Topic: Fire Emblem Fates Will Feature Same-Sex Marriages

[Shaymin]

A choice that may make your version selection easier or harder.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/40599/fire-emblem-fates-will-feature-same-sex-marriages

Fire Emblem Fates will feature the option for same-sex marriages.

Following the discovery of an "A+" social rank in the game's Japanese release, Nintendo issued a statement to Polygon confirming the option: "We can confirm that Fire Emblem Fates for Nintendo 3DS, which launches in Japan on June 25, 2015, and is coming to the U.S. and Europe in 2016, includes the possibility for a same-sex marriage to take place between the main character created by the gamer and another character in the game."

The Birthright version of the game, which follows the Hoshino storyline, will allow a female main character to marry a female character, while the Conquest version's Nohr storyline will allow a male avatar to marry a male character. The third, downloadable version of the game will feature both of the characters that can achieve the A+ relationship.

[Aqueous]

Well, great for those who want it and a step forward for gaming. I might use it to get all the supports and call it quits on the feature, if I go for all the supports for once, lol.

[ObbyDent]

Yay!

[Evan_B]

That's very cute. With all the uproar about Tomodachi Life, I can see why they would make the effort.

But I honestly don't care at all about such a feature, either way.

[Enner]

Official Nintendo yaoi and yuri! Huzzah!

[Ian Sane]

Doesn't this game cover multiple generations?  If you go same-sex does that not happen then?  Adoption perhaps?

I thought the Tomodachi Life controversy was a little overblown.  A lot of games don't offer same-sex relationships so why was Nintendo singled out?  Also same-sex marriage is still illegal in many States.  You expect Nintendo to encourage breaking the law in one of their games?  If they put it in they would be making a statement about current laws.  That's controversial stuff.  That would be like having a character in a Nintendo game lighting a joint, something legal in some States but not all.  So I get why they figured that not having it was the more neutral position.  Had they put it in there would have still been an uproar, just from different people.

I only hope that this isn't handled as it was in Mass Effect 3 where suddenly a male friend of my character, that showed no signs of being bisexual in the previous games, awkwardly hit on me.  I understand the intention to accommodate all players but it can be done a little more seamlessly, no?

[Spak-Spang]

It will be pretty funny, if this is a quick patch that lets the couples have children. 

[Soren]

This makes me so happy.

[hhgjf]

I personally don't give a **** but I suppose it's never a bad thing to give people who do an option. Now give us a release date, would you?

[Shaymin]

Doesn't this game cover multiple generations?  If you go same-sex does that not happen then?  Adoption perhaps?

Yes, they'll adopt.

I thought the Tomodachi Life controversy was a little overblown.  A lot of games don't offer same-sex relationships so why was Nintendo singled out?  Also same-sex marriage is still illegal in many States.  You expect Nintendo to encourage breaking the law in one of their games?  If they put it in they would be making a statement about current laws.  That's controversial stuff.  That would be like having a character in a Nintendo game lighting a joint, something legal in some States but not all.  So I get why they figured that not having it was the more neutral position.  Had they put it in there would have still been an uproar, just from different people.

1) It's a fantasy game, your laws don't apply here.
2) The law in question will be a non-issue by the end of the month.
3) /facepalm

I only hope that this isn't handled as it was in Mass Effect 3 where suddenly a male friend of my character, that showed no signs of being bisexual in the previous games, awkwardly hit on me.  I understand the intention to accommodate all players but it can be done a little more seamlessly, no?

Translations of the scripts are available (I'll post them here if requested because well, they're giant spoilers) and it appears to be the culmination of an existing relationship.

[lolmonade]

If this game's marriage system is the same as Awakening, there'll literally be no implications other than you and the character you're married to having good co-operation in battle. 
 
This news doesn't really pertain to me much, but good for those who find value in it.

[Bman87301]

Doesn't this game cover multiple generations?  If you go same-sex does that not happen then?  Adoption perhaps?

I thought the Tomodachi Life controversy was a little overblown.  A lot of games don't offer same-sex relationships so why was Nintendo singled out?  Also same-sex marriage is still illegal in many States.  You expect Nintendo to encourage breaking the law in one of their games?  If they put it in they would be making a statement about current laws.  That's controversial stuff.  That would be like having a character in a Nintendo game lighting a joint, something legal in some States but not all.  So I get why they figured that not having it was the more neutral position.  Had they put it in there would have still been an uproar, just from different people.

I only hope that this isn't handled as it was in Mass Effect 3 where suddenly a male friend of my character, that showed no signs of being bisexual in the previous games, awkwardly hit on me.  I understand the intention to accommodate all players but it can be done a little more seamlessly, no?

*face palm* Someone clearly doesn't understand how the law works...

In the context of same-sex marriages, being "legal" refers to them being specifically sanctioned by the government. It's not the same as with the traditional use of the word in which the alternative is a criminal act (like smoking pot). Here in the U.S., it is not, and never has been ILLEGAL for any same-sex couple to either be together or to declare themselves "married". In fact, the 1st Amendment guarantees the freedom of expression and assembly-- so, even though they may not be legally binding in every state, gay marriages don't actually break any laws anywhere in the U.S.

[Ian Sane]

Something isn't sanctioned by the government in all States.  Putting it in the game gives the idea that you disagree with the laws as is.  That is a political statement.  You can't comprehend how a major company would want to outright avoid something like that for fear of controversy?  It blew up in their face anyway but I can understand why they thought that was the right decision.

