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Video game storytelling has evolved far beyond the days of simply jumping from level to level to rescue a princess or fend off alien invaders. Today’s narratives are far more layered, weaving complex tales that immerse players in richly developed worlds full of history and meaning. Modern games now deliver emotionally resonant stories, offering character-driven journeys that connect deeply with players’ feelings and real-life experiences.
While many story-based video game titles have their respective main plots that players must complete from start to finish to complete a game, many also use side quests and subplots that help further flesh out their characters and game worlds. These side objectives are almost always optional, leaving it up to the player to decide whether to engage with them.
These can help tell the stories of deuteragonists and offer a break from the heft that many gaming narratives carry today. These secondary stories can be a comedic reprieve, a fun romp away from a main objective, or even a chance at finding love amidst a hectic campaign. While it isn’t too common for a video game to have its primary story structured around it, romance is an ever-present narrative tool that can be commonly found in many games today, namely popular RPGs (Role-Playing Games) like “Mass Effect,”1 “Baldur’s Gate 3,”2 “Stardew Valley,”3 and “Cyberpunk 2077.”4
Still, romance in video games remains a hot topic among gamers, with ongoing debates about its relevance in many titles. But when handled with intentionality and care for both character arcs and narrative structure, romantic elements can deepen character development and elevate the emotional impact for players. Despite the criticism, the continued popularity of romance in gaming reflects a larger yearning for intimacy and connection within interactive storytelling.
“Press X To Flirt” — The Presence Of Romance In Gaming
As mentioned earlier, romance is a familiar feature in many role-playing and simulation games. From a gameplay perspective, the mechanics are usually straightforward. Players often pursue romanceable NPCs (non-player characters) by completing quests, fulfilling specific objectives, and making interactive dialogue choices that shape the relationship’s outcome.
When Romance Is Entwined With The Main Story — “Mass Effect” (BioWare)
While romance is usually secondary to gaming narratives and mechanics, some games tie optional romance subplots closely to the game’s main story if players opt to find love for the characters they control. In the original “Mass Effect” trilogy from RPG hitmakers BioWare,5 you take on the role of Commander Shepard, a soldier tasked with saving the galaxy in an epic story that spans three titles. From the very first entry among the three games, players have the option of pursuing one of three romance options: Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, or Asari researcher Dr. Liara T’Soni.
If a player decides to romantically pursue one of these three characters, they must signal their interest through the game’s dialogue choices, selecting responses that guide the relationship forward. What makes “Mass Effect’s” romance so special is that it takes into account player choice. The decisions you make in the first and second games carry over into the third for the climactic finale. For example, losing an ally in the first game can completely remove that character from the story of “Mass Effect 3.”
This also applies to the romance mechanic. Pursuing a character unlocks new cutscenes and ending scenes which involve Shepard’s love interest, further building on their relationship following what players chose as their own canon.
In the case of “Mass Effect,” romance mechanics mainly give players access to scenes throughout the trilogy that are exclusive to those romance routes. A great example of this is in “Mass Effect 2,” with players who romance Quarian mechanist Tali’Zorah nar Rayya.
Romancing Tali unlocks access to a photo of her without her signature mask, which is only accessible through her romance arc. Still, what BioWare did right in these arcs is that because they span one or two games, by the final entry, “Mass Effect 3,” both Commander Shepard and their romantic interest have grown so much that the players feel the depth of their emotional bond.
“Life Is Strange”
Another good example of romance embedded into a game’s storyline is in the “Life Is Strange“6 series. In the first game, the time-travelling teenage hipster protagonist, Max Caulfield, has to find a way to use her newfound powers to save her hometown from a natural disaster, all while helping her childhood best friend investigate the disappearance of a local queen bee at their high school. Max can find love in her fan-favorite rebellious punk best friend, Chloe Price, or her school’s resident science whiz, Warren Graham.
Like in “Mass Effect,” pursuing romance in “Life Is Strange” comes naturally in the game’s story progression, with Warren asking Max out several times and even having the option to kiss Chloe by the game’s third episode.
Regardless of what players choose, there is enough subtext present to show that Chloe cares deeply for Max beyond a platonic level and that Warren is interested in her as well. Max, in return, realistically (and awkwardly) tries to figure out her feelings as the game progresses via her in-game journal. Alternatively, you can just ignore these actions, but they move in tandem with Max as she goes through the main story.
