I read that the other day on one of my games news websites, but I just found this on CNN (as it seems it's become a big thing) and I thought I should comment on that one. DON'T WORRY, THIS POST IS NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GAMES DESPITE THE TITLE.
I'll sum this up quickly to proceed to my own thoughts. Basically, Nintendo, a video game company as you all probably know, released a certain game some months ago which was called "Tomodachi Life". It is a life simulator, in a similar manner like The Sims. However, many fans complained that it was not possible to have homosexual relationships in the game although the game focuses (among other things) on relationships, creating families, etc. while other games like The Sims feature this option. It is arguable if the lack of gay and lesbian relationships was the result of the company's stance regarding the topic or if its just fruit of the difference of the status of the polemic topic in the different cultures (note that equality and rights for homosexuals has been an important topic in the Western world lately).
Now that it's been confirmed that the game will get released in Europe and the United States as well, Nintendo decided to publish an official apologise. They explain that they can't change this feature without reprogramming almost the whole game, but that they pledge to consider the players' wishes for future games and that they strive to design products that enable all players to be represented better.
From here on, my own opinion:
Ok, so far so good. Now, be honest. Having read this introduction, do you think there's any reason for anyone to be furious? Anyone? Even the homosexual fraction that was upset about the missing feature wasn't, in fact, THAT upset.
"The situation wouldn't be as big of a deal if it weren't for the fact that relationships and marriage are a huge part of the game," Marini said
"[...] Not being able to date and marry the gender that I'm attracted to in real life really takes all of the immersion and fun out of it for me."
Marini has specifically said he's not calling for a boycott of the game, saying it would do more harm than good.
What I can see here is a protest, but as mentioned above, nobody is trying to boycott the game nor Nintendo. And that's absolutely OK. But then you see comments like this:
By the user
I'm still upset that Nintendo isn't letting Mario and Luigi have an incestuous homosexual relationship in the Mario games... I mean really Until they change that I think everyone who has a loving relationship with their brother should stop buying all mario games!!! Seriously though Articles like this want to attack nintendo but seem to not care that Nintendo has right as well and are sticking to "THEIR" morals. Should everyone give up on what they believe because someone else believes something else? If so maybe we should start having goat sacrifices instead of paying taxes? .. No, articles like tese are just attacking a company that is standing their ground for what they believe in. If someone doesn't like the game the way it is intended to be made.. you don't have to play it, or you can make your own. I hear Nintendo is willing to work with Indie developers. Heck Conception 2 on both the Vita and 3DS lets you make babies with guys.
At least someone hit the point; b:
Equating homosexuality to incest is the trademark of the uneducated fundie.
Another "great" comment:
Based on this article and the actions of most homosexuals, i've come to the conclusion that they're the ones who are uneducated. Wanting to change everything under the sun to fit them? What's next a gay superman, a gay batman, a gay ralph cramden? Don't be stupid. If a company wants to create a game their way, you don't have to buy it or play it. It's a game not a law.
I only want to judge this particular case. And in this particular case, homosexuals complained about a game that consciously thematises relationships as a main element of the game. I believe that it's only fair to include both hetero- and homosexual couples. A part from taking away the possible immersion and identification for players that are actually gay or lesbian themselves, it's also just a missing feature for any player who would like to create a homosexual character in their game. Because, in my eyes, a tolerant player is completely indifferent about the feature and should even welcome it because after all, it's just one more possibility of playing the game. And that is good. If you play a football game, isn't it just good if there are more football teams available even if not everybody wants to use them? (As long as this doesn't obstruct other aspects of the game, for example by straining the games' memory capacity).
Nintendo apologised for not having done that from the very beginning, promises to care about it in the next titles and there the story should reach its end.
But then the media comes and I read news titles like this one in the BBC:
Nintendo says 'No' to gay game characters
Who on Earth said 'No' to anything? They said that they couldn't patch the game afterwards. That's all. I firmly believe that all the arguments about 'gay people trying to change everything under the sun to fit them' are plainly ignorant.We're talking about a particular case where relationships are the central element of the game. Isn't it a natural choice to include different possibilites of relationships?
I mean, I am not interested in these kinds of games and even if I was, I would buy the game either way, with or without homosexual couples in it, since it doesn't concern me personally.
What I actually do find worrying are the reactions, mostly coming from the people against the implementation of gay/lesbian relationships. The majority of them seems to apply their general disagreement regarding the fight for equalism of homosexual people and don't even think for a single instant about the validity of their statements in this particular case.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly as "extremist" as the actions of gay/lesbian extremists (whom I don't support either, of course). It's exactly this attitude that prevents us from progressing (compare that to the way the Spanish government is handling abortion).
If anybody has the time and is interested in the topic, I invite you to comment on this post and tell me your opinion about this story (I'm pretty sure I'll receive like ln(1) comments)
mathjokesftw
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