BioWare Explains Why There's No Homosexuality in Mass Effect 2

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I think Casey Hudson's answer sounds a lot more reasonable. Video Games, especially in the current generation, have always borrowed heavily from movies, so building a game like "a PG-13 movie" sounds a lot more understandable to me.
[small](it also explains why there's no actual nudity in these games)[/small]

I find Muzyka's answer a little bit puzzling. The Mass Effect series has always had this "build-your-own-adventure" vibe; in theory, Shepard should be the players' concept, not the game designers'.

I tend to agree with this. The culmination of the romance in part 1 was far more...well, physical, than in part 2. Honestly, I can live with fading to black instead of watching characters knock boots in the uncanny valley. But I'd still rather have the option to bed the ladies should I want to.

I mean, seriously, have you seen Miranda's ass?

wise words. miranda's ass is...well...hypnotizing

but yeah i understand what they mean, mass effect was much more of a direct story compared to dragons age, and thats not what they had envisioned, and they were going for the more pg-13-esque kind of game, so i do agree and i think they shouldn't be getting so much hark over this, its their game and their vision so far is pretty good to me

 

[IrrelevantTangent]

Their explanation makes sense on the surface...but something just doesn't fit. So it's OK to have a heterosexual romance in a PG-13-rated work, but not any other kind of romance? What about homosexuality would make it not PG 13, assuming the content would be exactly the same as the heterosexual romance content? And yet, there's no problem with FemShep/asari romance?

You can probably say that the asari are mono-gendered so it doesn't count, but come on, BioWare, if you're trying to say that homosexual romance content in your games would be more controverisal to the moral guardians, just say it.

 

[Bellvedere]

I don't buy that it was because of marketing. I doubt that there would be people who would not buy it because it was possible. Even though they say in Mass Effect 1 that Liara technically wasn't a lesbian romance option because she isn't technically female it was still there and any people so bias against homosexuality that they wouldn't buy a game because it was even possible would have stopped with the franchise there so not including it in the second one doesn't make sense.

Second of all creating controversy is good. Any publicity is good publicity. So many more people would have heard of Mass Effect because of the sex scene scandal. The only people I think that would have a problem with a sex scene in a video game are parents buying for younger children. The game was an MA15+ (Australia) so you're hardly losing a market there. Plenty of people see sex scenes in movies so I doubt the average person buying games for themselves would even have an issue especially considering how tame it was. And while I know homosexuality is a whole different kettle of fish to just sex in a video game, it's still just an option one that plenty of heterosexual people have played through in games from Dragon Age to Fable.

Personally it doesn't make a difference to me in terms of game play. I'm not gay and homosexual relationship options are something I do to get the achievement or just play through because I like to play through most different ways you can get through an RPG. I do however applaud Biowares open mindedness and communicating of tolerance through video games. It is sort of a shame that they didn't keep this up in the Mass Effect franchise but whatever their reasons, if the ones given in this news report aren't true, I highly doubt it was because of marketing. Characterisation seems like a pretty shallow reason but maybe that is all there is to. I don't see why after so many games they'd shy away from the issue now.

 

[Kelethor]

well, Bioware is a business like any other, right? and sadly, in today's modern world, a possibly gay main character, may not be quite what people are willing to spend 60 bucks on. it's sad, considering all of the homosexual relations Bioware put in their previous games. but this does raise the obvious question as too why give female characters the option to have a lesbian relationship in the game.

 

[Kelethor]

You'd think in the future with all the aliens and interspecies sex and communication going on, no one would really bat an eye at two girls or two guys going at it hot and heavy. Or even an LGBT person being in a position of power like commander shepard. In fact, including it would of shown Biowares acceptance of these things, and seeing as racism and bigotry is a big part of the Mass Effect universe it would of made sense in the context.

This is the same universe in which resides a space republican. The theist, xenophobic, closed minded, ashley williams.

Which is why I left her ass next to the bomb in the first game. Bloody *****.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Actually there was a gay relationship that happened off screen in Mass Effect two.

Spoiler

In the Justicar's loyalty quest you have to find her daughter and kill her or get her to join you. One of the things you learn about the daughter is that she had sex with (and as a result of a genetic condition killed) a teenage human female.

So technically there was some gay action in ME2, it just didn't involve the player.

You'd think in the future with all the aliens and interspecies sex and communication going on, no one would really bat an eye at two girls or two guys going at it hot and heavy. Or even an LGBT person being in a position of power like commander shepard. In fact, including it would of shown Biowares acceptance of these things, and seeing as racism and bigotry is a big part of the Mass Effect universe it would of made sense in the context.

This is the same universe in which resides a space republican. The theist, xenophobic, closed minded, ashley williams.

Which is why I left her ass next to the bomb in the first game. Bloody *****.

