Developer Dontnod Entertainment has announced that its newest game, Tell Me Why will be available for free for all of June in celebration of Pride Month. Any players who claim Tell Me Why in that time frame will be able to keep it forever as well.
Tell Me Why is an episodic adventure game that was published by Xbox Game Studios and garnered a lot of media attention for being the first AAA video game to feature a transgender main character. The game focuses on two twins as they struggle to cope and come to terms with childhood traumas, and Tell Me Why's narrative was widely regarded as one of the best video game narratives of 2020.
The announcement of Tell Me Why's giveaway came via a blog post from Dontnod Entertainment, where it went into more detail on what it hoped the giveaway would accomplish. The blog post begins by thanking Tell Me Why's fanbase for their expressed support and appreciation for Tell Me Why's narrative and its portrayal of transgender issues. Dontnod then goes on to say that it hopes making Tell Me Why free will not only allow more people to experience the game's narrative but also will help encourage players to instead spend their money in places that will directly support trans and queer communities.
The blog post also lists a few suggestions for how fans could support those communities with their money. It lists supporting games from trans and queer developers, as well as listing games like That Which Faith Demands or Spirit Swap as good options. The blog post also lists donating to charity, donating to a mutual aid fund, or giving directly to a trans or queer person in need. The blog post also lists some non-financial ways that people can help members of communities similar to those shown in Tell Me Why.
Dontnod Entertainment's decision to list Tell Me Why for free during Pride Month is a bit of a surprise but does seem like a positive one. In the past, Dontnot Entertainment has made the first episode of their episodic games free to help attract new players, but releasing the entire season is something new. Hopefully, Dontnot's efforts drum up as much support for the community as it hopes it will. Dontnod Entertainment recently turned down multiple acquisition offers from various companies so it is good to see that it is using its independence to support communities that it is passionate about.
Tell Me Why is available now on PC and Xbox One.