It happened with little fanfare. We didn’t see the transition as it happened, or have any previous indication that it would happen. But Guild Wars 2 NPC Aid Worker Symon is now Aid Worker Sya, and fans are happy.
We first took notice of the new addition on Tuesday, when Redditor Poki-3 posted Sya’s location and some screengrabs, calling the character “a pretty awesome touch” to Guild Wars 2. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with a few lighthearted references to in-game genderswapping, and this great exposition on inclusivity from Redditor The_Scourge_Of:
Sya certainly isn’t the first trans* video game character. That honor goes to Super Mario villain Birdo, Yoshi’s sometimes girlfriend, who first appeared in Super Mario Bros. 2. Birdo wasn’t the only trans* character to come out of late-80s gaming, however. Final Fight‘s Poison is another transwoman. Although there remains a distinct lack of transmen in video games, it’s nice to know Sya is in good company.
