Am I the only one that’s shocked that there’s so much discussion around whether or not same sex romance arcs are going to be included in Star Wars: The Old Republic? Seriously, who gives a shit?
Well it seems quite a few people do. The announcement on Tuesday, which is posted below, where BioWare announced that same-sex romances would not be included at launch is now over 325 pages, full of comments and replies. Do these people realize this is just a game and that this isn’t going to legalize same-sex marriage in the galaxy, right?
Due to the design constraints of a fully voiced MMO of this scale and size, many choices had to be made as to the launch and post-launch feature set. Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature. Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options.
Unless you’re some nut job who thinks gays are the source of all evil and you’ve made it your mission to stop BioWare from desecrating Star Wars lore, why does anyone else care? It’s just a quest story-line that effects nothing. I get it some people are uncomfortable about gays and those people will have to go through the “emotional abuse” of completing a quest story-line with gay characters, but no one is forcing them to buy this game or to run that quest line. For the rest of you, I just don’t know. Why do you care?
When they release same sex romances is the day i unsubscribe!
james r u a homophobic or something
Tell ya what, Jimmy, you’re not wanted in the game. Your fear and homophobia aren’t welcome. So, here’s what I’ll do for you. Go ahead and set up a Paypal account, then let us know what it is here. I’ll personally reimburse you for whatever costs you’ve already paid toward SW:TOR. That way, you will never EVER have to worry about being exposed to people who aren’t frightened about same-sex relationships. Fair enough, bigot?
Why is this article so negatively-written? I would think such a website would have a *little* less biased-writers…
Chris very well put, I agree 100%.
Honestly who cares if same sex romances are allowed? Its not like they are going to force you to go down that path, its just an option…
I’m personally very happy there will be same sex romance arcs eventually. I think it sends the right message, that “Hey, we listen to the multi-hundred page threads you guys made back in 2008, and we care what you want” and it also sends a message that Bioware will deliver the same level of choice we’ve come accustomed to in their past games (Kotor Juhani, mass effect’s blue girl, lilliana, ect…)
I will personally participate in any same-gender romance arcs my character can do. It’s actually the only kind of romance arc I’m interested in. As a bisexual woman, I don’t need to romance guy characters cause’ my sexy hubby is way better, but it’s nice to pretend to be with a girl sometimes. :)
It really surprised me that LucasArts omitted them from the beginning with KOTOR. Lucas is a pretty liberal guy. Then again, I guess the decision was purely a business one when KOTOR came out due to opinions on homosexuality being much less accepting. Much has changed in the last 10 years in regards to acceptance.
I guess the lesson is that you can’t stop progress. It may be slow, but we’ll get there in the end. Ultimately people will have to make a decision: “Do I want to be George Wallace standing in the school doorway or do I want to be on the right side of history when future generations look back in shame?”
Well, I am pretty sure we wont see the same sex stuff and if they do implement it – i do hope its a private thing that other players are oblivious of.
That way everyone is happy – there, sorted.
Believe you me alot of people do ‘give a shit’ for reasons you need not bother yourself with if it doesnt bother your life.
Yes we have come along way in terms of acceptance and there will probably be lots of MMOS emopowering gay people in the future.
Hopefully I will be dead then.
Pffft! same sex, different sex, why ruin all the action with any kind of namby pamby romance stuff anyway. Its a computer game – Make War not Love!!!
What you fail to see, of mike coq lord, is that what you think is not a big deal, means allot to other people. Let me put this in perspective for you. Generally speaking, almost all gamers are viewed slanderously as “gay losers”… yet you pobably don’t see yourself that way. Also, a game leaves out a few things like, oh linkable items in chat… all the nerds go up in arms…why? its just, as you say, A GAME! so before you cover your racism and snide comments, you might want to take a look at your pathetic gamer self, because, like gays, no one wants you in their towns, communities, etc…
They seem to be lining it up for latter patch, as well? Even less a big of a deal. I’d almost suspect simply announcing this for publicity.
