Dorian, the outcast mage with the irresistible mustache, will wield considerable influence in the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition. He'll have power over the elements as well as the dead, hail from Tevinter, where mages are respected and train freely, and be openly gay.
Lead series writer David Gaider revealed via the Dragon Age website that Dorian will be the first “fully gay” male playable party member in BioWare's history. BioWare, a studio known for its progressive stance towards inclusion of all races and sexualities, has created other non-straight characters in the past, including Juhani from Knights of the Old Republic and Samantha Traynor and Steve Cortez, non-playable characters from Mass Effect 3. Dorian marks the first playable gay male, and was confirmed via the Dragon Age Facebook page to be a possible love interest for male Inquisitors.
Said Gaider, also openly gay, on the Dragon Age website:
Dorian is gay – he is, in fact, the first fully gay character I've had the opportunity to write….
I suppose this aspect of Dorian will make him controversial in some corners, but I was glad to include it. It made writing Dorian a very personal experience for me, and I'm hopeful that will make him seem like a fully realised character to fans in the end.
Some fans took Gaider to task on Twitter, criticizing his use of the phrase “fully gay.” Gaider clarified his statement via the social network:
Dragon Age: Inquisition is slated for an October 7th release on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
