Nintendo Drops ‘Gay Conversion’ Scene From New Video Game ‘Fire Emblem: Fates’ In USA Version ONLY

Fire Emblem Fates Niontendo Gay Conversion

Last year when Nintendo released its role-playing video game Fire Emblem: Fates in Japan it was applauded for its LGBT inclusion when players found out that along with choosing a character’s gender or physical appearance, they could also select sexual orientation. But soon afterward the applause turned to anger after it was found out that players can also opt to drug one of the game’s lesbian characters and transform her into a straight woman.

The interaction in question occurs between Soleil, a lesbian character who gets nervous around women she meets. If the player chooses a male avatar, he can choose to slip Soleil a magic potion without her knowledge. The potion makes her see men as women. Soleil then falls in love with the man who drugged her and remains attracted to him even after the magic potion wears off—a first for her, as she has only been attracted to women. 

Responding to complaints that the game promoted drugging of woman and gay conversion therapy, Nintendo executives announced this week that the company will alter the game for its release in the United States and Europe.

In the version of the game that ships in the U.S. and Europe, there is no expression which might be considered as gay conversion or drugging that occurs between characters,” a Nintendo of America representative told Nintendo World Report

Japanese gamers claim that they  don’t see the scene as a form of gay conversion therapy. Japanese commenters point to inherent cultural differences as the culprit for Western outcries, according to gaming site Kotaku. There’s little information on gay conversion therapy in Japan  and the horrors behind it.

The company will still continue to sell the original version in Japan.

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