I guess to look at it from the other perspective, it’d be like if the game only had same sex romances and no hetro ones. But even then I’d shrug, unless somehow I had to do them to complete the game (if that’s not my character, then it isn’t my character).
Adding this is not a big deal. Any conversation with you companions is instanced so no one else will see it. You won’t stumble into any kind of romantic story arc unknowingly since the options that lead to such are clearly marked.
A few have on the SWTOR forum stated that even seeing the vaguely worded option for same sex romance arc on their conversation wheel will make them physically ill. All I have to say there is that these people better stay away from TV, newspapers, magazines, movies, books, the internet and the outside of their houses.
I am just curious about what sort of perspective the people who are against SGR story arcs can seriously have in regards to fantasy lore in general. You have this immensely fabricated universe that is populated with a infinitude of things that don’t actually exist (this being the Star Wars universe.) This universe is a reflection of human or semi-naturalistic ideas that are enveloped within the lore and the fantasy itself. If this wasn’t the case you wouldn’t have a Star Wars universe at all. So isn’t it conceivable that within this immense universe, that you are so drawn to if you enjoy Star Wars in general, there might just be at least one entity with homosexual tendencies. Is it so preposterous that a game that is attempting to portray the vastly diverse universe embodied by the Star Wars conception would also, as a matter of pure minutia, include aspects of emotional, psychological and dare I say sexual diversity that are reflective of the human experience.
Furthermore, I think it’s hilarious that people could actually incorporate non-acceptance of diversity into their ideas about this game. It is not as if George Lucas said, “Well when we originally conceived Star Wars we imagined a tumultuous conflict in a galaxy far, far away within a universe exempt of sexual diversity but full of inoffensive cool shit.”
I guess I’m one of those so called “nutjobs”. There was never any gays in Star Wars. I cancelled my pre-order and I think it’s absolutely disgusting that Bioware would add them in.
My advice to any person who disagrees with homosexuality is to stand up and be counted, voice your opinion, and don’t give Bioware your money.
What I like about the announcement is the way it shall be added to the game as a patch.
You cannot get cooler than a “Coming Out” patch where characters from all across the galaxy discover there true orientation.
@ Patrick. There are examples of homosexuals in the Star Wars universe; Juhani, Goran Beviin and Medrit Vasur. It is also beyond dense to think that there are no homosexuals in a galaxy, even one far far away, teeming with life, not least of all humans, where cross-species interests exist (female tweleeks sure seem popular)
You’ll also have to forgive me if I won’t shed any tears at the loss of intolerant, fearful and hateful people.
David Gaider’s statement “And the person who says that the only way to please them is to restrict options for others is, if you ask me, the one who deserves it least”
@Rawen. Well said, my friend.
@Patrick. WTF is wrong with you? Cancelling a subscription because of a completely optional romance plotline made to reflect something that is perfectly normal in modern society? I honestly have to thank you for this. I cannot imagine myself playing alongside a spiteful homophobe like yourself. Thanks for doing the world a favour, bigot.
And btw I’m not gay, I just get so raged when intolerant throwbacks like you spread their hate on forums and comments. Enjoy pariahhood, troll.
Think of it this way, people that want it, get it, and people that dont want it can ignore it, everyone wins(except bioware, they just get more work to do =))
For more hot button issues that have nothing to do with the game lets add:
abortion options, NRA mobs, gay marriage(might as well now), vegetarian option, cross dressing, child sweatshops, green energy solutions for vehicles, ‘big oil’ raids, etc…
I mean, why stop with giving everyone the option of being gay in a game?
If they adding sgr, I want some sexbots or some beastiality included as well.
What’s funny is that Bioware has added same sex romance in all their RPGs, going back to 2005. I remember when people (primarily those retarded family groups) were freaking out over Mass Effect. They called for a boycott, told people not to buy the game, said they would make it fail … how did that work out? Oh ya, it was wildly successful and won multiple awards. LOL, nice try.
