Tomadachi Life Conspiracy: Because Nintendo Just can't catch a break these days

xaszatm

That Voice in Your Head
Sep 4, 2010
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Let me preface this by saying that I am in full support of LGBQT rights. As this post will technically against people of LGBQT nature, I want to say that this post comes not to attack the sexuality of the LGBQT community, but to critize how it has responded to a recent event. In addition, I hold no complaints against the original guy who I will be talking about, as the results are probably not what he expected.

So, because the only mainstream news Nintendo will receive is news that convinces others to not buy Nintendo products, there is a huge non-issue blowout about the upcoming game Tomadachii Life for the Nintendo 3DS. Now, for those not in the know, Tomadachii Life is a life-simulation game that explores relationships with traditional Japanese and Nintendo humor mixed in. For a better idea of the game, please look at the video below

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This game looks like fun and an interesting way of playing: by relatinoships. However, a video gamer by the name of Tai realized that this game would not allow same sex marriages. He made a video with the hastag miiquality asking people to tell Nintendo to allow same sex marriges and to still support the game as even without same sex relationships, he would like to see the series continued so this issue could be fixed in later games, if not this one.

What he probably didn't expect was for the mass media to catch up his story and paint it in a way that makes Nintendo look like a bigoted bad guy nor for the LGBQT community to declare Nintendo sexist and swear of Nintendo products.

If you follow any other article sites, you may have noticed titles such as "Nintendo refuses to acknowldge gay people" or "No Homosexuality allowed for Nintendo." In said blantedly false articles, they state that Nintendo has refused to change the game to allow same-sex marriage (not realizing that coding isn't something that simple) and that Nintendo fixed a glitch that allowed same sex marriage (also false). In fact, IGN, of all places, is the few websites that actually sat down with Bill Trinen to see what the issue was. The Link to the intervew is below, but he said two important things. First off, that the glitch that was fixed involved unplayable save files that happened when someone transfered a character from the DS versino of Tomadachi and the homosexual stuff was a side note of how some Japanese gamers got around there being no homosexual option: by cross-dressing.

IGN Link: http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/05/nintendo-on-gay-marriage-and-tomodachi-life

Now, once again, I must say that I'm not against the Miiquality guy. He actually has a goal that is reasonable: get Nintendo aware of this issue and see if it can get fixed for this specific game. Hell, he even says to still buy the game even if they can't because they can fix it at a later game. Bill himself says as much in the IGN story. My problem comes from the people who read the articles and thought "Man, Nintendo is evil! I'm never buying their product again." The people who are confusing Ignorance with Hatred and might very well result in the opposite effect for this game. What are your opinions on this mess?
 

Barbas

ExQQxv1D1ns
Oct 28, 2013
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Well, it's another in a long line of lessons about the importance of providing a calm and measured response, particularly when we are not in possession of all the facts. Today, a lot of people are going to have to learn that lesson from a writer at IGN. I hope they can accept that, because we can either learn and improve, or keep angrily banging our heads against the walls in a rage until the last traces of decency are stamped out and replaced by disillusionment and alcoholism. Honestly, I wonder where some people find the staggering reserves of energy to be as angry as they are. It's not sustainable.
 

Aiddon_v1legacy

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Nov 19, 2009
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so basically people twisting a legitimate social issue in order to ***** about Nintendo. Sounds about right. I swear I really do wonder why Nintendo even bothers with the gaming industry.
 

Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
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Jul 18, 2009
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So yet another "if you're not with us, you're against us" situation.

I can see that for the LGBTQ's out there it must be frustrating to be ignored by default, but to turn it into 'Nintendon't like gays' seems a bit extreme. Though I don't know what the culture inside Nintendo is, they are a traditional Japanese company after all.

Anyway, seems like a lot of fuss over a simple game. The dreaded Microscope of Equality spares nothing it seems.
 

Dragonbums

Indulge in it's whiffy sensation
May 9, 2013
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I mean, that's been a complaint for quite a while with the series while it was still a Japanese only game. Look guys I'm all for LGBTQ+ rights as well but Nintendo cannot be on the forefront of that. They are a family demographic company and a lot of families don't want children to be exposed to those things. It's risking a lot. I'm very fucking sure they have nothing against gay people. But to take it as them hating guys is really stretching the logic here. Honestly I'd expect Sony and Microsoft to do that first.
 

nima55

Paladin of Traffic Law
Nov 14, 2010
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As a member of the LGBTQ community and an ardent Nintendo fangirl, I've really hated this whole thing. It is true that Nintendo didn't handle the question the best, but It's just very disheartening to see my comrades arming up to take on Nintendo like they're the next Chick'a'fil. Honestly, Even If Nintendo is proactive and patches the game, My future sense tells me they won't get any credit.

This whole mess has been like watching your parents fight on your birthday, and I'm just really sad at the moment.
 

maxben

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Jun 9, 2010
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Dragonbums said:
I mean, that's been a complaint for quite a while with the series while it was still a Japanese only game. Look guys I'm all for LGBTQ+ rights as well but Nintendo cannot be on the forefront of that. They are a family demographic company and a lot of families don't want children to be exposed to those things. It's risking a lot. I'm very fucking sure they have nothing against gay people. But to take it as them hating guys is really stretching the logic here. Honestly I'd expect Sony and Microsoft to do that first.
Because of course gays don't have families. I am quite disgusted myself when I see hetero couples, I don't see why responsible gay couples and their children must be subject to that filth! Sarcasm aside, I hope that you understand that your claim is part of the problem.

Anyhow, since Japan is relatively backwards on most social issues from race to sex I don't doubt that Nintendo is just not comfortable with homosexuality. I have no proof of that but it wouldn't surprise me. Sony is likely the same.
 

Eve Charm

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Aug 10, 2011
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Hmm well it's not like this is "just a japan issue" whats it still like 80% of the world that same sex marriage isn't accepted or acknowledged still, Can't blame one country for being behind the ball.

Considering I don't know much more other then the ad for miiquialty it seems the harvest moon scenario of end game being you get married then have a baby. Tho here there seems to be more game after that.

It just seems like something Nintendo of all people don't want to be on the forefront of because hey people still have opinions on both sides of the issues and you'd get as many eye brows raised for broad uninformed headlines if Nintendo was really for or against the issue.

That said let Nintendo keep it's head out of the firing range on both sides of the issue like it wants to while still seeing the demand for it and push for it in the next game and deal with the known ways around it for this game if that's how you choose to play it.

It's just the issue probably needs more care then making every mii in the game bisexual, and I don't think Nintendo wants to be on the forefront of an sexual preference selection.
 

Something Amyss

Aswyng and Amyss
Dec 3, 2008
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Casual Shinji said:
So yet another "if you're not with us, you're against us" situation.
Who said that, exactly?
I can see that for the LGBTQ's out there it must be frustrating to be ignored by default, but to turn it into 'Nintendon't like gays' seems a bit extreme. Though I don't know what the culture inside Nintendo is, they are a traditional Japanese company after all.
Why cast stones if you don't know what's going on, then? Especially if you yourself are talking about them being a "traditional" Japanese company?

I doubt you like being marginalised any more than gays do, even if it's "tradition."
 

Something Amyss

Aswyng and Amyss
Dec 3, 2008
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Dragonbums said:
I'm very fucking sure they have nothing against gay people.
Why do people feel the need to bend over backwards to protect Nintendo? You honestly have no more clue than the people you're complaining about how they feel about gay people, so isn't it a double standard to have a go at them, then insert your own assertions?
 

xaszatm

That Voice in Your Head
Sep 4, 2010
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RatherDull said:
Casual Shinji said:
So yet another "if you're not with us, you're against us" situation.

I can see that for the LGBTQ's out there it must be frustrating to be ignored by default, but to turn it into 'Nintendon't like gays' seems a bit extreme. Though I don't know what the culture inside Nintendo is, they are a traditional Japanese company after all.

Anyway, seems like a lot of fuss over a simple game. The dreaded Microscope of Equality spares nothing it seems.
Issues like racism, sexism and LGBTQ are all fighting an uphill battle. And people who are indifferent to it are part of the problem.
You are right, in a sense. Nintendo is being a part of the problem by forgetting about homosexual relationships. Yet the solution to every problem is not using the bloody hammer. Not everything is a nail. The purpose of Miiquality was not to scream hate upon Nintendo, but to make Nintendo realize that there was a problem. And guess what? They are realizing that this is a problem, they realized a while ago in Japan! They haven't changed anything in the game itself because the coding wouldn't that simple. Yet, ignoring that and Miiquality's goals, people have started turning Nintendo into the next Chick Fill'a. Ignorance is different from hatred. You fight hatred with hatred. You fight ignorance with knowledge. When you face ignorance with hatred, you risk Nintendo defending its actions in retaliation, which is the last hing anyone needs.
 

Eve Charm

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Aug 10, 2011
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Zachary Amaranth said:
Dragonbums said:
I'm very fucking sure they have nothing against gay people.
Why do people feel the need to bend over backwards to protect Nintendo? You honestly have no more clue than the people you're complaining about how they feel about gay people, so isn't it a double standard to have a go at them, then insert your own assertions?
Hmm the same can be said about the mob of people forming ready to bash nintendo on nothing more then their own assertions of how they feel. People are choosing sides for the storm that's brewing over horrible misinformation.
 

Lieju

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Jan 4, 2009
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The thing is, it was Nintendo that decided to have a stance on the matter of homosexual relationships.
It doesn't matter if it was 'just' because they wanted to appeal to a certain market, or if they didn't think of it, or left it out because coding is hard.

They made a game about relationships in a 'whimsical world', or whatever the phrasing was, and made the decision to only put heterosexual relationships in it.
 

xaszatm

That Voice in Your Head
Sep 4, 2010
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Lieju said:
The thing is, it was Nintendo that decided to have a stance on the matter of homosexual relationships.
It doesn't matter if it was 'just' because they wanted to appeal to a certain market, or if they didn't think of it, or left it out because coding is hard.

They made a game about relationships in a 'whimsical world', or whatever the phrasing was, and made the decision to only put heterosexual relationships in it.
And they have realize this was wrong, a year ago. The thing is, that THIS game will not have homosexual relationships. In comparison, Animal Crossing, which was released much later than Tomadachii life started to slowly have characters that were part of the LGBQT community. Pokemon X and Y has a character that is a Post-Op female, despite here being a one-note trainer. Nintendo has realized the problem and is slowly trying to change. But it is unrealistic to expect someone to change Tamadachi Life as it is now because they would have to redo the entire coding, which would be pointless to use the old and they should just make a new Tomadachi game. This backlash, I fear, will have more negative impact than positive ones.
 

Eve Charm

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Aug 10, 2011
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Lieju said:
The thing is, it was Nintendo that decided to have a stance on the matter of homosexual relationships.
It doesn't matter if it was 'just' because they wanted to appeal to a certain market, or if they didn't think of it, or left it out because coding is hard.

They made a game about relationships in a 'whimsical world', or whatever the phrasing was, and made the decision to only put heterosexual relationships in it.
Well as much as marriage is a thing in the game, So is child birth. And the mechanics of sending you child to other games via street pass. An simple fix just wouldn't cut it and be no better then the fixes people have already came up with.
 

xaszatm

That Voice in Your Head
Sep 4, 2010
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Ultratwinkie said:
xaszatm said:
RatherDull said:
Casual Shinji said:
So yet another "if you're not with us, you're against us" situation.

I can see that for the LGBTQ's out there it must be frustrating to be ignored by default, but to turn it into 'Nintendon't like gays' seems a bit extreme. Though I don't know what the culture inside Nintendo is, they are a traditional Japanese company after all.

Anyway, seems like a lot of fuss over a simple game. The dreaded Microscope of Equality spares nothing it seems.
Issues like racism, sexism and LGBTQ are all fighting an uphill battle. And people who are indifferent to it are part of the problem.
You are right, in a sense. Nintendo is being a part of the problem by forgetting about homosexual relationships. Yet the solution to every problem is not using the bloody hammer. Not everything is a nail. The purpose of Miiquality was not to scream hate upon Nintendo, but to make Nintendo realize that there was a problem. And guess what? They are realizing that this is a problem, they realized a while ago in Japan! They haven't changed anything in the game itself because the coding wouldn't that simple. Yet, ignoring that and Miiquality's goals, people have started turning Nintendo into the next Chick Fill'a. Ignorance is different from hatred. You fight hatred with hatred. You fight ignorance with knowledge. When you face ignorance with hatred, you risk Nintendo defending its actions in retaliation, which is the last hing anyone needs.
Modding in gays isn't that big of a deal. Its a female entity that can't have kids and uses a male model set. Add some restrictions to the dialogue flags to not use any lines that reference a female, and its basically done with. Same animations, same everything.

If a modder can develop a script to turn list-based dumb containers into dynamic smart containers on an ancient engine, nintendo can add a simple gay guy.
Look, this game is based entirely around relationships. Unlike most other simulated games, there is nothing BUT relationships for this game. There are a multitude of conversations coded into the game. That's not exactly something a modder can to with a flick of his wrist.

Even then, YOU CAN ALREADY DO THAT! Despite the game having a female and male "set", every mii can use any body or clothing. You can have females with beards and "man" clothing and you can have males with dresses. While not the ideal solution, you can already do that. Hell, you can even have male voices on females and female voices on males! This isn't the issue. The issue is the gender thing itself.