Microsoft’s big Xbox event saw the reveal of Tell Me Why, a new project by Dontnod, the creators of Life is Strange. Like previous games by the French studio, Tell Me Why is a narrative-focused adventure game. Dontnod boasts that this game has “the first playable videogame hero from a major studio and publisher who is also transgender.”
The game stars a set of Alaskan twins, Tyler and Alyson Ronan, who have a troubled childhood. You’ll be able to explore memories from both characters, and ultimately get to choose which version of the story you want to believe. Tell Me Why is slated for a summer 2020 release on Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass. Unlike prior Dontnod titles, Tell Me Why will have a set release schedule that fans will know ahead of time.
Dontnod says it worked closely with LGBT advocacy group GLAAD to help bring Tyler, the trans protagonist, to life.
“Tyler is a fully-realized, endearing character, whose story is not reduced to simplistic trans tropes,” says Nick Adams, director of transgender representation at GLAAD.
Update: Dontnod tells The Hollywood Reporter that Tyler is voiced by August Black, a trans actor. “The vocal cast was a priority from day one and it was important that we cast in a representative and authentic way,” says Xbox senior creative director Joseph Staten. “Not only did we cast a trans actor for the English part, but we’re working hard to find people in the localized languages as well and make sure we have a strong, representative performance no matter where in the world you might play the game.”
