Transgender and Cross-Dressing in Video Games

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

One of the most famous examples of cross-dressing in gaming history comes from Final Fantasy VII. In the Wall Market section of Midgar, the protagonist Cloud Strife must dress up as a woman to infiltrate Don Corneo’s mansion. Players had to find a dress, wig, and makeup, and depending on their choices, Cloud could look quite convincing — or hilariously bad. Released in 1996 in Japan (1997 in the West), this scene shocked many Western players at the time. It remains one of the most memorable and talked-about moments in RPG history. Some observers have noted that Japanese developers appeared more open-minded about including this type of gender-bending humor in mainstream games during the 90s.

Final Fight (1989)

Another early and controversial example is Final Fight, the classic Capcom beat ‘em up. The characters Poison and Roxy were designed as attractive female gang members. However, for the U.S. release, Capcom and Nintendo were concerned about players beating up women, so they altered the localization. Poison was referred to using the Japanese term “newhalf” (often associated with transgender women or cross-dressers). In the SNES port, both characters were replaced with male thugs. Poison later became a recurring character in the Street Fighter series and is widely regarded as a transgender woman in Western gaming communities.

Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)

Modern games have moved far beyond one-off scenes. Baldur’s Gate 3 offers extensive character customization and several transgender and non-binary companions and NPCs. Players can create their own character with a wide range of body types, voices, and genitalia options that do not always match traditional gender presentation. The game features natural, respectful representation without making it the sole focus of any character’s story.

Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)

Cyberpunk 2077 takes player choice even further. During character creation, you can freely mix male and female body types, voices, and genitalia. This includes the ability to create a female-presenting character with male genitalia (or vice versa), allowing players to role-play transgender or gender-nonconforming characters in Night City.

Fable 2

Fable series (especially Fable II and III): Allows full player-driven cross-dressing. You can mix male/female clothing on your character, and there are even NPCs who comment on it or achievements tied to wearing opposite-gender outfits.