This Medieval Video Game Features A Lesbian Knight On A Dangerous Quest
Set in 14th-century Italy, 1348 Ex Voto follows a young knight braving bandits and war to rescue the woman she loves.
When gaming studio Sedleo first unveiled 1348 Ex Voto last summer, it stood out as an ambitious medieval role-playing title. Now, following the release of a new story trailer, the hype has turned decidedly sapphic. The game’s central quest appears to be powered by a lesbian love story, and players are responding accordingly.
Set in 14th-century Italy, 1348 Ex Voto follows Aeta, a young knight errant voiced by Alby Baldwin, whose village is destroyed during a violent bandit raid. In the aftermath, Aeta sets out across the Italian peninsula in search of Bianca, portrayed by Jennifer English, who was taken during the attack. The game is the first major project from the independent studio Sedleo.
The trailer appears to confirm what many viewers suspected: Aeta and Bianca are more than friends. Early scenes show the two women sharing a quiet, affectionate moment in a field before the raid. Later, Aeta is shown traveling alone through hostile territory, clutching a medallion that belonged to Bianca. Even the game’s storefront description on Steam refers to Bianca as Aeta’s “closest one,” which feels awfully specific.
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English, who is openly LGBTQ+, is already familiar to players through her work on Baldur’s Gate and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, making her casting an additional point of excitement for queer fans.
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Not all responses have been celebratory. Some critics, styling themselves as defenders of historical accuracy, have argued that lesbian characters do not belong in a medieval European setting. Others accused the game of pushing modern politics into the past, claims that have been widely challenged. Historical records document romantic and sexual relationships between women throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages. And women warriors appear in medieval and Renaissance literature, including the Italian epic Orlando Furioso, which features women knights rescuing lovers and besting male opponents.
Fans were largely unimpressed by the backlash. One commenter described the outrage as coming from “butt hurt right-wing types making up stuff from seeing Brown/feminine/queer people exist in the setting.”
The game has already been added to tens of thousands of Steam wishlists, and fans have even begun creating artwork inspired by Aeta and Bianca.
There are, however, lingering concerns. Some players worry about whether the story will lean into familiar tragic tropes. “I’m kinda nervous it’ll be a tragic end,” one commenter wrote, while another wondered if it might be “something less overtly gay.” Sedleo has described the project as an effort to create the kinds of games its developers wished had existed when they were younger, a framing that has reassured many fans.
1348 Ex Voto is scheduled for release on March 12, so be sure to polish your armor before then.