Romance As A Side Quest — “Stardew Valley”
In other games, like the popular slice-of-life farming simulator “Stardew Valley,” romance works completely differently. In “Stardew Valley,” players can create their own character, and the story is not linear like in “Mass Effect” or “Life Is Strange.” Instead, players can move at their own pace and do things in whatever order they would like, including wooing one of the twelve eligible town citizens.7
Instead of choosing the correct dialogue, Stardew players must increase their in-game hearts to increase their affinity level8 with the NPCs. Higher heart levels mean you can unlock “events” or cutscenes for those characters that trigger at certain affinity levels, where you can then choose to potentially romance them. Again, this mechanic is less engaged with any overarching story and is completely optional. Even the ways of wooing the characters are materialistic, given that players have to give gifts to court NPCs.
Still, “Stardew Valley’s” romance does come with some benefits to the core gameplay. After marriage, spouses will move into your player character’s farm and help out. They can do certain farm chores like feeding their animals, repairing broken fences, and watering crops.
They can also make meals to keep your character energized and give gifts that vary depending on the character. And, if you can appreciate your spouse’s sense of style, they even rearrange and redecorate the player’s home.
So, while “Stardew Valley’s” romance doesn’t directly connect to the main plot concerning the refurbishing of the town, there’s no doubt that your in-game spouse is there to help you manage the best farm on that side of the Ferngill Republic!
A Quest For Love Or A Liability?
Romance in video games is often a point of contention among players and developers. For some, romantic narratives and mechanics are a highlight — so essential, in fact, that their enjoyment of a game depends on it.
Others, however, see romance as superficial or unnecessary, arguing that it often feels tacked on, underdeveloped, or irrelevant to the overall gameplay experience. Regardless of where one stands, it’s clear that the inclusion of romance remains a hotly debated topic in the gaming world.
Player Perspectives
In a Reddit thread discussing the importance of romance in video games, players from across the community chimed in, sharing their perspectives and adding fuel to the ongoing discourse.
Reddit user Makrebs9 said that while they don’t find it important, they appreciate how romance can show a side of your player character that a game’s main story could not.
“More often than not, 70% of your time in RPGs centers around combat. Your character is surrounded in violence most of his time. Having soft, sappy moments where they share some quality time with a lover can increase immersion quite a lot.”
“After all, romance is a big part of our real lives. Why shouldn’t the character I’m about to spend 100hrs with have a partner?”
It seems to be a common point made by players that romance is a real part of life that deserves to be aptly shown and represented in video game writing. Players like Makrebs spend hundreds of hours on games, hoping for more than procedural gameplay with surface-level stories.
In-game romance is one way that games can add more to player immersion and story enrichment, making players feel like both their time and money were well spent. Sometimes, though, developers can miss the mark, leaving players disappointed in a shallow romance that seems self-serving for the player on a meta level.
“It’s not necessary unless you make a whole game around it.”
One anonymous Reddit user10 said.
“And I’d argue that romance in most RPG games is just awfully executed fanservice, and basically one-sided infatuation instead of portrayal of [an] actual relationship or love.”
Echoing the perspective of the anonymous Reddit user, in-game romance can sometimes feel unnecessary or out of place. For some players, romantic arcs seem shoehorned into the narrative, lacking depth and authenticity, and ultimately failing to add anything meaningful to the story.
On top of that, not every player approaches games for narrative immersion — many just want to jump in, zone out, and enjoy the thrill of shooting, looting, or leveling up without the emotional detours. As players debate the significance of romance options in games, however, some are of the opinion that the inclusion of such narratives should not be in the hands of players, but rather the developers and writers who make the games themselves.
Developer Perspectives
In an interview for GamesRadar+,11 Carrie Patel, director of “Avowed,”12 Obsidian Entertainment’s13 latest fantasy RPG, spoke about how the “Avowed” team opted not to include romance in the game to avoid hindering character development and leveling the field for players uninterested in romance.
“You want to make sure you do it right. And part of that is also you want to make sure that a player who opts not to romance but still wants to have a very deep relationship with those companions gets to have just as thorough and meaningful an experience on a friendship or ally path as [if] they went on a romance path…we felt that we could best tell our companions’ stories and our players’ relationships with them without the romance option.”
