Nintendo came under fire earlier this week for statements the company made about Tomodachi Life, its upcoming quirky and weird life simulator. The company has now apologized.
Users had organized to have Nintendo implement same sex marriages into Tomodachi Life, but when asked by the Associated Press about the campaign, the company issued a tone-deaf response.
“Nintendo never intended to make any form of social commentary with the launch of Tomodachi Life" the company said. "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.”
Nintendo has now backed off from those comments, and issued a statement suggesting future Tomodachi games might include new elements based on this feedback. Here's the full statement:
"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.