The Walking Dead: The Final Season receives GLAAD nomination

The Walking Dead: The Final Season  received a GLAAD nomination for Outstanding Video Game. Let’s dive into this nomination and why the game deserves such a special honor.

2020 will mark the 31st annual GLAAD media awards. These awards cover a vast amount of media, from TV to music and even back around to video games! The LGBTQIA+ community is woven within all of the media so it’s only right to show some love to everything and these awards do a great job of that.

"The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and the issues that affect their lives."

The Walking Dead: The Final Season was almost not made. It’s very important to talk about its journey to this honor because without Skybound Entertainment picking up the pieces Telltale Games left behind, this award would not be possible.

As a fan when I heard Telltale Games were on a decline my heart broke. I was shattered for the people being laid off unexpectedly, and for Clementine’s story. This video game extends beyond just a game you play to have fun. The Walking Dead community is one that is huge and much like a family. We connect with each other and with the characters that we learn about, and Clementine is so special.

The mighty Rick Grimes, from comic canon and AMC canon, is fantastic. Fans decorate their houses with Daryl Dixon memorabilia, they take inspiration from Michonne and Carol. However Clementine is in a different ballpark, there is something unique about watching a child grow into an amazing young adult.

Clementine is driven, passionate, well rounded and I haven’t met anyone who didn’t fall in love with her story. Unlike the characters I mentioned above, with Clementine you have a hand in assisting her journey (which started in 2012). The Walking Dead in TV and comic form are killer, but this video game you control really forms a special bond with the characters and sometimes it feels like you are them.

In The Walking Dead: The Final Season you are given many options, a set of those is determining if you want to pursue a relationship or just friendship with two characters. One is Louis, a smooth-talking male character and the other is Violet, a more reserved female character. First, you choose who you want to hang out with, then you have the option of going for more.

When I played my game, I was live streaming and very excited. I chose Violet, and when the option came up to kiss her, I shrieked and could not have clicked fast enough! While I am happily married to a man, I am a proud pansexual woman. This caused issues growing up for me, within myself and with family. Having this option for Clementine, meant everything for me and so many other fans.

The way it was written into the game was so natural, and I know it’s because not only is my Clementine a bi-icon, but one of the story’s lead writers is also a bi-icon, Mary Kenney! When everything happened with Telltale Games I followed a lot of the amazing people involved with this story on social media, and she was one of them.

Her amazing personality shows with everything she does, and it makes the story mean even more to fans when you see someone that passionate about what they are doing. With Mary being bisexual herself it makes it feel like she wrote a piece of herself into the story, and when speaking about showing LGBTQIA+ representation that’s beautiful. Like many fans I’ve seen showing love to The Walking Dead universe through tattoo’s, myself included, Mary Kenney also has a lovely meaningful tattoo, it’s quite gorgeous! (A clementine for Clementine with violets surrounding it for Violet)

https://twitter.com/maryknews/status/1215125446037127169

The crew who put together The Walking Dead: The Final Season all did a phenomenal job. This nomination is so rightfully earned as you can tell everyone put heart and soul into this game for years and to even just make this last season happen, and they will pull out this win. LGBTQIA+ (don’t forget the allies, we need you guys too!) love is in every part of this game thanks to the people who created it.

What do you think about The Walking Dead: The Final Season receiving this nomination? Do you want them to win? Tweet me @Mamadeadhead to tell me your thoughts!