Fire Emblem Fates Will Allow Same-Sex Marriages

Nintendo has confirmed that Fire Emblem Fates will be the first title in the long-running strategy series to feature same-sex marriages.

In Fire Emblem: Awakening, it was possible to marry characters you had formed a strong bond with, but it was only possible to wed members of the opposite sex. In Fates - which is due out next year in the West - you'll be able to engage in a same-sex partnership.

The actual nature of these relationships depends on which version of the game you buy, as Nintendo explains:

Fire Emblem Fates comes in two different versions, called the Conquest and Birthright editions. In the U.S., Conquest and Birthright will both be sold separately, as is already the case in Japan. For those who have purchased either the Conquest or Birthright edition, a third edition will be made available as downloadable content at a later stage. Details on how the three storylines will be made available in other regions will be announced at a later date.

In the Conquest edition of the game, there is a male character that the game's player may have his/her male main character marry after they bond in battle. Similarly, the Birthright edition features a female character that a female main character may marry after bonding in battle. Both of the aforementioned characters can be encountered in the third edition of the game.

Nintendo has previously come under fire regarding its approach to same-sex relationships in its video games, most famously with Tomodachi Life. This move will therefore be seen as a very progressive one, and should be welcomed by fans.

In an additional statement, Nintendo said:

We believe that our gameplay experiences should reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate and, at the same time, we will always design the game specifications of each title by considering a variety of factors, such as the game's scenario and the nature of the game play. In the end of course, the game should be fun to play. We feel that Fire Emblem Fates is indeed enjoyable to play and we hope fans like the game.

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