To the point of Patel and the “Avowed” team, romance can be restrictive, barring players from certain scenes. This is why they opted for no romance, so that narrative progression was the same for just about every player. However, restricting players to certain paths allows for the replayability of certain games.
Usually, when players arrive at the crossroads of having to choose a particular path, or romance in this instance, they are locked on that road for the rest of their playthrough. While some players may find this an annoyance, it can also motivate them to replay to see the other options the game has to offer.
While Obsidian Entertainment has previously made similar choices in terms of romance options, with “The Outer Worlds‘”14 exclusion of romantic NPC relationships, this comes during a time where the popularity of romance in RPGs is at an all-time high following the massive success of Larian Studios’15 “Baldur’s Gate 3” romance arcs.
In the “Dungeons & Dragons” campaign simulator “Baldur’s Gate 3,” the game is divided into three acts. Players can initiate a romance with any of the companions in Act 1, but must decide who they want the protagonist to solely pursue in Act 2 and stick to that path (barring any awkward break-ups) as the adventure progresses into the game’s third act. The six main party members were not only extremely well-written to function as either platonic or romantic followers, but were also very well-received by many players.
In a developer diary16 from the game’s earlier development build in 2020, lead writer Sarah Baylus spoke about how the team at Larian took the steps to make the companions and their romance arcs feel as authentic as possible — much of what made these characters so appealing to players.
“When you meet the characters in this game, they’re not just sitting there waiting for the player character to happen upon them. They have their own motivations, their own reason to be there, their own history, and when the player meets them they have an opportunity to form a party that has a shared goal.”
This autonomy among the characters gives them their own thoughts and preferences, creating dynamic interactions. The “Baldur’s Gate 3” companions have desires and boundaries that players have to approach realistically, which then naturally informs the type of relationship you can foster with those characters.
While “Baldur’s Gate 3” has sharply written romance, like “Mass Effect,” exclusive cutscenes are all it has to offer players. There are not many in-game rewards that benefit players’ gameplay for engaging in a romance. So, for those who may solely care about gameplay mechanics, its inclusion can be a mixed bag. However, romance absolutely can impact and enhance a game’s story.
How Romance Enhances Emotional Engagement In Video Game Storytelling
What Larian Studios managed to accomplish with their romance arcs was nothing short of incredible. A part of the main appeal for new players was the potential options that felt like they were being read off the pages of romance novels. This is why gaming romance is so popular despite its divisiveness — it is another tool to immerse players and create strong and memorable attachments between players and characters.
How Romance Shapes Character Arcs
Most video games follow a particular protagonist in a setting centered around a typical genre like science fiction, fantasy, horror, or action. But as a player, you get a glimpse into the characters’ desires, motivations, and even flaws centered around that central genre. Being a very real aspect of our lives, romance offers the chance to see a side of a character that you would not have the chance to witness by just focusing on the main story.
In CD Projekt Red’s17 “Cyberpunk 2077,” you play as V, a street-wise mercenary with big aspirations that extend far beyond a life of dodging corrupt corporations and gang-ridden streets. At the surface, V can come off as a self-serving, hardened merc with a penchant for doing whatever it takes to make a name for themselves in Night City. But if the player chooses to explore one of the four possible romance options,18 they might get to see a side of V that expands on the characters’ motivations.
For example, if the player creates a female-presenting V, they can find companionship in Judy Álvarez, a tech-savvy braindance technician in Night City. Judy has a complicated relationship with the city, like V. She sees the true corruption that underlies the sprawling metropolis, but everyone she loves is there, hoping that one day they can make it big.
If players pursue her, and they can only do so with female-presenting characters, they can learn about Judy’s past and experience Judy and V bonding over the mutual trauma they’ve endured in Night City. Romancing Judy helps both V and the player realize that there is good to be found in Night City, and that love can outweigh the desire for power that can consume even the best of people.
In the cases of “Mass Effect,” Baldur’s Gate 3,” and “Cyberpunk 2077,” romance does not offer much in terms of gameplay. “Stardew Valley” offers a nice middle ground with its romances, benefiting players in terms of gameplay and in-game scenes. In the previously mentioned games, there are a few items of significance you can obtain in these romance arcs, like the photo of Tali’Zorah from “Mass Effect 3,” which was previously mentioned, but the romance-exclusive scenes are what these games have in common.
