Mass Effect Andromeda’s Portrayal of a Trans Character Leads to an Apology From BioWare

BioWare has apologized for its portrayal of a trans character in Mass Effect Andromeda.

Hainly Abrams, an NPC in the sci-fi sequel, is a trans woman who the players can interact with during the game. Her dialogue was criticized as a result of her unrealistic dialogue, which included her immediately revealing her deadname to the player and discussing her backstory, which many believed didn’t accurately reflect the experiences of trans people.

In a conversation with the player, Abrams says: “Back home, I was filling test tubes in some dead-end lab. People knew me as Stephan. But that was never who I was.”

She continues: “I knew what I could do. And I know who I wanted to do it as. ‘Hainly Abrams. Andromeda Explorer.’ That’s me. Feels good. Feels right.”

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BioWare has responded to the criticisms of this dialogue, saying that Abrams “was not included in a caring or thoughtful way” and that the developer apologizes to “anyone who interacted with or was hurt by this conversation.”

The apology can be viewed below:

Here’s a video featuring the conversation with the character:

Hainly Abrams’ portrayal was one of many controversies that stemmed from the release of Andromeda, with the game’s awkward facial animations also being widely criticized by players. BioWare has not stated when Hainly’s dialogue will be updated in Mass Effect Andromeda, only that it will be available in a future patch.