by Vanessa 'Nessie' Hague
The RPG genre is one that is filled with variety; from the large open-world scale of Fallout, Borderlands and The Elder Scrolls series, to the moral decision making of Mass Effect and Dragon Age - the amount of freedom and player choice offered within these games is staggering. Even RPGs on a smaller scale, such as The Wolf Among Us or the more recent Tales from the Borderlands, offer an insane amount of choice. We all know that the modern RPG is built around this core mechanic of player choice and so my question, one that I have asked myself time again is, can there be a strict canon within an RPG?
The RPG genre is one that is filled with variety; from the large open-world scale of Fallout, Borderlands and The Elder Scrolls series, to the moral decision making of Mass Effect and Dragon Age - the amount of freedom and player choice offered within these games is staggering. Even RPGs on a smaller scale, such as The Wolf Among Us or the more recent Tales from the Borderlands, offer an insane amount of choice. We all know that the modern RPG is built around this core mechanic of player choice and so my question, one that I have asked myself time again is, can there be a strict canon within an RPG?
A possible female Shepard appearance in Mass Effect 3. I'm sure some of you are probably laughing at this concept - how can there be canon in a game built around player choice, you cry? And I agree with you.
However, the most recent article from Polygon (which I'm sure most of you will have seen by now), has gotten me thinking. In it, they say that Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect series was originally developed as a female. No big deal right, right? In the game you can choose between either a male or female Shepard. They're both the exact same person regardless of gender, one isn't more canon than the other. But, some fans on various platforms have taken this to mean that female Shepard is indeed the canon Shepard. If enough fans converge on a particular choice, does that make it canon? Not by development standard but by fandom standards? Perhaps this is the massive male Shepard fan in me talking (I've only made 2 female Shepards in my very numerous playthroughs) because I can't tell you how many times I've been looked at weirdly because I say I play as a male Shepard and prefer it.
Does this apply to other RPGs - in Skyrim for example, if it emerged that enough people played as a Khajiit who sided with the Stormcloaks, would these become the "canon" accepted choices or would the breadth and freedom of the series prevail? Or perhaps this is an issue reserved solely for BioWare games?
However, the most recent article from Polygon (which I'm sure most of you will have seen by now), has gotten me thinking. In it, they say that Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect series was originally developed as a female. No big deal right, right? In the game you can choose between either a male or female Shepard. They're both the exact same person regardless of gender, one isn't more canon than the other. But, some fans on various platforms have taken this to mean that female Shepard is indeed the canon Shepard. If enough fans converge on a particular choice, does that make it canon? Not by development standard but by fandom standards? Perhaps this is the massive male Shepard fan in me talking (I've only made 2 female Shepards in my very numerous playthroughs) because I can't tell you how many times I've been looked at weirdly because I say I play as a male Shepard and prefer it.
Does this apply to other RPGs - in Skyrim for example, if it emerged that enough people played as a Khajiit who sided with the Stormcloaks, would these become the "canon" accepted choices or would the breadth and freedom of the series prevail? Or perhaps this is an issue reserved solely for BioWare games?
A possible female Hawke in Dragon Age II. With particular romances and choices gaining favour over others (if you play as a female Shepard for instance, how often have you romanced Garrus or Kaidan? Does Garrus win out more times than Kaidan?), these are often accepted as the norm within particular circles. Even actual canon aspects, such as Kaidan's bisexuality for example, are sometimes disputed ("I played as a femshep and Kaidan has not once expressed an interest in men in my playthrough, so he's straight" is the argument that often pops up). Plus, this just isn't restricted to the Mass Effect series, as it often pops up amongst fans of the Dragon Age series as well. If I told you I played Mass Effect as a default male Shepard, chose the heroic Earth-born predisposition, kept Kaidan alive on Virmire and romanced him in Mass Effect 3, how many of you would say I made the wrong choices? If I told you I played Dragon Age II as a diplomatic default male Hawke who was a mage and sides with the Templars and romances Anders, again, how many of you would say that I made the wrong choices?
So, can there be a canon in an RPG? In a developer sense, no. But in a fandom sense? The floor is open.
So, can there be a canon in an RPG? In a developer sense, no. But in a fandom sense? The floor is open.
Choices. Choices. Choices...
BioWare games are certainly holding the front line when it comes to offering unique gameplay experiences dependent on initial gender choice, but do you think more developers should look to this style of player customisation?
Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter!
Let us know in the comments below, or come find us on Facebook or Twitter!
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