-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Campaign for More Male Same-Sex Romances in Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Thread starter Pau
- Start date
I was really waiting for Pau to send the "big community letter" to the Treehouse Tumblr. I didn't wanna go rogue and make us look bad
It just doesn't seem very likely for a game that's already released. Would I want it, most certainly. But at this point, there's not much we can do besides voice our complaints & hope that they take it into consideration next time around. There's only so much that can be done on our end, especially post-launch.
Have you missed the months of people doing just that? Everything simmers down after awhile, and it's now been weeks since the game's release.
Many want it just as badly now, but aren't going to post consistently about it forever. Others were satisfied with the numerous surprise non-avatar m/m pairings, and/or began caring less after realizing what a footnote the pairings were in the end.
People haven't given up. You're letting your frustration get the better of you, something I've done too many times.
Just keep at it. Even when it seems hopeless.
OP
OP
They're Tumblr hasn't been updated in a year so I'm not expecting much, but still worth doing.
I wouldn't worry about that. If you'd like to post the message here we can all take a look, but it does seem like doing things collectively is going to take more time.
I wouldn't mention the monetary stuff and just leave in the bit about it being a symbolic gesture. Maybe also mention that a patch is wanted because there is a desire for these options with characters in Three Houses because how much people like the characters?
So according to the poll, I shouldn't expect any action anytime soon? I've learned that the romance in this game isn't that great in the first place, but I hope we get another title from Nintendo with LGBT elements that isn't 5 years in the future when I'm not a horny college student anymore.
As I previously stated, "general awareness" is a nebulous nothingburger of a plan. I'm hoping that's not a direction this chooses to go in.
I genuinely don't think it's good enough if all we got was an acknowledgement to "do better next time." Giving only one gay option for men for the entire game is such a slap in the face. At the very least there should be one option per house (yes I know you can recruit from other houses) and it should absolutely be patched in. How the hell do you make a character like Claude and then not let guys romance him?!
A patch would probably feel shoe-horned and wouldn't adequately represent these patched-in relationships in quality standards of existing ones; a fleshed-out romance via patch? Would be great, but it's not realistic. A paid DLC would probably be better, but considering they may have already existing plans and concepts on how to move on I'd prefer general awareness for that topic in anything that is to come, including upcoming DLC and primarily next games.
If there is any hope for anything like that added it would be with DLC4 which comes out in 2020. So unless that hasn't been fully cleared and Nintendo listens to fan feedbacks then maybe something happens with that. However, I would be surprised if it did.
The issue is many AAA Nintendo games are made out of Japan, with Japanese sensibilities and values. When their left-leaning government has leaders that believe supporting LGBT rights will result in "brothers marrying each other, parents marrying their children, maybe even pet marriages, or marriage to machine", how can you expect a conservative company like Nintendo of Japan to rally behind the LGBT community? It could alienate not only their Japanese audience, but also their Japanese staff.
Sadly it's also relatively common for openly LGBT people in Japan to be stigmatised. A good friend of mine simply doesn't get work as a Tokusatsu stuntman because that industry knows he is gay, despite there being demand for white stunt men in Tokyo. It's unfortunate.
So I say keep at it, but remember it'll be baby steps.
If Nintendo keeps up this baby steps thing... well, let me put it this way. I'm 21 years old. Nintendo targets their fanservice both genders to people my age, give or take 5 years. If I have to wait 20 years for these "baby steps", I'll be a 40 year old man right when they finally give equal representation to 20-year-old twinks that I will no longer be sexually interested in (well, unless they make the dad type units gay too). It is literally pointless for me to wait for representation from Fire Emblem in the future because I won't want it in the future. In 20 years using this awful "baby steps" idea, I will be too old to even remotely be pleasured by characters like Lindhart. So I need gay representation NOW. I'll settle for "within five years", but that is the absolute maximum time I am willing to wait for Nintendo to get it together.
I. Fucking. Want. My. Queer. Young. Adults. In. Nintendo. Games. Now.
Not in 20 years. Now. Five years tops.
Hell, that applies to you too Squeenix, Bamco, and Atlus. Five years.
I don't see such a change happening that quickly, at least not with their Japanese output. Perhaps it would be more strategic to ask their US and European counterparts to add LGBT elements to their localisations.
I'm not trying to tell you that you're wrong for being disappointed in the current status quo or in asking for change. However, I don't really know what to make of the tone of posts like this. You've started a five year clock to remedy the situation and there's an implied "or else" threat if these demands are not met. And I'm not really sure I understand what that "or else" would entail.
What happens if the clock runs out is that I'd be too old to properly enjoy any LGBT representation (i.e. bishonen) in Fire Emblem without feeling like a creep
What do you expect to change this so rapidly, exactly? Mass consumer revolt?
It just seems like you have a lot of (understandable) anger that feeds on itself because these things don't change overnight.
Last edited:
I'm worried they're only going to change after their LGBT options become irrelevant to me. I only get one teenagerhood, and I'm not feeling as satisfied about mine as sttaight people get. How am I supposed to project upon a game about a high schooler with gay options in twenty years from now? That's why I need it now before it's too late for me.
I tend to think of it more as so future generations can experience what we can't. If I grew up with more queer affirming narratives, maybe I would have had a more positive experience growing up as a queer person. But if things get better in the future, that means queer kids will have better media to consume.
If you're that desperate for LGBT games right now I would suggest looking outside of Nintendo.
You don't have to project your preferences onto the characters though. If in 20 years you can finally play Nintendo gay twink romance games because they exist, it doesn't make you a creep, it's just a game. Be happy for the progress for those after and enjoy the game that you wished you had the chance to play as a teen.
You'll still be horny when you're older. Trust.
