Vivian’s identity as a trans woman was erased from the original English release, but the 2024 remake brings it back with care. Sweet, insecure, and full of heart, she finds her strength by joining Mario and breaking away from her cruel sisters. Her journey to self-respect – and her affirmation as one of the “Shadow Sisters” – makes her one of gaming’s most endearing trans icons. | © Nintendo
Once labeled a “cross-dressing boy” in earlier games, she’s now canonically a trans woman – confirmed by the creators and fully embraced in Guilty Gear Strive. Bridget’s story started in a strange place: born a twin in a village that believed two boys meant misfortune, she was raised as a girl to keep her family safe. While the later shift sparked debate, the message is now clear: Bridget is a woman, and her story is one of self-recognition and strength. | © Arc System Works
Catalyst was literally designed to be "inescapably transgender", as confirmed by the creators. Created with input from GLAAD and trans developers, and voiced by a trans actress, her identity is woven into who she is, not tacked on. Cool, mysterious, and magnetic (literally – she controls ferrofluid), Catalyst sets a new standard for authentic trans rep in mainstream shooters. | © Electronic Arts
She kicks, flips, and serves attitude – but Poison’s legacy is tangled in localization drama and dated labels. Poison’s trans identity began as a weird workaround when she was still only an enemy character – added in early Final Fight concept art to avoid controversy over fighting women. Her origins and history may be messy, but she’s since become a bold symbol of representation in the fighting game scene. | © Capcom
Sirona is the Wizarding World’s first openly trans character, voiced by a trans actress and presented with quiet dignity. She references being mistaken for a wizard in her past, hinting at her identity. While her inclusion was welcome, many saw it as complicated by the franchise’s ties to transphobic rhetoric from its creator. | © Warner Bros. Games
Erica’s trans identity is strongly and repeatedly hinted at throughout Catherine. She’s warm, witty, and confident, often guiding others emotionally. As a trans woman in her 30s, she breaks stereotypes and offers rare, positive representation. That said, the game stumbles at times – deadnaming her in the credits and including awkward scenes that handle her identity clumsily. Still, Erica remains a fan-favorite for her humanity and heart. | © Atlus
Lev’s story is one of quiet rebellion and survival. A trans boy raised in a religious cult, he’s forced to flee after choosing to live as himself. His transition, symbolized by shaving his head, is met with love by his sister and hostility by the world. Lev’s strength doesn’t come from combat, but from holding on to who he is in a brutal, unforgiving world. | © Sony Pictures Entertainment
For years, fans speculated Chromie from World of Warcraft might be trans due to her true name, Chronormu – a naming pattern typically used for male bronze dragons. This long-standing theory was confirmed in the short story Visage Day, where Chronormu embraces her identity and chooses to appear as a female gnome. When asked why, she simply says: “It suits me.” Chromie is now officially recognized as a trans woman, making her a rare and warmly depicted trans character in Blizzard’s universe. | © Blizzard Entertainment
Madeline’s climb up Celeste Mountain is a journey of anxiety, fear, and self-discovery – and for many trans players, it hit incredibly close to home. While the game never said she’s trans outright, the metaphors of confronting a fragmented self, struggling with identity, and learning to live with it all feel deeply familiar. Later, developer Maddy Thorson came out as trans and confirmed the characters identity, stating that Madeline was – while never intended – in hindsight, a reflection of her own experience. What began as a game about mental health quietly revealed itself to be a trans narrative written between the lines. | © Extremely OK Games
Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi is a trans man and lieutenant of the Bull’s Chargers in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Born in Tevinter and assigned female at birth, Krem resisted pressure to marry and eventually joined the military, hiding his gender to survive. Krem is widely praised as one of the earliest, respectful trans representations in a mainstream RPG. BioWare worked closely with the community to avoid harmful tropes and ensure authenticity in everything from his backstory to his voice and animations. | © Electronic Arts
Tyler made history as the first trans man protagonist in a major studio game. His identity is handled with nuance and care, explored naturally as he reconnects with his twin and investigates their mother’s death. His transness isn’t a twist or a burden – it’s simply part of who he is, and part of the story. | © Xbox Game Studios
Miranda is a trans woman and a political organizer in Watch Dogs 2. She appears in a side mission involving gentrification and surveillance, where her trans identity is mentioned briefly but not sensationalized. She's portrayed as confident, competent, and principled – marking a refreshing take on trans characters in AAA games. While her screen time is limited, Miranda is respected by the protagonist, and her role is framed around her activism, not her identity. | © Ubisoft
Birdo first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), where the manual described her as a male who “thinks he is a girl” and prefers to be called “Birdetta.” This odd phrasing was later dropped in many localizations, but the original Japanese description made it clearer: Birdo was intended as a woman. Despite Nintendo being inconsistent over the years – sometimes erasing or downplaying this or avoiding debate by making a joke – Birdo remains one of the earliest trans-coded characters in gaming. | © Nintendo
Ayaka is a trans woman working at a hostess club in Yakuza 3, where her identity is revealed during a side story. While she is treated with surprising respect by Kazuma Kiryu, the framing and humor around her can feel outdated. Her inclusion was unusual for the time of 2009, and she was meant to be portrayed with dignity – but the execution can feel clumsy. Still, Ayaka remains an early example of trans presence in the series, and her story hints at more depth than the game fully explores. | © SEGA
Claire isn’t a character built around her transness – she’s a skilled mechanic, a passionate street racer, and someone dealing with grief. Her trans identity is woven in quietly: a flag on her truck, a brief but meaningful mention of her transition while telling you about her late husband. And then… the story just moves on. Claire’s presence is subtle, grounded, and refreshingly real. | © CD Projekt Red
In honor of Pride Month, we're taking a look at 15 transgender characters throughout video game history! From early portrayals with mixed representation to more recent, thoughtful depictions, this article explores how trans identities have been included in gaming’s evolving narrative landscape.