Anyone upset with this is a moron, because they are not smart enough to realize that they will NEVER see it. If you have played Dragon Age or Mass Effect, you know that there is a huge process before you even see the flirty options. You don’t start that process, you don’t see any “same sex” options. People are freaking out over something they will never see.
But if you want to quit the game, GOOD. We don’t want to play with people who restrict options. Go back to World of Warcraft where there is no romance, but people get naked and simulate sex with other naked people of the same gender . . . we call this place Goldshire.
As a straight man, I fully support this. Because if I make a girl character, I still want to flirt with females and not males. As a guy, do you really want to be forced to only flirt with men if you make a female character? That is even more gay.
I go and kill those people at goldshire with my none gay Blood Elf rogue… Nothing like killing them from the back . The way they like it ;)
LOL@ all of the butthurt homophobes on the SWTOR forums. If you seriously cancel your preorder because other people will be given the option to have a fake gay relationship, then you truly are one of the most hilariously retarded people on the planet. I’m straight, and I seriously don’t understand the people who get so upset at the mere suggestion of homosexuality. I truly believe those people are the ones who are not comfortable with their own sexuality. People like James and Patrick probably have slight homosexual tendencies, and are so freaked out and afraid of them that they have to convince themselves that homosexuality is evil and wrong and try to avoid any mention of it. Get a life.
Don’t post on forums, contact Wal-Mart, Bill O Riley, Jay Sekulow and otrher conservative activists…..posting here will do nothing. Don’t be the SILENT majority on this. They got this done with all the massive posts on swtor…..
Yup, if you don’t want to see dudes kissing dudes, you must blame gays for all the evils in the world.
It’s the only logical conclusion, Mike.
concerned (and patrick, etc)
How does it work for you? It’s just like wrong because…it’s wrong? Like, you can’t actually point to any particular thing homosexual practice causes. It’s like if I were to say lampshades are wrong but couldn’t explain to you any effects or things they do, all I could is keep saying lampshades are wrong, would you buy that from me? You’d actually take me seriously?
You feel really, really, really strongly that you disagree with homosexuality or that it’s wrong somehow. Well, I feel really, really, really strongly that I disagree with lampshades and they are wrong.
Respect mah opinion! And tell a conservative activists that lampshades are what stops X country from being great again!
Who gives a shit about relationships in a video game.
I’ll be gay and straight and gay again. People play females in games when they’re male, why can’t I play a gay character if I’m straight or vice versa?
Who -CARES-. It’s not REAL.
Callan S. You asked why it could be considered wrong. One view point could be that it doesn’t contribute anything to expanding the human race. Hetero relationships can possibly end with new life. Homo relationships can’t. Ever. Sure there’s artificial insemination but that’s just cheating :P.I’m not really arguing against the “SGRA’s” just tossing out one potential view point. I can say that, yes, I am bothered by two dudes making out. Sorry. It’s gross to me. If I don’t have to see it then hey, go at it. Am I bothered by two chicks making out? Nope. Hypocritical? Maybe from one view point. Having said that though I don’t want to see ugly people make out either. Sorry. Keep it in doors.
To whomever it was that said Dragon Age nor Mass Effect forced us to see any homosexual flirtations I would like to direct you to Zevran in Dragon Age Origins and Anders in Dragon Age 2. They both hit on/flirted with me and I assure you I made no move to instigate it and quickly rectified the situation at a -approval/+rivalry penalty.
In summation; it doesn’t bother me that it’s in Star Wars or even Dragon Age. It does however bother me that it’s in Mass Effect 3. Bad ass military dudes making out is… just wrong.
“A thought”
And…like were really lacking in breeding capacity right now?
If there were only ten people left in the world, half women, half men and all of one one half demands to be gay, I’ll grant, I’ll call that wrong at the level of extinguishing a whole species over that.
But as is, how does what you say even warrant bringing up what you did?
There’s like no practical level to what your saying? Well, then, watch out for the lampshades. They are wrong as well!