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

[Triforce Hermit]

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

Because it triggered someone and they complained. And the media latched onto it like a fly to ****.

[TOPHATANT123]

Something isn't sanctioned by the government in all States.  Putting it in the game gives the idea that you disagree with the laws as is.  That is a political statement.  You can't comprehend how a major company would want to outright avoid something like that for fear of controversy?  It blew up in their face anyway but I can understand why they thought that was the right decision.

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

Wut? You can murder prostitutes in GTA and I'm fairly certain that's not a political statement or a disagreement with the law, it's just a video game.

[Ian Sane]

Something isn't sanctioned by the government in all States.  Putting it in the game gives the idea that you disagree with the laws as is.  That is a political statement.  You can't comprehend how a major company would want to outright avoid something like that for fear of controversy?  It blew up in their face anyway but I can understand why they thought that was the right decision.

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

Wut? You can murder prostitutes in GTA and I'm fairly certain that's not a political statement or a disagreement with the law, it's just a video game.

Well I wouldn't see it as such but some of the moral watchdog groups sure see violence in videogames as an endorsement of it.  I guess that's really a political statement since there isn't any movement I know of arguing that murdering prostitutes should be legal, but it can be taken as a statement in general.

Same-sex marriage is a hot political issue right now.  Nintendo didn't get want to get involved and I can totally understand why a company would want to remain as politically neutral as possible.  I think they thought that by not offering it they weren't taking a side but it ended up being seen as taking the side against same-sex marriage.

[Ian Sane]

I meant to say that's NOT really a political statement in regards to the murdering hookers thing.  Lousy disabling of edits.

[Bman87301]

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this. 

Because Nintendo is seen as a conservative company and that automatically makes them a target to the media.

[Wah]

u know I'm really looking forward to this game..

[ObbyDent]

Something isn't sanctioned by the government in all States.  Putting it in the game gives the idea that you disagree with the laws as is.  That is a political statement.  You can't comprehend how a major company would want to outright avoid something like that for fear of controversy?  It blew up in their face anyway but I can understand why they thought that was the right decision.

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

Wut? You can murder prostitutes in GTA and I'm fairly certain that's not a political statement or a disagreement with the law, it's just a video game.

Well I wouldn't see it as such but some of the moral watchdog groups sure see violence in videogames as an endorsement of it.  I guess that's really a political statement since there isn't any movement I know of arguing that murdering prostitutes should be legal, but it can be taken as a statement in general.

Same-sex marriage is a hot political issue right now.  Nintendo didn't get want to get involved and I can totally understand why a company would want to remain as politically neutral as possible.  I think they thought that by not offering it they weren't taking a side but it ended up being seen as taking the side against same-sex marriage.

What in the ****

[Soren]

Same-sex marriage is a hot political issue right now.  Nintendo didn't get want to get involved and I can totally understand why a company would want to remain as politically neutral as possible.  I think they thought that by not offering it they weren't taking a side but it ended up being seen as taking the side against same-sex marriage.

And, again, why was NINTENDO singled out when a gazillion games don't offer this.  Can you have same-sex marriage in Harvest Moon?

Because it triggered someone and they complained. And the media latched onto it like a fly to ****.

Because Nintendo is seen as a conservative company and that automatically makes them a target to the media.

C'mon guys. This controversy is less than a year old.

Lest we forget why this was an issue when Tomodachi Life first released, Nintendo's response to the fan petition after the gay marriage bug in the Japan version of the game went public was incredibly tone-deaf. So much so that they had to go on full-apology mode two days later. Why? Because that initial statement was anything but politically neutral.

Nintendo can make whatever design decisions they want.But releasing a game in 2014 focused primarily about relationships and marriage and not including options for same-sex marriages is social commentary. Their short-sighted statement about how "The relationship options in the game represent a playful alternate world rather than a real-life simulation" only served to echo the thoughts some people had about the state of society in our current times.

[Soren]

Sorry, instead of "less than a year old" I meant "barely a year old".

[Triforce Hermit]

Nintendo can make whatever design decisions they want. But releasing a game in 2014 focused primarily about relationships and marriage and not including options for same-sex marriages is social commentary.

There are Visual Novels where you can romance women, ghosts, pigeons, and mythical creatures and have sexual interactions and that is the entire point. A very, very, very large majority of them appeal to the straight, male audience. No one cries that this is oppressive towards homosexuality.

98% of the VNs on Steam are meant for straight people. I've seen 1 (2?) that feature yuri. You know what the main complaint on Steam is about every VN? That they censor out all the pornographic content. Not that the homosexual community is under served. And these aren't buried either. They tend to make the front page whenever they release.

Rune Factory has the same purpose where a large portion of the game is romancing, but didn't feature same sex marriage. RF4 was released late 2013.

There is no "social commentary" until someone makes it one.

[Triforce Hermit]

Actually, this crap reminds me of the bullshit with how Team Fortress 2 is supposedly "misogynistic and close-minded" because women aren't playable.

[BiteThePillow]

Wow, I'm actually very proud of Ninty for doing this. Now, it will be interesting to see if gay men in their games are represented by something more than the typical femmy, emotionally hypersensitive, flamboyant stereotype that is common in Japanese media. Someone on RFN put it well when he said, "A Japanese joke about gay people, is that gay people exist." I think it was Johnny Metz, going on about the LoZ character Tingle, and how Japanese often use that stereotype as a form of comic relief.