Here's exactly how the transgender and non-binary options in Dragon Age: The Veilguard work

GamesRPGDragon AgeDragon Age: The VeilguardHere’s exactly how the transgender and non-binary options in Dragon Age: The Veilguard workWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Bioware / EA)

A qunari character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, caught mid-conversation in a gloomy crypt.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is coming out and, being one of the big RPG releases this year, quite a few of us have been sinking our teeth into it—we’ve got a wide smattering of opinions, ranging fromwitheringto, well, ourDragon Age: The Veilguardreview score of 79, which isn’t half-bad for a game with so much expectation riding it. If you’ve been following the wider response and hubbub, though, you might’ve noticed a few disjointed screenshots discussing the trans and non-binary options available to you in the game.

I’m here to shed some light and clear up some confusion, given I’ve played 41 hours of the thing while leaning into these options—and, hopefully, I’ll be able to tell you that they aren’t a big deal if you don’t want to engage with them. Here’s the skinny on exactly how they work:

First up, in a move that I think is actually pretty neat for roleplay purposes, your identity and pronouns are completely separate on character creation. I say “neat for roleplay purposes” because half of the reason I’ve been going for these in the first place is that, due to the qunari’s binary perception of gender in the Qun, I thought it’d be interesting to see how the game reacts to my character using a single set of pronouns, but having a non-binary view of himself.

The major thing I’d like to clear up here is that—contrary to some rumours about these pronoun options, or the “top scar” customisation option irreversibly making your character transgender—these things don’t impact your character’s identity at all beyond, naturally, the words that characters use to refer to them.

(Image credit: Bioware / EA)

A qunari looks at himself in the mirror, ready to make a determining choice about his identity by gazing into his reflection.

I’ll say that, while I have little quibbles and issues with how this game handles gender as a fantasy story, this is, as a concept, a solid system. It swerves the awkward problem of tying gender identity to a big “trans or no trans” switch on character creation, lets players get granular with exactly how their characters view themselves, and—in what I think is a first for this sort of thing—allows a player to make a character who’s trans or non-binary and, if they so choose, decide that it’s only a minor footnote. Good stuff.

In terms of what to expect if you choose to go for this option? Not a huge amount. Playing a non-binary Rook, I’ve had opportunities to have my character talk about his gender when gender comes up—which it does. I’ll keep things as spoiler-free as I can, but there are plot points and character moments that handle the topic in much the same ways Inquisition did. But I can say that, in the span of 40+ hours, I’ve been given the option twice. It’s also similarly signposted.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

TOPICSBioware

TOPICS

More about dragon ageDragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWareLatestFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsSee more latest►

More about dragon ageDragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

More about dragon age

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knowsAfter years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is my third-favorite game of the year, and I don’t care who knows

Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds in the Dragon Age serries, shown wielding magic in front of a Darkspawn.

After years of holding out hope, 2024 was the year I finally gave up on BioWare

LatestFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsSee more latest►

Latest

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

Alisaie, a side character in Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, folds her arms with a confident smirk on her face.

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

See more latest►

Most PopularAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funnyDeus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriouslyLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks more like a zany RGG take on Black Flag than I dared hopeThe most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era ChicagoPath of Exile 2 players are calling foul on Elon Musk’s high-level hardcore character after he streams his struggles with core game mechanicsAlan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term ‘4X,’ has diedTrack down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planet

Most Popular

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

We may not have a roadmap or balance patch just yet, but at least Path of Exile 2’s bugfix patch notes are funny

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided writer didn’t like the ending either: ‘Nothing is resolved’

It seems like Square’s finally consistently taking the PC ports of Final Fantasy seriously

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks more like a zany RGG take on Black Flag than I dared hope

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’

If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era Chicago

Path of Exile 2 players are calling foul on Elon Musk’s high-level hardcore character after he streams his struggles with core game mechanics

Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term ‘4X,’ has died

Track down a missing person in this ‘Geoguessr-inspired detective game’ set on an alien planet

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals