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Guild Wars 2 NPC Aid Worker Symon is now Aid Worker Sya.
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News

Guild Wars 2 increases diversity by adding trans* character

Guild Wars 2 NPC Aid Worker Symon is now Aid Worker Sya.
Image of K.W. Colyard
K.W. Colyard
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Published: Jun 25, 2015 03:05 pm

This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information

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.

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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:

Comment from discussion First Transsexual NPC in Lion’s Arch.
 

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.

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Image of K.W. Colyard
K.W. Colyard
I'm a freelance writer and editor from the rural American South. I write. I read. I play video games. I also sleep sometimes. Talk to me about ampersands, blankets, and the Oxford comma.