Horizon Forbidden West developers recently commented on the controversy over Aloy's kiss. Horizon Forbidden West received new DLC last month, but what attracted the most attention in the new content was an equally celebrated and criticized moment involving the franchise's titular heroine.
Guerrilla Games released Horizon Forbidden West last year, ending a five-year wait for the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. The game continues the adventures of young hunter Aloy, and her new mission to find the source of a mysterious plague. Last month the Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores expansion was released for PS5, taking Aloy to the archipelago that gives the DLC its name. In this new plot that takes place after the main campaign, Aloy pursues a sinister threat in the form of an awakening Metal Devil.
In an interview with Video Games Chronicle, Guerrilla Games lead writer Annie Kitain talked about the controversy generated by when Aloy kisses Seyka in the Horizon Forbidden West DLC. Kitain said the studio's narrative and writing team is not worried about the backlash. She adds that the focus is on always making something emotionally engaging and compelling, so Guerrilla Games is always interested in hearing thoughts and experiences from players who have actually played the game. About people who haven't played the game, or are just trying to be negative online, Kitain said the team has found it easy to ignore them. The lead writer is also relieved that a vocal hateful minority is not affecting the Guerrilla Games development team.
Seyka is a Quen Marine committed to helping her people survive, and a major character in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores. Aloy and Seyka become companions on the journey, and as the two become close, they form a strong bond. Depending on the dialogue options selected during gameplay, Horizon Forbidden West has an optional gay romance that sees the two characters kissing. The moment was widely celebrated by fans, who confirmed theories about Aloy's sexuality. Despite the celebration, Burning Shores received criticism and was review-bombed on Metacritic, with players even sending hateful messages to Horizon Forbidden West's musician.
Games as well as other media like books, movies, and TV shows have increasingly been used to represent minorities in a positive light. There is no shortage of examples of positive queer representation in games, which now includes Aloy and Seyka. At the same time, it is not uncommon for a minority's hateful message to often make a big impact. With that said, Annie Kitain's response will calm Horizon Forbidden West fans who might have been worried about the backlash effect.
Horizon Forbidden West is out now for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Source: Video Games Chronicle