Bad ass military dudes making out is… just wrong.
Why? Granted I don’t want to sit through watching it, but whatever. Does it undermine your hero worship – aww, go on, don’t try and call them bad ass, but then pretend that isn’t a kind of hero worship.
Remember Sodom and Gamora….when God burned all the gays and lesbians with fire from the sky? he did that because he did not create the male anus to accept male sperm….thats why female vagina when sperm enters it can create a baby…..sperm in the mans bum creates nothing
i am also homo. i get undressed before playing, i love to rub my penis over your toon when i see you on the screen. much LOVE.
Joke, im not homo, but i do taht shit everyday. all your names here got penised by me.
JayMac, no, I don’t remember sodom and gamora – are you being that is thousands of years old, who witnessed some sort of event there?
Honestly I wonder if you had been raised from a baby with someone pointing at a book and telling you the book said clowns are evil, how much you would utterly treat that as the truth today.
Mind you, clowns are evil. So maybe I make a point against myself?
Really? You mean bioware’s not gonna get the intolerant fundamentalist Christian dollars? They’re doomed. DOOMED!!
Go crawl back into pre-civil rights America where you belong.
If you’re some nutjob who doesn’t like homosexuality… omg, now… stick with me on this one. Just… you know… ignore it.
As a Christian, you disagree with Buddhists. With no belief in a savior, on top of reincarnation, they stand diametrically opposed to your beliefs… but no one tries to deny them jobs or service at our businesses. No. We just ignore it if we disagree with it. We teach our kids differently.
Just play the damned game and quit you’re whining. My guess is you’re terrified that, when no one’s looking, you’re gonna roll up a gay character and run off to experiment.
lol. newbs.
If they make a parental control option that allows parents to lock out the ability for their children to access the homosexual patched content, I think you would not see the outcry you are seeing now…
Like it or leave it.. Millions of peoples religions do not agree with homosexuality and that is at the base of the issue here many of you think that it is ok and as many more think it is not… so it is subjective… neither side should be slighted…. if you want it in the game you are welcome to it… much like profanity in chat… uncheck the filter… if you dont want it you should not be forced into accepting it.
i rly hope homosexual relations are not in the game, children don’t need to see that or play it that way
So let me get this straight…
male + male = bad!
human + twi’lek = good?
I guess it’s lucky for the Hate-nerds out there the bible didn’t say anything about aliens or you’d have to meet real girls, and come on, we all know talking to other people is scarier to you than gays ever where.
Get your own life amoebas!
I’m rather excited about this, as I don’t really like to play female characters in MMOs, while I do want to see all the romance side missions.
On the subject of lore, one of the main reason SW universe is so attractive to me is it’s diversity of cultures and customs. It would be rather silly to assume that something as natural as homosexuality doesn’t exist there. Much more likely that it’s not only practiced but have cultural significance in many societies in a manner similar to those of Ancient Greece or Medieval Japan.
I honestly expected sexual relationships (including same-sex variety) to play a role in Sith hierarchy, but I guess developers was afraid of possible controversy. God knows, there are lots of very loud imbeciles and populists blaming games for everything.
Raised as a “Christian” myself I am continually baffled by people who read the same book as I did and came away with the so much hate and intolerance.
Having moved and now living in the lesser educated part of the bible belt, I now, however, have a better idea
Just shut up, go hole up in your little compounds with your 6th grade educated drunk of a pastor who reads one line out of the Bible and assumes he knows what it means and stop giving the rest of us a bad name.
I’ve got news for you, Jesus would be ashamed of you, he preached love and acceptance not hate and intolerance.
I don’t like it but IF they are going to put SGRA into the game then aleast make it so that you don’t have to deal with it. Give you that opition of doing it if you want but, cause I don’t want my Male Trooper who I see as a brother in war coming on to me!!! At All!!!
