Home Gaming Nintendo clarifies removal of “gay conversion” plot from Fire Emblem Fates

Nintendo clarifies removal of “gay conversion” plot from Fire Emblem Fates

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FEFates

Yesterday, it was revealed that the Western release of Fire Emblem: Fates would change a controversial scene from the Asian release. In the game, one of the characters – a bisexual lady who fawns and feints over “cute girls” – has her drink spiked with a powder that sees her attracted to, and fall in love with a man. For many, this scene caused controversy for two reason; it’s just a step away from date rape, and also suggests that homosexuality is a thing to be cured.

I wholly understand why Nintendo might want that changed. Naturally, there have been cries of censorship, and accusation of leftist politics from gamers who want things left as they are. In a statement to Siliconera, Nintendo’s clarified why they’ve made the changes.

“When we localize a game we do so in order to make it appropriate for that particular territory. All our choices were made from that point of view.”

The last Fire Emblem, the excellent Awakening didn’t feature same-sex relationships at all, as the marriage mechanic was essentially a vehicle for creating in-game children. This time, it’s a bit different.

“In the Conquest edition a male main character created by the gamer can pair up with another male character (Niles) which ultimately leads to marriage. Similarly, in the Birthright edition, a female main character created by the gamer can pair up with and eventually marry another female character (Rhajat). Like married couples of the opposite gender, these same-sex couples enjoy the stat boosts that come with marriage, which means when they are paired up in battle they are stronger than when they are apart or paired up with another character.”

“In the third edition, Revelation, that will be released as DLC in the eShop on March 10, a same-sex marriage is possible regardless of the sex of your main character, as both Niles and Rhajat can be encountered in this edition.”

I applaud Nintendo for tailoring games to suit different audiences, and I think the extricated “gay conversion” storyline is a bit rubbish anyway. Besides that, it’s ten minutes in a game that will provide countless hours of enjoyment, so I don’t really understand the fuss over its removal in the first place.

Fire Emblem Fates is out in the US on February 19.

Last Updated: January 22, 2016

No Comments

  1. Raptor Rants

    January 22, 2016 at 09:38

    So…. a love potion. That’s not curing. That’s enchanting. But hey, let’s say it makes it look like it’s “curing”

    Reply

    • Original Heretic

      January 22, 2016 at 09:43

      Apparently it’s a bit deeper than that. The potion actually makes her see all the women as men and vice versa. So when she falls in the love with the man, she’s actually convinced that he’s a cute girl.

      Reply

      • Raptor Rants

        January 22, 2016 at 09:47

        So still enchanting. Magic. A mechanic that’s been in gaming for years.

        I can understand it’s sensitive so it’s removed. But I still think people are making abit of a mountain out of a mole hill kind of thing

        Reply

        • Original Heretic

          January 22, 2016 at 09:49

          Fully agree. The way it’s going to be presented makes it seem to me as if the message is “Doesn’t matter what your preference is if you truly fall in love.”

          Reply

        • HairyEwok

          January 22, 2016 at 09:57

          We wouldn’t have this problem 10 years ago in gaming…. When games were just exactly that, games.

          Reply

          • The Grand Admiral Chief Prime

            January 22, 2016 at 09:58

            ^This

    • Jan Prins

      January 22, 2016 at 09:44

      Yeah. What I would like is some context to the scene. Who does the doctoring of the drink, being one.
      And date rape? If the potion was meant to make the person fall in love?

      Reply

  2. Umar

    January 22, 2016 at 09:48

    Don’t know….I think this very overblown….To me, the scene didn’t seem like homosexuality curing and date rape…but in any case…I could care less about the scene. They did the same with Xenoblade, but it doesn’t affect the game at all..

    Reply

    • Jan Prins

      January 22, 2016 at 09:55

      But here’s the thing:
      Gay and Bisexual people have been fighting for inclusion for yonks now. Now that it is finally happening, and they are being represented/used in plots that have been around for ages, this is now not good enough or downright evil. Am I missing something?

      Reply

      • Umar

        January 22, 2016 at 09:57

        This game has gay marriages, yet people are saying the scene implies that homosexuality can be cured…Seems like unfair outrage taken out on the game for a scene that has little to no impact on the overall story.

        Reply

        • HairyEwok

          January 22, 2016 at 10:05

          It’s all about the Hermaphrodite these days it seems…

          Reply

        • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

          January 22, 2016 at 11:56

          SJWs are ruining everything!

          Reply

  3. Hammersteyn

    January 22, 2016 at 10:00

    This is just stupid

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      January 22, 2016 at 10:31

      You’re face is stupid!

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        January 22, 2016 at 10:40

        It goes well with my grammar…. no wait, that’s not right

        Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        January 22, 2016 at 11:54

        Your face is stupid!

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          January 22, 2016 at 12:03

          At least I have a face, emoticon bot!

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            January 22, 2016 at 12:05

            You take that back! :/ :{ :E

          • RinceThis

            January 22, 2016 at 12:06

            Sorry, CTRL+ALT+DEL? *RUNS

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            January 22, 2016 at 12:07

            { Blue Screen }

          • RinceThis

            January 22, 2016 at 12:08

            Error 404?

  4. HvR

    January 22, 2016 at 10:01

    Just realized Cupid assists with date raping #mind_blown

    Reply

    • The Grand Admiral Chief Prime

      January 22, 2016 at 10:03

      The plot thickens

      Reply

      • Raptor Rants

        January 22, 2016 at 10:06

        The thick plottens

        Reply

        • The Grand Admiral Chief Prime

          January 22, 2016 at 10:11

          The plotter is thick with paper

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            January 22, 2016 at 12:06

            { insert wity comeback }

    • Jan Prins

      January 22, 2016 at 10:03

      Yeah. But what do you expect of a naked cherub shooting arrows at people? Sanity?

      Reply

      • HvR

        January 22, 2016 at 10:15

        Actually ad a cupid to the the cut game scene with a bit of urolagnia and you have a South Park episode.

        Reply

      • RinceThis

        January 22, 2016 at 10:32

        Hey. Careful. That’s was a large group belief structure you are criticizing:P

        Reply

        • Jan Prins

          January 22, 2016 at 10:38

          Was referring to the Cherub, not the people believing in said Cherub and… ag I’ll just file this under Free Speech! Free Speech!

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            January 22, 2016 at 10:40

            You just remember that free speech for later 😉

          • Jan Prins

            January 22, 2016 at 10:43

            Oh you can speech for free all you want. I have learned to ignore stupid people and gingers! 😛

  5. Hammersteyn

    January 22, 2016 at 10:06

    Please PLEASE someone put something like this in a game!

    Reply

    • The Grand Admiral Chief Prime

      January 22, 2016 at 10:12

      That was a weird ass movie, had some good lolz

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      January 22, 2016 at 10:33

      So much win!

      Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      January 22, 2016 at 11:55

      Kingsman was awesome! One of my favourite movies from last year!

      Reply

  6. Loftus

    January 22, 2016 at 10:09

    I have found that “cure potion”

    Reply

  7. RinceThis

    January 22, 2016 at 10:31

    Urgh. GITFS.

    Reply

  8. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    January 22, 2016 at 11:59

    Sigh! I’m getting so tired of the offendatrons! Nothing makes them happy! They’re never content! This isn’t even “gay conversion”. Aaaarrgh!

    Days like this, I actually wish for a large meteorite to just end humanity.

    Reply

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