Nintendo issues public apology for Tomodachi Life

We apologize for disappointing many people by failing to include same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to change this game’s design, and such a significant development change can’t be accomplished with a post-ship patch. At Nintendo, dedication has always meant going beyond the games to promote a sense of community, and to share a spirit of fun and joy. We are committed to advancing our longtime company values of fun and entertainment for everyone. We pledge that if we create a next installment in the Tomodachi series, we will strive to design a game-play experience from the ground up that is more inclusive, and better represents all players.

https://www.facebook.com/Nintendo/posts/628547767229680

I question if this really can't be fixed with a patch.

But atleast they actually addressed the issue and weren't just hoping people would forget it happened and move on.

Oh that ?

I thought they apologized for making the game in general.

How many freaking threads does this topic need?

Mods please lock or move to off-topic this is system wars not a social commentary or political format thank you.

No kidding!

at least one more for the hype thread.

But I find it absolutely surprising that Nintendo would apologize for this.

I didn't think Nintendo was wrong in the first place, but it's nice they decided to apologize I guess.

Nintendo's public relations dept most likely decided to issue a statement to shut up the trouble makers. The sad part is now these people will claim victory and now put pressure on Nintendo other products to include their agenda. If Nintendo does not capitulate they will whip up a media frenzy of negative press again.

Nintendo will now be caught in a catch 22 media circus.

They didn't need to apologize, but that's Nintendo PR for you

Talk is cheap

That image is super moe tho

Nice apology, I'm glad they dealt with it professionally.

They should apologize for fooling people into buying a weak console with no 3rd part support ...

Or for selling it at 350 and cutting the price to 300 and not giving the people who supported the initial launch a rebate. How about selling a console with crappy online ??

Yeah :) , I forgot about that.

Good for them, really. They handled this entire issue surprisingly well.

They should also apologize for not being able to have relationships with animals! Dammit Nintendo!

I can't accept their apology. I'm too offended.

Well, that's obviously a lie, they pretty much can but won't. They should just be honest of where they stand on this. Lying just adds another layer of insult.

Not lying it's public relations lol. What it is is really bullshit to keep crybabies quiet. It seems the truth is not very popular these days.

And how do you know they can do it and are lying?

The agenda of wanting some equal representation in regards to player made avatars like everyone else, what a drag. Being more inclusive of other people at the expense of absolutely nobody really sucks, huh.

Thank you for your expertise in this matter but I'm afraid we're going to need some proof that you know what the **** you're talking about.

Well good I guess, but ugh whole thing was just so damn overblown for a game like this.

If it's so simple maybe you should make a game and pitch the idea on kickstarter lmao. Make your own homo sim for little kids and the family market for the world market let me know how that works out for you.

What an aggressively stupid response.

Oh guess it's not so simple after all that what I thought at least be a good troll.

Boy, I don't even care about this "issue" at all, but these topics are getting super redundant.People always feel entitled in gaming and have nerd outrage...I don't care. I'll never even play this crap.

On the plus side, I like these redundant tomodachi daily threads more than sales threads.

I don't know what this "not so simple" shit is in relation to or why you keep saying it.

In case your not up to speed here is a synopsis. Nintendo made a game for the Japanese market aimed at kids for the 3ds. Some homosexual saw the game was coming to the states and there was no homo relationship option. Then idiots everyplace hopped on the bandwagon saying Nintendo was biased by omission. More idiots think Nintendo should spend more time and money to remake a done game just for homo's.

Now your saying the same dumb shit being a sheep. To which I said if you want the option so bad make your own game and submit the idea to kickstarter. You submitted a hurt feelings report and here we are.

@no-scope-AK47: "Nintendo made a game for the Japanese market aimed at kids for the 3ds."
No reason to not include same sex options there.

"Now your saying the same dumb shit being a sheep."
I haven't seen anyone telling Nintendo to remake the game, only to patch it in if possible and if not then put it in a future game. That sounds pretty reasonable to me.

"To which I said if you want the option so bad make your own game"
This is just as dumb and irrelevant as yelling at people "Yeah, let's see you do better!" whenever anyone criticizes something.