So being a religious close minded xenophobe is a bad thing? I think it actually made me like her more.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

If they gave you the option to be gay, Christian extremists around the world would claim that the game encouraged homosexuality. And as Christianity is the most followed religion as of now, cutting off such a large percent of the population wouldn't be at all wise for sales.

 

[Baneat]

You play shepard, with fairly little control overall on the character. That character isn't gay, and it doesn't suit his personality if he was. That's why.

 

[Cody Crawford]

Disappointing, Bioware.

 

[Vivace-Vivian]

Complete bull shit. If they had a vision for the Commander they shouldn't have let you customize her. She is supposed to be a BLANK SLATE. Bastards. I can't believe they would throw us out to the cold. I feel so sorry for homosexual males who play this game. I was heartbroken when all I got was a peck from Liara. Honestly, it was in the first game. I can't believe they'd change it. Disgusting.

 

[WhiteTiger225]

Complete bull shit. If they had a vision for the Commander they shouldn't have let you customize her. She is supposed to be a BLANK SLATE. Bastards. I can't believe they would throw us out to the cold. I feel so sorry for homosexual males who play this game. I was heartbroken when all I got was a peck from Liara. Honestly, it was in the first game. I can't believe they'd change it. Disgusting.

This is, right here, an example of why I don't buy into equality movements. Equality movements (No longer) are about equality, but instead, are a dictatorial movement simply looking to take control.

Look at Femmenists now-a-days. During a sex scene in a movie, the man is on top, so obviously (To them) the movie see's women as less. But if the WOMAN was on top, and you pointed out that in this case, it is not equality, but SHE that is controlling the situation, suddenly you are a chauvinistic pig.

Same goes for the Gay Rights movements. It is starting to turn into what the women rights movement has turned into. Not EVERY FUCKING CHARACTER has to be GAY OR BI. Not EVERY GAME, MOVE, OR BOOK HAS TO INCLUDE GAY OR BI CHARACTERS.

Like the commenter that I am quoting, it seems many are starting to want NOT equal rights, but instead domination, FORCING people to HAVE to have gay or bi cast in their movie, game, or book or else they are being "Intolerant".

I am half expecting next "Why is there only a Black MAN? Why can't there be a Black WOMAN in the crew?"

Seriously people. Get off your cross, and use that wood to build a bridge and GET OVER IT!

 

[Lavi]

Image of the character?

What was he supposed to be if he was gay, a singer with pink hair and a high pitched voice (internets for the reference, and I hate the reference)? Stupid stereotyping.

As for the option, whutever. It'd be like me complaining that I can't have a lesbian relationship in the game (which makes less sense, but you better get what I mean). Doesn't personality matter more? (NO)

 

[Weaver]

I just really don't believe people care THAT much.
You know, if Shepard was gay and you could only have Gay sex that wouldn't bother me at all. Shepard is straight, so... there we go.

 

[Naheal]

I mean, seriously, have you seen Miranda's ass?

How can you NOT!? However, black outfit > white outfit.

 

[Flubberix]

I mean, seriously, have you seen Miranda's ass?

*ahem*

Spoiler: DAT ASS?

I did not take this picture.

I beg to differ, Tali's hips are way more sexy than that genetically enhanced bubble ass. 100% natural, sexy hips; and with an outfit that's quite snug in all the right places

 

[ShadowsofHope]

I mean, seriously, have you seen Miranda's ass?

How can you NOT!? However, black outfit > white outfit.

Touche.

I had Miranda in the "relationship of the month" radar the moment she was shown full body. Hawt.~

 

[ace_of_something]

How about we mention the five bajilion other titles that exist with no homosexuality in them?
This is stupid.

 

[ace_of_something]

Honestly, I can live with fading to black instead of watching characters knock boots in the uncanny valley.

Like in Dragon Age where they dry hump in their undies? Pretty much every love sequence in that game gave me the heebiest of jeebies. It was mostly the dead look in their eyes I think.

 

[Ghostkai]

It's a third party game, your playing AS Shepard, he isn't YOU. Whereas in Dragon Age, your playing yourself.

And simply put, the character "Shepard" isn't gay. There is no debate here, it's like whining about Harry Potter, or Aragorn not being gay.

 

[Pearwood]

The Dragon Age team faught pretty hard to get homosexuality in their game, the Mass Effect team probably thought Dragon Age had already made their point and they don't need to risk sales by repeating the same thing.

Having said that Bioware are among the only developers who acknowledge homosexuality so them choosing not to include it all of a sudden does seem a little unusual.

About the argument that you're playing as Shepard not yourself - there were plenty of people who had a homosexual Shepard in the first game so that argument doesn't hold water unless Bioware introduce some new canon suggesting that between the first and second games homosexuality has been reaccepted as a mental condition and Shepard was cured of it between games.