Fire Emblem: Fates controversial scene changed for Western launch
"There is no expression which might be considered as gay conversion or drugging."
Nintendo has altered a controversial scene for the Western release of Fire Emblem: Fates.
In Japan, the 3DS strategy game features a gay character who has her drink spiked by the male protagonist.
The character, Soleil, is shown to have difficulty talking to other women. So the protagonist secretly gives her "magic powder" to make women appear to Soleil as men, and vice versa.
After the magic powder wears off, Soleil can then propose to the protagonist - who she now loves as male.
This scene is one of the many which can occur when players pair up specific characters - a long process which can culminate in a marriage proposal.
The storyline was quickly flagged among players when the game originally launched in Japan last June. Some took offence at the protagonist spiking Soleil's drink. Others highlighted the scene for its transformation of an established gay character suddenly now wanting a straight relationship. (Soleil originally identifies as bisexual, although later confesses this to be untrue).
Nintendo has now issued a statement on the scene, which will not play out the same way outside of Japan (thanks, Nintendo World Report).
"In the version of the game that ships in the US and Europe, there is no expression which might be considered as gay conversion or drugging that occurs between characters."
There's no detail on how the scene has been altered - or if it has just been removed completely.
We've contacted Nintendo for more information.