Happy Pride Month from Don’t Nod as they put Tell Me Why on a discount for the month of June on Steam. The discount being the game is free until the end of the month. This is also the fourth year of this tradition now. I guess it can finally be called a tradition since it has lasted four years.
Don’t Nod’s most recognizable work is probably Life is Strange, the 2015 episodic series that follows Max Caufield’s investigation into a missing classmate with the help of her power to rewind time. Max herself is believed to be a bisexual woman, expressing interest in both Chloe the deuteragonist and boys at school. Since its initial release Life is Strange has spawned one prequel, and a sequel, with another set to release in October of this year.
Tell Me Why also features a queer central character, with their queer identity playing a large role in their storyline. Originally published in 2020, the game follows twins Tyler and Alyson who can communicate using telepathy and reunite after a decade in their hometown in rural Alaska. Tyler is a transgender man who has transitioned since last seeing his sibling. The game has been praised for its dedication to having trans individuals working behind the scenes to bring Tyler’s story to life including working with organizations like GLAAD. Don’t Nod even posted a call on X for gamers to support works by trans creators and developers.
Tell Me Why will be available for free on Steam until July 1st. In order to pick it up just head to its Steam storefront page and click add to Library. With that you can begin downloading and you’re free to start playing. With all the discussions in recent years about the ways corporations use Pride Month to rainbow wash their products to entice queer people into spending money, it’s nice to see a game developer flip the script on that by making a story about a queer experience more accessible.