CC: @LJS9502_basic: @no-scope-AK47:

In the original release of Tomodachi Life in Japan, there was a "bug" that allowed for same sex Mii relationships and marriage within Tomodachi Life. Within a month of release Nintendo was able to fix the "bug" with a patch. I'd argue they're more than capable of patching the game to include same sex relationships, I don't think they want to for other reasons.

http://www.gamesradar.com/nintendos-response-demands-miiquality-lets-not-talk-about-it/ - see comments made by Nintendo's Bill Trinen

Then again, maybe Nintendo is telling a half truth. I mean Nintendo has various headquarters around the world, so if a game is developed in Japan it'll be sent off to Nintendo headquarters in various territories for localization and distribution. A Nintendo headquarters in a region I imagine is not going to do more than translate the game for its regional market. So, Nintendo of America will not be able to make substantial changes for the game themselves, after all they're relying on the source code of the game from the Japanese developers. So maybe NoA can't do anything, maybe the Japanese developers simply can't because the game released in Japan over a year ago and maybe the development staff is halfway into developing another game at the moment. If that was the case, they should just say so, because that's more believable of an explanation than just saying they can't, not after they've been able to patch it in the past with regards to same sex relationships.

Also, good examples of games substantial altering code for regional markets might be a game like Fallout 3, who had to rename alter drugs in Fallout to allow for certification in Australia, or in Japan they got ride of the Nuke Town mission to save or destroy the town, and also changed the "Fat Man" gun name for obvious reasons. Developers tailoring game code for foreign markets is not an unheard of concept.

What the **** is there to apologize for?

Exactly. If it's simply a matter of designation on a character creation screen, I see no reason why it couldn't be easily addressed in a patch. But if major segments of the game catered to gameplay contingent upon sexual orientation (which there obviously wouldn't be, being Nintendo), then I could understand it being much more foundational to the game's design and a lot of work to implement. But even still, probably do-able with a patch.

Personally I didn't think an apology was even needed, but I wish they'd stop assuming us idiots and have the guts to stand on principle.

tomodachi life needs more yuri

Honestly, I don't see why they had to apologize because they didn't hurt anyone at all yet they are getting flamed.

Because they made a life simulator that needlessly excludes a large part of their audience for no good reason.

So homosexuality can't be fixed with a patch? Strange

@Pffrbt: SO just because a feature is not in a game is now considered "intolerant" based on some peoples opinion?

Homosexuals, obviously. If you're allowed to make an avatar of yourself in game and you're homosexual but your avatar has to be hetero then what is even the point in the first place.

Yes. Either the exclusion was deliberate or it was thoughtlessness. Either case is hurtful and doesn't look good for them.

I wouldn't just assume that homosexuals in general are the ones who are getting bent out of shape over nothing. It would be angry bitchy people who have nothing better to do with their time.

What just happened to game industry .? Remember when games used to be about having fun and innovation in gameplays .?

Actually that's a very good reason as to why they didn't include same sex options. Same sex relationships in japan are more taboo than in the United States or other western countries. They don't have as vocal of a LGBT community although I think awareness of these issues are starting to appear. Gay marriage is not legalized anywhere in Japan as well. I wouldn't really say it's out of the norm for a Japanese company to completely ignore a non-vocal minority group for what was a Japanese only release for the past year. I'm not saying it was right to exclude groups in the game, but there are quite a few cultural/political changes that need to occur before expecting things like same-sex relationships to be the norm in games developed by people from different cultures.

It isn't getting bent out of shape over nothing. It's a legitimate complaint that's entirely appropriate given the style of game this is. "Angry bitchy people" is a far more fitting description of the people complaining about the fact that people want same sex relationships in this game.

It actually isn't though. The only reasons you can list are bad reasons.

"Same sex relationships in japan are more taboo than in the United States or other western countries."
Make it less taboo by acknowledging it and making it a normal fact of life. Putting it in a game where it's entirely appropriate and completely optional is a good start.

"Gay marriage is not legalized anywhere in Japan as well."
Something doesn't need to be legalized to appear in a game.

"I wouldn't really say it's out of the norm for a Japanese company to completely ignore a non-vocal minority group for what was a Japanese only release for the past year."
I wouldn't say that it's out of the norm either, just shitty and ass backwards.

Remember when black people had to use separate facilities than white people? Are you seriously complaining about the fact that people want more progressive games that are more inclusive of those with different orientations.

C'mon Nintendo, get with the times.

I find it absolutely baffling that no one at NoA could see this one coming a mile out. There's out of touch and then there's Nintendo.

Please, Nintendo, don't ever release a game like this in the United States ever again! I'll just leave it at that.

No, it's a very good reason as to why they did not add that to the game. It doesn't matter if you think it's morally right or morally wrong. This is very possibly the reason why they didn't. Japan is an extremely traditionalist country that doesn't have an extremely vocal LGBT advocates. The game was originally targeted for a Japanese only audience; when the game was released a year ago, there was no outcry for any changes because no one thought it was needed as a feature. It's not there goal to change their culture; they're a product of this same culture. This doesn't mean that changes shouldn't be made in Japanese culture to become a more inclusive state, not just for homosexuals but for many other minorities, foreigners, and races as well, but it is a reason as to why a feature like same sex marriage wasn't an initial thought for the initial release of this game.