Nintendo Says No To Same Sex Relationships For Tomodachi Miis

[Genocidicles]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

A stance of apathy is probably the most sensible way to go... it'd draw the least amount of rage.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

You can't avoid making social commentary. The smart money is on allowing same sex Mii marriage (As ridiculous as that was to type) Purely on a practical level. I doubt many homophobic skinheads will be playing the game.

 

[Legion]

I don't think this is out of malice or anything, Nintendo just has a long tradition of not wanting to be yelled at by religious nut jobs. They didn't like any religious iconography on games released on their systems, they had midway remove the blood from Mortal Kombat 1, and they wouldn't allow Binding of Issac to be released on the ds or 3ds.

When it comes to issues of LGBTQ, if you're not with us then you're part of the problem.

The irony is attitudes such as this are what cause so many people to avoid getting involved. I care about LGBT rights but I'd rather stay silent than be associated with people who use bullying and aggression as their means of getting them.

If somebody wishes to act morally superior it's best they act moral in the first place.

 

[xaszatm]

Well, that's one more company to add to the block list for homophobia.

Such a shame, I really liked Nintendo too.

It's not about homophobia as much as trying to avoid controversy, controversy that might drastically hurt sales in some regions.

Regardless of your stance on the issue it's worth saying that it still is a hotly debated and controversial issue that has also been highly politicized.

However it shows that they have no sense over at Nintendo. if it was a bug, genuinely, they should have just shrugged and left it as is.

'Programmers weren't thinking of that possible result when they coded'

Sort of like the person who designed the digital display for calculator never thought about people using 80085 to spell out 'BOOBS'

And left it at that statement. In an attempt to avoid making social commentary by having the bug in the game have made just as much if not louder social commentary by removing the bug SO again Nintendo, maybe you know... think...

The thing is, there was no bug that did that. That was a simple mistranslation of the article. Said article was about two different things. The first was a bug involving transferring characters from the DS tomadachi to the 3DS one. The second was about how people got around there being no homosexual option: by cross-dressing. There was no homosexual glitch. And even if the transfer glitch somehow caused the homosexual baby, they fixed it because the transfer glitch corrupted the save file and risked damaging the 3DS itself.

 

[epicdwarf]

Ok so from the sound of it Nintendo is in one hefty pickle. They are shipping the same game to the states, but the LGBT community is angry that there is no same-sex relation-ships. Why not just request it to be a feature in the sequel or a free update? Saying "NINDTENDO IS HOMOPHOBIC AND MUST BE PUNISHED IF THEY DON'T GIVE ME WHAT I WANT" will solve nothing. In fact, it may result in Nintendo from localizing and releasing more games in the US.

 

[Adam Locking]

Well, that's one more company to add to the block list for homophobia.

Such a shame, I really liked Nintendo too.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge them, they've got to keep in mind what the current viewpoint in their home country is as opposed to what they may feel.

They've had gay relationships in children's shows for at least a decade over there, and while it was somewhat controversial (as it would be over here) it shows that there is unlikely to be a cultural reason for it being disallowed, probably just time and effort.

 

[DaViller]

I have read the polygon article on this issue and maan, they are pissed of as hell (well at least that one chick who wrote it was). *Finger crossed* Could this be a new dragons crown situation? Might be worth preparing some popcorn.

 

[Cecilo]

Meh. I am just growing ever more tired of the constant "Wars" or "Crusades" That take place online. With each one I grow ever more tired of them, with the "You must hate this person, or this thing, or you are a bigot".

 

[Evonisia]

So Nintendo is basically keeping it's home country's laws in mind. Still, it does defeat the point of virtual reality, in that it's nothing like reality.

Oh well, Nintendo was only going to get negative attention if it addressed this issue or it didn't.

 

[MrMan999]

This is a damned if you do damned if you don't situation. On one hand, if you do include Homosexual pairings in the game, Fox News and The American Right will be all over your ass, and like it or not they are still a big part of the market and can do a lot of damage. And Nintendo has always tried to stay away from controversy. On the other hand, if they don't include same sex couples in the game, they earn the ire of the Social Justice Crowd and the gaming press (which has already had it out for Nintendo since they started doing Directs).

That said I would wholeheartedly support Nintendo if they decide to include Same Sex couples in the next Tomodachi games. If of course the Controversy doesn't sour their view on the game in the west alltogether.

 

[kenu12345]

Ok so from the sound of it Nintendo is in one hefty pickle. They are shipping the same game to the states, but the LGBT community is angry that there is no same-sex relation-ships. Why not just request it to be a feature in the sequel or a free update? Saying "NINDTENDO IS HOMOPHOBIC AND MUST BE PUNISHED IF THEY DON'T GIVE ME WHAT I WANT" will solve nothing. In fact, it may result in Nintendo from localizing and releasing more games in the US.

