Nintendo defends decision to block gay characters on game

Nintendo has defended its decision to block users from playing as gay characters on their life simulator game.

The Japanese company has attracted criticism for not allowing gamers to engage in same-sex relationships as part of Tomodachi Life, Sky News reports.

Nintendo released the following statement: “The relationship options in the game represent a playful alternate world rather than a real-life simulation.

“We hope that all of our fans will see that Tomodachi Life was intended to be a whimsical and quirky game, and that we were absolutely not trying to provide social commentary.”

Tomodachi Life characters – which are modelled on real people – live on a virtual island.

Gamer Tye Marini launched a social media campaign calling for the introduction of same-sex relationships on the game. Gay marriage is not legal in Japan.

“I want to be able to marry my real-life fiance’s Mii, but I can’t do that.

“My only options are to marry some female Mii, to change the gender of either my Mii or my fiance’s Mii or to completely avoid marriage altogether and miss out on the exclusive content that comes with it.”

Nintendo said that it will not be pressured into introducing same-sex relationships in English versions of the game.

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