And just to clear it up for you over board pro gay gamers. Their was no SGR in ME ever!! Liara is an alien not a female her RACE IS MONOGENDER!! GOT THAT!! SAME THING WITH KOTOR NO SGR!!
Bioware has made the game political and religious with this particular statement in their game. Considering that homosexuals and heterosexuals don’t see things eye-to-eye at all on this matter in regards to sexual preference, wouldn’t it have been much more reasonable to make a “GAY VERSION” of swtor and a “STRAIGHT” version of swtor? That way, both types of folks on BOTH sides of the fence could basically be happy, and there wouldn’t be any kind of … hate… like this on this page, here. Instead, anyone stating their opinion is being thrashed and demoralized. No longer a free country where folks are entitled to their opinion or you’re a ‘bad guy’, eh? Maybe it’s better off not having an opinion at all. That’s just where the liberals would probably want us. In regards to “Tolerance” – there doesn’t seem to be much tolerance at all on this page for anyone’s opinions. Especially for those that are *not* gay, those folks are accused of being “homophobic” and given all manner of nasty commentary. Considering that commentary seems to be coming from the “peaceful, loving, liberal, just-be-yourself folks”, it’s harrowing to see their true behavior come out, as always, in this kind of hateful torrent. I’m sure there are larger things at work in a scale beyond what folks can see. So, keep it up… Divide and conquer. It’s the oldest rule in the book.
“wouldn’t it have been much more reasonable to make a “GAY VERSION” of swtor and a “STRAIGHT” version of swtor? ”
Please don’t assume you speak for all heterosexuals. I’m a heterosexual who is very glad to see this addition, and prefers that it is non-optional.
If you want to make it politically neutral, then a switch to turn off relationships would be the way to go. Otherwise, you are endorsing the world view put forth many times above that homosexuality is something you can “agree” or “disagree” with- something that is an issue with two sides. It isn’t- homosexuality exists, empirically, and has always existed. It’s not homosexuality that you agree or disagree with, it’s whether or not it is ok to behave cruelly to people who are homosexual.
I’m fine with the ability to opt out of sexuality in the game. I’m not ok with the ability to turn on a switch that reinforces a hateful world view.
LOL you idiots … let them allow same sex romance i got only 1 word for all “homophobes” LESBIANS!! dumb asses ….we can have lesbians you fools !!!
I love how because i disagree with your sexual preference i am “hateful”. I am not hateful i just share a different set of values. In my moral view of the world what homosexuals do is unnatural. I chose not to be around or endorse the homosexual lifestyle. How does this make me hateful? The hate i see coming in this post is from those that don’t share my views: intolerant, hateful, loser, to quote a few. I play this game for fun and i have a daughter that plays also. She is young enough to not need the confusion that would come from ssra’s. And since there is no biological link to homosexuality, it is a choice. I would have no problem if there was a way to lock those options out on an account type basis so she would not need to be exposed to that endorsement. I will tho cancel my sub if there is not an opt out option when the ssra’s are released, not because i hate people but because i disagree with their choices and because i am not being given an option to opt out of the exposure to it in game.
Also the the lampshade author thanks for being reasonable and civil. it was nice to see a polite argument without all the hate filled rhetoric. But to you i would challenge you as to what, from the perspective of the species, does homosexuality accomplish. Because as a heterosexual my relationship ensures the perpetuation of the species as well as offering a new diversity in that species.
o and also, a funny story.
z100 in the morning the host is open about his sexuality and was talking about how he and his sig other cant poo around each other. i found this funny given the entry and exit of their lovemaking.
WTH is romance doing in an MMO anyway? You want romance, read 50 Shades of Grey? No matter how much they emphasize story, how much they emphasize rpg, MMOs are for combat. You want cybersex (whatever kind), they have chatrooms for that.
Great!
Thank you for doing the rest of us nonbigoted tolerant people a favor! :)
Sorry I stumbled across this really really late. And usually most recent comments are at the top…
thanks for the comments Josh please try not to fall off your high horse while patting your own back so vigorously.