Denby, at least you have a much higher likelihood of one day becoming space marine.

  • ThePissartist #92 2 years ago

    He's right - I'm still not gonna buy Mafia though.

  • benfresh76 #93 2 years ago

    His ignorant, juvenile use of the word 'gay' undermines a perfectly reasonable sentiment...The games industry is stuck in a kind of thematic 'groundhog day'; Space Marines, fantasy, crime etc.There are few companies (2K games most definitely being one of them) willing to venture outside these established and successful genres/styles for obvious reasons.

    The difference is that Space Marines didn't stop Halo Reach being fantastic fun

  • Plewt #94 2 years ago

    Edit: nvm now
    Edited by Plewt at 19/09/10 @ 14:11

  • Ternon #95 2 years ago

    This is a disgusting homophobic slur.

    Whenever you use gay as a synonym for any kind of negativity you are being a homophobic ignorant fuckwit.

  • Ternon #96 2 years ago

    This is a disgusting homophobic slur.

    Whenever you use gay as a synonym for any kind of negativity you are being a homophobic ignorant fuckwit.

  • Ternon #97 2 years ago

    This is a disgusting homophobic slur.

    Whenever you use gay as a synonym for any kind of negativity you are being a homophobic ignorant fuckwit.

  • darkmorgado #98 2 years ago

    @Ternon

    Amen to that. I haven't felt so unwelcome in my favoured hobby in a long time.

  • Rangerwave #99 2 years ago

    Hahaha it's funny because he accused them of being gay [/sarcasm]

  • Sulphur #100 2 years ago

    I think games need more actual, gay, space marines, to be honest.

  • moozaad #101 2 years ago

    "What's the biggest problem the games industry faces in 2010?"

    DLC for half empty games.

  • Freek #102 2 years ago

    Says the producer of a game filled to the brim with every cheesy Mafia cliché know to man. Pot calling the kettle black, IMHO.

  • Spekingur #103 2 years ago

    Denby Grace should create a game with lesbian space marines. With, err, revealing cutscenes. It wouldn't even have to be a good game and it would still sell more than Mafia II :p
    When he would see these sales he would change his tone.

    As for us humans, I'd guess that in the end we would develop into beings that either have no gender or can change genders at will (much like other creatures on our planet can currently do). Ways off though, and assumes that the human race survives that long.

  • abot #104 2 years ago

    "Denby Grace should create a game with lesbian space marines."


    It can be called lesbian spank inferno. Just thinking about the Coupling episode where Steve is explaining to Sarah and the dinner party the video lesbian spank inferno. Coupling was a bloody great series.

    Edited by abot at 20/09/10 @ 04:10

  • SimonM7 #105 2 years ago

    "Don't buy their stereotype, buy our stereotype!"

  • alcides #106 2 years ago

    @SimonM7

    Except I don't see WHAT stereotypes you're referring to? That's the first time I've heard about gay space marines, and IF you're referring to italian americans being associated with the mafia, well, Mafia II shows no stereotype at all, since the Mafia WERE italians in the 30s-40s.

  • alcides #107 2 years ago

    "Recently actually from one of my bosses. 'Keep being an ass****, you're good at it.' He meant it in a nice way - I think. You have to be a little tough in my role, and sometimes break some hearts to make games."

    Break some hearts? eh, that's some emotionally charged expression. Tough love?

  • Madder-Max #108 2 years ago

    I think we're missing the point. maybe he is hinting at the fact that he wants to see games about gay cowboys? Red dead DLC? or maybe gay racing drivers? F1 2010 Pink edition with a unique downloadable pink F1 car with pit engineer chat thats really queered out?

  • actionfitz #109 2 years ago

    What's wrong with spacemarines having a sunny disposition and being generally happy and...
    oh.
    I see what he did there.
    Nice use of the word Gay in a derogatory fashion there Mr Denby, that won't come back to bite you on the homophobic rear...
    nevar!

  • actionfitz #110 2 years ago

    He's just sour cos Mafia 2 was:
    "Not as good as Halo!"

  • geeza2020 #111 2 years ago

    What an idiot. He probably regrets saying what he did, considering he probably just meant homoerotic space marines.

    Oh and for me, although it was derivative and repetitive, Mafia 2 was much much better than a 4. More like a 6 or 7 to me.

  • Skorms-Boss #112 2 years ago

    who isn't fond of a little gay space marine?!

  • FogHeart #113 2 years ago

    I remember reading this a while ago, it seems particularly relevant:-

    We had this fellow called Magnus. Count Magnus Wolfram. Who was bald, tattooed, looked like a comic book hero. And I got them all in a room, and I said, "Look, does anyone in this room know a count? No. Does anybody in this room know anybody called Magnus? No. Does anybody really want to be in this guy's skin? Since this is a first person play, why would you want to be in this man's skin? Why would you want to play [as him]?" And so we threw him out, and I said, "Look. You've got a gay man in charge here. Bring me somebody I want to sleep with. Bring me somebody fabulously sexy." And because my training is in art, I drew some sketches; they were mainly of what I wanted his face to be. And this brilliant artist Brian Horton about ten days later sent me the character that now appears on the screen. Who was wonderful, he's everything I wanted. He was just the right kind of character. He seemed like somebody you would want to be, somebody you would want to play, whose skin you would want to occupy for a period of time. Even if you are going against the hordes of hell, at least he was going to do it with a smile on his face.

    The man being interviewed is, of course, Clive Barker. The game was Undying. It looks like he was the only man to walk into a room and have the team throw out the powerful tattooed musclebound oaf cliche. And the irony is, he did it because as a gay man it had no appeal for him.

    I think the reason we have so many brickhouse machos who spout hoowah a lot is because they appeal to the adolescents as figures they want to become in future - their fledgling concept of someone attractive to the opposite sex - but don't register that they're actually homoerotic! But while the biggest demographic (mid 20's to early 30's) is older and wiser we tolerate or even find it amusing and ironic, so in it goes.

    We need to find a character that can appeal to everyone. For a start give him an ordinary job, maybe a plumber. And make him physically interesting rather than attractive - like a big nose and a moustache rather than a flat face and a goatee? Make the eyes big, almost feminine. And he should be plump. Give him a musical Mediterranean voice instead of one that sound like an American that gargles disinfectant after brushing.

    I could patent that.

  • Whitster #114 2 years ago

    Maybe all the PS3 fanboy trollers refering to Gaylo got him confused?

  • darkmorgado #115 2 years ago

    @Fogheart

    +1. I have no interest in playing as an overly-macho, "America! Fuck yeah!" Space Marine (nor any other profession). If I want to be subjected to that level of lunkhead machismo, I will visit my local Weatherspoons.

  • TonyHarrison #116 2 years ago

    I don't care if they're gay space marines or straight space marines, you'll still most likely be playing a clichéd mess of a game. Not that Mafia 2 is any less stereotypical of course...