LGBT themes by company or market LGBT themes in video games

1 lgbt themes company or market

1.1 company policies

1.1.1 nintendo
1.1.2 sega


1.2 entertainment software rating board (esrb)
1.3 asian games

lgbt themes company or market
company policies
nintendo

in order legally release game nintendo system, developer must first obtain permission nintendo, reserves right preview games , demand changes before allowing release. in way, nintendo exercises quality control , can prevent content deem objectionable or offensive being released on systems. prior introduction of entertainment software rating board in 1994, game sold nintendo system neither display, nor make reference to, illicit drugs, tobacco , alcohol, violence against women, blood , graphic violence, profanity, nudity, religious symbols, political advocacy, or sexually suggestive or explicit content.

in 1988, creature in nintendo s super mario bros. 2, miniboss named birdo, described in original instruction manual thinking girl , wanting called birdetta . later censored nintendo of america in future appearances of character. in 1992, enix ordered remove gay bar dragon warrior iii, among other content changes, before game sold nintendo system. super nintendo entertainment system (snes) version of ultima vii had substantially altered original computer edition in order remove potentially objectionable content, including ritual murders, , option have male or female bedmate if player paid fee @ buccaneer-run island.

by late 1990s, nintendo had largely abandoned these censorship policies, felt inclusion of esrb ratings on packaging suitably communicate consumers whether potentially objectionable content found in game. in 2000, british video game developer rare released banjo-tooie nintendo 64, featuring gay frog bartender named jolly roger. frog wanted banjo , kazooie rescue co-worker, merry maggie, cross-dressing amphibian appeared jolly roger s lover. jolly roger return playable character in game boy advance game banjo-pilot (2005). rare release conker s bad fur day (2001) nintendo 64, featuring alcoholic squirrel named conker , adventures in world of characters foul-mouthed creatures made various dirty jokes in reference hangovers, homosexuality , oral sex. enix corporation re-released dragon warrior iii game boy color , allowed keep of original content, provided game given teen rating esrb.

although there no policy against featuring such content, nintendo has come under fire omitting option of same sex romance , lgbt expression in franchises (as third party games released on nintendo consoles) on several occasions, notable , vocal controversy stemming video game tomodachi life. marriage plays big role in game, not include option of same sex marriage.

sega

like nintendo, sega policed content of games sega systems. unlike nintendo, sega s initial system of censorship more liberal. content code allowed games have blood, more graphic violence, female enemies, , more sexually suggestive themes.

although sega allowed lgbt themes , characters in games sold home console systems, sega chose tone down or erase lgbt characters when porting asian games american markets. in phantasy star ii, musician s homosexuality edited acknowledgment of sexual orientation practice of charging male characters less money music lessons.

in 1992, when final fight cd released sega cd , vendetta released sega genesis, minor transgender , homosexual enemies censored. sega s streets of rage 3 removed gay villain wearing village people attire , transformed transsexual villain man long hair.

in 1993, sega developed videogame rating council give content-based ratings games sold sega system, reducing need sega maintain content code developers. when rise of dragon developed dynamix sega cd, transgender bar patron retained original computer edition, gay joke relating playable character mistaking girlfriend man long hair. result, game given council s ma-17 rating.

entertainment software rating board (esrb)

in 1994, several top gaming publishers formed entertainment software association (esa) trade association of video game industry. shortly after creation, esa established entertainment software rating board (esrb) independently assign individual games content ratings , descriptors according variety of factors. identification of sexuality falls under sexual content description allowed games rated teen adults .

following establishment of esrb, console developers relaxed in-house regulations in favor of esrb ratings. in 1994, sega dissolved videogame rating council after 1 year in existence.

asian games

most western games made western audience. however, japan, korea , taiwan have large gaming industries produce games local audiences. many video games developed in japan, , effort has been made @ making called gay games. in japanese popular culture, gay , bisexual men considered bishōnen, translates beautiful boys. tied success in japan of comic books , animation open , subtle lgbt characters. select genre of adult pornographic japanese games called h-games includes gay male , gay female subgenres. material not make on west in english, , western reviews of gay male video games tend see homosexuality gimmick in otherwise mediocre game. however, homosexuality, while relatively innocuous among celebrities in japan, can still considered oddity due japan s regimented , conservative social structure. despite lack of strong social stigma, homosexuality in men commonly misconstrued transgenderism , transvestism in japan , open homosexuality rare, due conformity.