This is actually what the dude proposed. At least thats what it said in a different site. Either way, I am surprised this guys view has gathered this much attention. Its really odd to me

 

[Ninmecu]

...And here I thought Mii's were asexual and genderless. So like, in all seriousness, is this just a group creating an issue out of a perceived wrong? Is there something I'm not seeing? They're clearly non human entities, I fail to see how one qualifies more as male or female, hell, mine looks like a god damned pervert who could pass off as either sex if I shaved his fu-man-chu mustache off.

 

[spartandude]

I had never heard of this game until now and im now I'm even less interested in it. Well done Nintendo.

 

[Glaice]

It's 2014 and we *still* do not have total equality for gay marriage and relationships in games? It makes me sick.

 

[Eve Charm]

Eh the sad thing is that miiquality or at least the video made by the starter looked like it was by all means a delicate touch to an sensitive issue and asked for a reasonably inclusion nicely knowing enough about the thing he was asking for that something like that most likey isn't doable by release, but a patch or in another sequel to the game. He also doesn't mention anything about bugs and tells people to NOT BOYCOTT the game.

Then the SJW's ran it over, with a truck, doing 90. I get pushing your agenda, but misinformation, disinformation, out right attacking , not even considering the other side for a moment and the lovely term " Your either with us or against us" thrown around isn't what people fighting for the "Right" side do.

Seeing what's become of this Tomodachi scandal in a matter of days that seems like it's only going to go downhill from here, for people that don't have a stake in the claim about the issues already, I wonder who they'll actual see as the bad guy? At least start getting one thing right here, there isn't suppose to be a bad guy here, that not the creators intentions and in his words he says it's not going to help anything getting angry at them directly.

 

[MrMan999]

Eh the sad thing is that miiquality or at least the video made by the starter looked like it was by all means a delicate touch to an sensitive issue and asked for a reasonably inclusion nicely knowing enough about the thing he was asking for that something like that most likey isn't doable by release, but a patch or in another sequel to the game. He also doesn't mention anything about bugs and tells people to NOT BOYCOTT the game.

Then the SJW's ran it over, with a truck, doing 90. I get pushing your agenda, but misinformation, disinformation, out right attacking , not even considering the other side for a moment and the lovely term " Your either with us or against us" thrown around isn't what people fighting for the "Right" side do.

Seeing what's become of this Tomodachi scandal in a matter of days that seems like it's only going to go downhill from here, for people that don't have a stake in the claim about the issues already, I wonder who they'll actual see as the bad guy? At least start getting one thing right here, there isn't suppose to be a bad guy here, that not the creators intentions and in his words he says it's not going to help anything getting angry at them directly.

And its not like Nintendo is averse to having gay characters in their games. I'm sure Animal Crossing has been mentioned several times, and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn actually had a lesbian romance subplot between two of the characters.

 

[Vigormortis]

snip

While I believe it's still within their right to make the game as they see fit, as is their want to avoid making social statements, I completely agree with you. There's no legitimate reason; beyond social stigmas; to not include these options.

The problem is:
Nintendo is a company that has a philosophy of "non-offense". There entire design and marketing strategies are geared towards being as inoffensive to any give person or group as possible.

However, at times (like in this instance) their attempts to be inoffensive go so far that they end up offending one group or another; simply by their social stance of "no comment".

 

[Fox12]

Well, that's one more company to add to the block list for homophobia.

Such a shame, I really liked Nintendo too.

Meanwhile, Birdo, a transvestite (dinosaur?) is in a committed relationship with Yoshi. I'm not sure where Nintendo's head is at.

I wouldn't go so far as to call Nintendo homophobic though. More like apathetic. They don't want to shake things up with controversy, especially when they're aiming their games at children (and their parents). After losing half a billion dollars, playing things safe is probably the most practical business move. Remaining quiet on the subject of homosexuality is not the same as condemning it, and though I fully support gay marriage, I am a little annoyed when people call something homophobic because of a lack of homosexual relationships. The same thing happened when Fire Emblem Awakening came out.

 

[SecondPrize]

If you want businesses to shift on this you've got to prove that your money is where your mouth is. If the market is big enough, people will cater to it.
With the climate now, all you see is negativity towards companies who aren't being as progressive as they possibly can, you don't see many 'attaboys' or 'good jobs, let's support you' for devs who get it right, and there are those who do so. I've not seen one word about how TESO got same sex relationships right in including quests where you rescue a female ship captain's wife or a guy's husband and it's just casually presented in the quest text like it's no big deal. Zenimax does this without making a production about how great and progressive they are in their PR and it is simply not mentioned at all by the people who claim they want exactly this thing in games. I'm not suggesting you run out and buy the game, even though I enjoy it, but if your only trick is going negative that's just going to turn people off.

 

[r0seyp0m]

"Gay marriage isn't legal in Japan"

That's funny, considering they seem to like their lesbian anime girls a ton. Way to go, Japan.