Night in the Woods' Mae brings the Pride to a Portland soccer game, creator approves

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Creator Scott Benson says his "jaw dropped" when he saw the footage

Portland Timbers
(Image credit: Portland Timbers)

Celebrating Pride Month, a group of Portland Timbers fans erected a massive cutout of Night in the Woods protagonist Mae Borowski during last night's game, much to the approval of the game and character's creator.

At some point during the Portland Timbers' match against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, the Timbers Army - which is what the team's fans call themselves - raised large banners that read: "From Stonewall a brick and Portland an axe" and "Respect our pride or expect our wrath." 

Night in the Woods creator Scott Benson took notice of the above clip and gave his full endorsement. "Jaw dropped," he wrote in a tweet. "I've typed like 5 or 6 witty follow ups but I got nothing."

"This is the closest I have ever been to being involved in sports."

"Idk folks i'm pleased that our beloved dirtball from down the block continues to show up in unexpected places, and also that those places are generally very good," Benson added. "Anyway i endorse the message and the implied threat of axe violence."

The Portland Timbers themselves also shared their support for the display, writing, "Portland is Pride," which just warms my vitamin D-deprived soul having lived in this wonderful city for almost a year now.

Night in the Woods is a 2017 narrative indie game that's been praised for its many queer characters, who add representation for Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Non-Binary, and Pansexual people.

For Pride Month, we spoke with Respawn about how no game does Pride like Apex Legends.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.