Updated, August 27, 2020: Chapter 1 of Tell Me Why is now available to play on Xbox One, Windows 10, and Steam! Click here for a behind-the-scenes look at creating Tyler, a sneak peek playthrough of the beginning of Chapter 1, and a round up of reviews.
Updated, July 23, 2020: Today Xbox Game Studios and DONTNOD released a new Chapter One trailer for Tell Me Why, and announced that the game’s three episodes will be released over three consecutive weeks beginning August 27, 2020. Tell Me Why‘s web site was also updated with new information about the game, including whether or not Tyler’s birth name is used in the game (it’s not), and the game’s approach to trans trauma in storytelling.
In a frequently asked questions format on the site, the question is posed: “Did Tyler transition as a result of his childhood trauma?” The team answers: “No. As players explore the Ronan twins’ childhood home, they will discover memories and sentimental objects which depict the ways Tyler expressed himself as a boy even before his mother’s death. The idea that being transgender is caused by trauma is a stereotype that has no basis in fact, and it plays no role in Tyler’s story.”
Another question about possible tragic endings for Tyler is answered: “Because so many mainstream narratives about trans people are rooted in pain or trauma, it was important to our team to tell a different, more multi-dimensional story with Tyler. We hope you’ll enjoy everything Tyler’s story has to offer!”
On June 26, 2020, Xbox and DONTNOD revealed on Twitter that Tell Me Why will include another queer character named Michael: “Meet Michael Abila, Alyson’s best friend and coworker! Michael is a queer Tlingit man who’s studying to become a chef. He has plans to leave Delos Crossing and move to Juneau.”
As we shared in November, 2019 when the game was announced, Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Representation, has worked alongside DONTNOD and Xbox Game Studios from early in the game’s development to bring this authentic trans narrative to life. Through consultation in story, dialogue, character design, environmental design, and voice casting, GLAAD and the game’s creators have taken care to ensure that Tyler is a genuine, multi-dimensional character, avoiding the many harmful transgender stereotypes and tropes of the past. Tyler is voiced by out trans actor August Black.
In a statement released last November, Nick Adams said, “Microsoft and DONTNOD have approached Tyler with a real commitment to authenticity. Tyler is a fully-realized, endearing character, whose story is not reduced to simplistic trans tropes. Creating a playable lead trans character – and taking such care to get it right – raises the bar for future LGBTQ inclusion in gaming.”
Check out the game’s web site for more FAQ and watch the trailer for Chapter One here! Follow the official Twitter and Instagram accounts for more updates on Tell Me Why! Read on for more information about the game released last year.
Original Post, November 14, 2019
Tell Me Why, a new game revealed today at the Xbox X019 celebration in London, promises to set a new standard for transgender representation in gaming. This gripping narrative adventure from DONTNOD Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios will be the first game from a major studio to feature a playable transgender lead character. Check out the trailer below.
Tell Me Why tells the story of Tyler Ronan – a young transgender man – and his identical twin sister Alyson as they uncover mysteries surrounding their loving but troubled childhood in small-town Alaska. Both characters will be playable across the game’s three chapters, which will all be released in the summer of 2020.
Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Representation, has worked alongside DONTNOD and Xbox Game Studios from early in the game’s development to bring this authentic trans narrative to life. Through consultation in story, dialogue, character design, environmental design, and voice casting, GLAAD and the game’s creators have taken care to ensure that Tyler is a genuine, multi-dimensional character, avoiding the many harmful transgender stereotypes and tropes of the past. Tyler is voiced by out trans actor August Black.
In a statement released by Microsoft today, Nick Adams said, “Microsoft and DONTNOD have approached Tyler with a real commitment to authenticity. Tyler is a fully-realized, endearing character, whose story is not reduced to simplistic trans tropes. Creating a playable lead trans character – and taking such care to get it right – raises the bar for future LGBTQ inclusion in gaming.”
GLAAD will have more to share closer to the release of the game next summer, but are proud to celebrate this announcement. Xbox Game Studios, DONTNOD Entertainment, and GLAAD are excited for players to learn more about Tyler’s story, and we trust that players (both transgender and cisgender) will grow to love Tyler and Alyson as much as we do.
