CBU3 just slapped every gay, lesbian, trans, queer folk in the face right on Pride

[DPZ2]

The forums need moderators who can actually nip these kind of low-effort troll threads in the bud. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

That only works until a moderator nips your own "not a low-effort troll, but still controversial and important" thread in the bud.

Not going to ask for that to happen. We can either ignore the low-effort trolls or no. After all, folks who complain about responding to troll threads have been posting here regardless.

Personally, I think the Producer's response to the question was shrewdly tactful in not directly addressing the implied question (aside from also not pointing out that FF XVI is rated "M" by the ESRB, and this game is not).

[SeverianLyonesse]

Eh, at this point I do think that an MMO not having any queer characters does amount to avoidance of the issue. GW2 and WoW already did it, and if WoW got there first despite FFXIV having a much large queer following, that's I think a slight against Squeenix.

I would say that just confirming Gaia/Ryne would be enough, but honestly at this point it is too late and would effectively be putting them on a bus since we rarely have reasons to interact with the First.

I don't understand all the backlash against this. Queer people are very present and visible in modern culture--arguably moreso than a lot of particular ethnicities--and deserve to be represented in fantasy, so not including them does amount to a sort of warped perspective of reality. Especially in MMOs which often serve as virtual realities on behalf of very real communities of real people. But more to the point: one, or even several well-written queer characters in a video game is not going to ruin the experience for anyone. They will just exist alongside the dozens of other characters. It seriously isn't asking much of the developers or the players when you are looking at the size of an MMO cast.

Also, while I will reserve some judgment given that we are dealing with a translated interview: if Yoshi-P is seriously suggesting that the idea of "diversity" is solely racial and excludes gender/orientation or other axes of diversity...oof. That is such a thirty years ago idea of diversity.

[DBriggs304]

Faux Backlash rage
Real troll bait though

[GrimGale]

Lemme heal Runar's broken heart

[Mimilu]

That only works until a moderator nips your own "not a low-effort troll, but still controversial and important" thread in the bud.

Aw, you think my job idea threads, polls, and threads telling people are cute are important. (⺣◡⺣)♡*

[Bitmoar]

Unfortunately for you I'm into that! Slap me harder YoshiP! Mmmmm yes give me that gender locked gear~! Ahhh just like that

[DiaDeem]

If I became SE boss tomorrow, first thing I'd do is shut down this godforsaken place, introduce frequent e.mail surveys for direct feedback, and move this 40 people community to an official Discord.

[Sea-Wolf]

Personally, I don't *need* to see romantic relationships in the game between NPCs.. If any of the characters are gay, straight, whatever.. does it add anything substantial to the story? Just feels like pandering ... but I guess here we are..

Ryne and Gaia's love story shows that LGBT romance does add substantial to the story and is also at the same time nuanced... But CBU3 is refusing to make another queer love story.

[Sea-Wolf]

I genuinely have no idea why people feel the need to have explicitly gay characters in 14 when there isn’t really explicitly straight characters either.

There are so many Straight Romances in the game!!

Urianger and Moenbrynda (but Urianger could be genderqueer/non-binary themself.)
Yshtola and Runar
Yda and Papalymo
Thancred and him flirting with girls.
Godbert Manderville and Julyan Manderville (in fact that are the Classic Old bickering Couple Trope).

[Sea-Wolf]

Stay the eff away from kids.

Kids can be gay or lesbian or trans... Kids can be LGBT.