That being said, fuck waiting for game developers to catch up at a glacial pace. We definitely need and deserve significant change now.
That being said, fuck waiting for game developers to catch up at a glacial pace. We definitely need and deserve significant change now.
I took the option to raise general awareness for the next game because I don't think they they'll re-hire all the VAs back to add the needed character interactions. That said the FE series is strong with DLC so there's hope I guess.
Only thing that doesn't make me too hopeful it's that it's not like it's a new problem with the FE series, people have been asking this for a while, like ever since Awakening, right?
Anyway, there's been progress made, but them are baby steps, so I can understand the frustration.
Only thing that doesn't make me too hopeful it's that it's not like it's a new problem with the FE series, people have been asking this for a while, like ever since Awakening, right?
Anyway, there's been progress made, but them are baby steps, so I can understand the frustration.
I really don't get what's up with the supports in the game. I'm finally at the time skip why don't any of the the students (and teachers) have S ranks. I have already had several a ranks that feel like the lead in to S ranks in the way the gba games did but they just don't. I've gotten very flirty f/f a supports along more less romantic and more together forever ones. I don't think think I have many m/m ranks yet just a few with the MC like the biggest best boy that seems like a good lead in to S rank. Really strange.
mild ending spoilers re: support mechanics
I think they probably didn't give non-player relationships S-rank scenes is because they decided the player's S-rank would occur after you beat the final map, and I imagine they thought having every single character match-up suddenly have an S-rank conversation after the game is over would drag on for too long.
There are, however, paired epilogues for every A-rank in the game with many having either outright stated or heavily implied romance regardless of gender. Many of these epilogues are quite long for what they are, and go into quite a bit of detail. Honestly, I prefer these epilogues to S-rank conversations-- it feels much more natural.
Also, to clarify: You'll only see one epilogue per character so they aren't marrying everyone they get an A-rank with lol. If you're going for a particular pairing's epilogue, make sure those characters spend the most time with each other up until the end of the game.
There are, however, paired epilogues for every A-rank in the game with many having either outright stated or heavily implied romance regardless of gender. Many of these epilogues are quite long for what they are, and go into quite a bit of detail. Honestly, I prefer these epilogues to S-rank conversations-- it feels much more natural.
Also, to clarify: You'll only see one epilogue per character so they aren't marrying everyone they get an A-rank with lol. If you're going for a particular pairing's epilogue, make sure those characters spend the most time with each other up until the end of the game.
Yeah but I won't have any actual lust involved. Straight teens got to lust after characters all the time.
Yeah but I won't be horny for young people like FE has when I'm older... or if I were then I really shouldn't try to indulge that desire
But I want to. Lots of straight people project their preferences onto characters, such as straight male high schoolers got to when playing Persona 5.
I will definitely try to make it better for the next generation. I refuse to let my young adulthood be wasted though. But Nintendo/Intelligent Systems is wasting it by not letting me indulge in the options I want.
I'd argue that most people don't lust after cartoons but that's not really the point of the thread so I won't go down that road any further.
Yeah, not exactly a big fan of characterizing wanting equal representation as just wanting to have gay sex with Nintendo characters.
"Baby steps" my ass. I'm so sick of people asserting that we can get gradual change. I want to be treated like a fucking human being, not someone who should be slowly, gradually acknowledged by pop culture so I can be satisfied that I'm being represented in a goddamn decade. Folks were talking baby steps a decade ago, and decades before that. Enough is enough.
Again, what do you expect to cause a sudden 180 reversal?
Honestly I see no reason why it can't be patched into the game. The dialogue wouldn't really have to be altered any and all they'd have to do is draw a picture for the S support scenes. There is nothing that really depends on the couple being male and female, so they should just patch it in.
The game has plenty of those, they should be willing to patch in more.
High School DxD exists. It has a freaking "Oppai Dragon" music video in the show. You shouldn't feel titilated by cartoons my ass. If this type of thing is gonna be pandering to straight people, then it sure would be equal to get stuff aimed at gay people, right?
I had to look up what High School DxD even was. Just so we are clear, Fire Emblem Three Houses is not that.
You are free to be titillated by whatever you like. Even if there are gay romance options and characters in Fire Emblem I don't think the point of them is to make the player feel lust, just like the straight characters and situations aren't meant to make you feel that way. You can, it's fine if that's your thing, but I feel like that's not the point. I also could be wrong and IntSys actually wants us all masturbating to cartoons while we play our war strategy game.
As others have mentioned, I don't think Nintendo is the place to get that kind of outlet from.
Er, I updated my message. Could you please reread it? Sorry about that.
Just going to note here - focusing on the interests of the other party rather than your own is a strong negotiating tactic. Talking about your feelings can appeal to sympathy and help them understand the situation - and I think it's worthwhile to do that as well here because game developers are naturally going to be concerned with the players' feelings and experience - but making a case for why they should care has a greater chance of breaking potential apathy.
They don't. A very vocal minority here are crazy about it though.
I can't say I care much about romance but queer stories deserve to be told as much as any other. If they did away with the avatar character and just included a few options for inter-character queer romance I think that would be pretty nice.
What am I really supposed to say? If they don't get why they should care about my experience being unequal and lesser, then what else could I say?
Also, I think I'm going to ask saci to make a thread about this, but I really don't like the idea of "Well why don't you just stick to games by western or queer developers?"
1. They usually aren't anime-styled
2. I shouldn't have to feel left out while straight people talk about Nintendo games.
3. I don't want to be forced into this weird "queers only" gaming ghetto instead of getting to see myself represented in mainstream work. It hurts to be told that I'll only be respected by being around people who are exactly like me. There shouldn't be a dichotomy of "mainstream" and "queer" games. They should be one and the same.