With same-sex marriage now legal in the UK, and many other countries, it seems to make sense for games to represent that, but Nintendo doesn't agree, it seems.
Its new game, Tomodachi Life, which is due for release on June 6, will not allow "same-sex" characters to marry one another, even though this functionality was present in the original Japanese release, but was subsequently removed via a patch.
Nintendo has responded to criticism saying that it never intended the game to be a "social commentary". The company also hinted that it could be open to reversing its decision, and said "We're using this as an opportunity to better understand our consumers and their expectations of us at all levels of the organization".
This latest controversy comes after Nintendo announced a $500 million operating loss as the Wii U sales have slumped. Sony's PS4 has already outsold the console in the short time it's been on the market, which is something of a reversal given that the Wii has sold 20 million more units than the PS3.
A campaign called #MiiQuality had hoped to change Nintendo's mind on the matter, with its lead campaigner Ty Marini releasing a statement on Vimeo saying "Relationships and marriage are a huge part of the game. The relationships and interactions between Mii characters in the game, coupled with their relation to you in real life, are what makes this game so appealing. I want to be able to marry my real-life fiance's Mii, but I can't".
Whatever your personal preferences when it comes to marriage, gaming is hugely important to young people and it's only a positive thing to let them see all sorts of relationships, and to be able to echo their own feelings. It's also worth pointing out that same-sex relationships are possible in The Sims, so consider that when you're spending your money.
Read more: Nintendo posts huge $500m operating loss as Wii U sales slump
Via: ArsTechnica