Players can look forward to witnessing bonus scenes that provide more insight into the personalities and lives of the protagonist and their love interest. Additionally, these games boast different endings that take into account your chosen romance path, like in “Cyberpunk 2077, which has 7 different endings with different variations dependent on who you romanced.
Romantic Relationships As Catalysts For Emotional Resonance
Beyond providing depth to the player characters that gamers spend hours with, in-game romance can help connect players to these games on an emotional level. Most people strive for meaningful connections, and when they invest hours into a video game, they may expect the narrative to resonate with their own experiences and form an attachment to the characters in the game.
Romance is natural part of the human experience, and giving players the agency to experience that can allow them to further connect with the stories that the developers seek to tell, especially in an RPG that is made for players to cultivate their own individual narratives and share in that emotional impact with other players in the gaming community.
Where Is Romance In Gaming Heading? The Future Of Love & Relationships
There is no debate that romance is a huge draw for some fans who crave that level of connection to video game narratives and characters, but whether it’s relevant to a game is still a matter of debate within the gaming community. Still, gone are the days of shallow romance like in “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim,”18 where you just did a fetch quest for an NPC and miraculously unlocked the option to marry them so they can reside in your home cooking and for you and occasionally repeat a loving line of dialogue for your character.
Now, romance in games highlights the importance of love and finding strength in embracing it. It also has the ability amplify all types of love like queer stories as told in popular games like “Tell Me Why,”20 “Assassin’s Creed,”21 and even recent games like “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2“22 which took players by surprise with it’s realistic depiction of two people coming to terms with their sexuality.
Depictions of love in gaming speak to gaming fandom and how narratives help foster community within the gaming sphere as players continue to bond over fan-favorite romances like “Baldur’s Gate 3’s” vampiric heartthrob Astarion or the powerful sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg from the “Witcher“23 series.
While gaming romance can sometimes feel lackluster, and the criticisms some players have about weaker storylines are valid, one thing remains certain, whether in fantasy or reality — love always prevails.
Footnotes
- Contributors to Mass Effect Wiki. (2025, March 26). “Mass Effect.” ↩︎
- Larian Studios. “Baldur’s Gate 3.” Larian Studios. Accessed March 27, 2025 ↩︎
- ConcernedApe. “Stardew Valley.” ConcernedApe LLC. Accessed March 27, 2025. ↩︎
- Contributors to Cyberpunk 2077 Wiki. (2025, March 22). “Cyberpunk 2077.” ↩︎
- Contributors to BioWare Wiki. (2025, February 20). “BioWare.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Life is Strange Wiki. (2025, February 2). “Life is Strange.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Stardew Valley Fandom Wiki. “Marriage.” Fandom Inc. Accessed March 27, 2025. ↩︎
- Contributors to Stardew Valley Fandom Wiki. “Friendship.” Fandom Inc. Accessed March 27, 2025. ↩︎
- Reddit User Makrebs. “How Important is Romance in an RPG?” Reddit. ↩︎
- Anonymous Reddit User. “How Important is Romance in an RPG?” Reddit. ↩︎
- GameRant. “Avowed Dev Explains The Lack of Romance Options.” GameRant ↩︎
- Obsidian Entertainment. “Avowed.” Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. Accessed March 27, 2025. ↩︎
- Contributors to Obsidian Entertainment Wiki. (2025, February 24). “Obsidian Entertainment.” ↩︎
- Contributors to The Outer Worlds Wiki. (2025, March 14). “The Outer Worlds.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Larian Studios Wiki. (2025, March 10). “Larian Studios.” ↩︎
- Larian Studios. (2020, September 23). “Community Update #7 – Romance & Companionship.” ↩︎
- Contributors to CD Projekt Wiki. (2025, March 27). “CD Projekt.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Cyberpunk 2077 Fandom Wiki. “Cyberpunk 2077 Romance.” Fandom Inc. Accessed March 27, 2025. ↩︎
- Contributors to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Wiki. (2025, March 27). “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Tell Me Why Wiki. (2025, February 25). “Tell Me Why (Video Game).” ↩︎
- Contributors to Assassin’s Creed Wiki. (2025, March 25). “Assassin’s Creed.” ↩︎
- Contributors to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Wiki. (2025, March 26). “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.” ↩︎
- Contributors to The Witcher (Video Game Series) Wiki. (2024, December 16). “The Witcher (Video Game Series).” ↩︎