Same Sex Marriage

[deathstix]

Edit: The first question that was asked, I believe, was... will there be marriage in FF XIV? The question of same-sex marriage came a bit later.

The fact that SE even addressed the issue during the live event means that they are certainly considering it. Maybe we're ignoring the bit about what the "marriage system" may be like and how it would work.

Maybe two players who've somehow developed a bond decide to obtain a, let's call it, civil union. By allowing so they may be entitled to some benefits e.g. slightly increased buffs if they're in a party, housing entitlements (in Singapore you get more advantages in buying a house from the government if you are married...) etc. I'm sure they'd make it like real-life such that you can't really marry someone and divorce him/her the day after, as such decisions are usually long-term ones.

I don't play other MMOs... do they work something like that or are the marriages just symbolic? (whether or not they're meaningless is subject to individual opinion)

Obviously if they implemented such a system, it would be an issue with some of the playerbase, gay or straight, if it was only restricted to marriage between a male and a female only.

[rina_inverse]

I support same-sex marriage, it doesn't bother me but I can see where they're going with this... Whether or not it's something they'd want to without a doubt include there's a lot of fine print stuff to deal with. Think about it like the contests, each country has their own set of rules and requirements. In some cultures same-sex marriages, even relationships, are heavily shunned and if I'm correct, outlawed. This might be unrelated somewhat but look at stuff regarding some FPS game that came out in one country. I can't remember the name of it but there were these certain pictures put up in a virtual bathroom that got enough fuss because it was against religious beliefs the creators actually had to pull those maps for awhile just to fix it.

SE is only trying to play it safe, being a Japanese-based company, same-sex marriages generally aren't allowed in their country. It's okay, I think, but not really allowed. Putting that into the game like this, especially when their largest playerbase is situated in Japan, could cost them subscribers whereas not allowing it probably won't.

They're not saying you can't hold your own wedding, but they won't officially support or hold one either. And having official support for it may make it more difficult to release in other countries where the very thought of same-sex relationships is banned.

And we have a winner

[Kallera]

The fact that SE even addressed the issue during the live event means that they are certainly considering it. Maybe we're ignoring the bit about what the "marriage system" may be like and how it would work.

Maybe two players who've somehow developed a bond decide to obtain a, let's call it, civil union. By allowing so they may be entitled to some benefits e.g. slightly increased buffs if they're in a party, housing entitlements (in Singapore you get more advantages in buying a house from the government if you are married...) etc. I'm sure they'd make it like real-life such that you can't really marry someone and divorce him/her the day after, as such decisions are usually long-term ones.

I don't play other MMOs... do they work something like that or are the marriages just symbolic? (whether or not they're meaningless is subject to individual opinion)

Obviously if they implemented such a system, it would be an issue with some of the playerbase, gay or straight, if it was only restricted to marriage between a male and a female only.

Many are just symbolic. Or have nothing game breaking. Those with added benefits tend to get exploited, like with Everquest.

[Psion]

And we have a winner

Actually, we don't. In fact, the USA mostly doesn't allow same-sex marriage at all either, and has the defense of marriage act, and yet despite the plethora of hate groups (Westboro church anyone?), gay marriages in western games hit it off just fine. There's no reason to believe japan would be any different, especially since it's got a lot of heavily urbanized areas, places which tend to have higher support for equal marriage rights.

Playing it safe only gets you far, whether as a person or as a company. Learning to see where trends are going gets you much further as a buisness, and the trends have all been toward equal marriage rights.

[rina_inverse]

Actually, we don't. In fact, the USA mostly doesn't allow same-sex marriage at all either, and has the defense of marriage act, and yet despite the plethora of hate groups (Westboro church anyone?), gay marriages in western games hit it off just fine. There's no reason to believe japan would be any different, especially since it's got a lot of heavily urbanized areas, places which tend to have higher support for equal marriage rights.

Playing it safe only gets you far, whether as a person or as a company. Learning to see where trends are going gets you much further as a buisness, and the trends have all been toward equal marriage rights.

SE as a wedding consultant?
Yea, make it happen lol

[Angelas]

I support same-sex marriage, it doesn't bother me but I can see where they're going with this... Whether or not it's something they'd want to without a doubt include there's a lot of fine print stuff to deal with. Think about it like the contests, each country has their own set of rules and requirements. In some cultures same-sex marriages, even relationships, are heavily shunned and if I'm correct, outlawed. This might be unrelated somewhat but look at stuff regarding some FPS game that came out in one country. I can't remember the name of it but there were these certain pictures put up in a virtual bathroom that got enough fuss because it was against religious beliefs the creators actually had to pull those maps for awhile just to fix it.

SE is only trying to play it safe, being a Japanese-based company, same-sex marriages generally aren't allowed in their country. It's okay, I think, but not really allowed. Putting that into the game like this, especially when their largest playerbase is situated in Japan, could cost them subscribers whereas not allowing it probably won't.

They're not saying you can't hold your own wedding, but they won't officially support or hold one either. And having official support for it may make it more difficult to release in other countries where the very thought of same-sex relationships is banned.

EDIT: And another thing to consider. Say it's banned in a certain society or country, and SE release the option to wed the same-sex. Because of this, their game isn't allowed in that country. Well, now also view that they previously had their game in that country. They'll now have to deal with legal nonsense and may even have to issue a refund or worse since those players can't play their game anymore.

So while it is something I want to see happen I can understand their hesitation to make it officially available.

Like I said earlier, there is a long list of things that are banned or restricted in other countries they dont seem to have a problem with..

Most visible violent acts and commerce issues. They have also offered events for certain places and not others and had no problem doing that either.

Religion is a huge issue in many countries, worshiping other gods etc.. yet they have that in the game.. you may call that ridiculous but so is the extreme realism aspect of a gender issue when it comes to marriage on a videogame.. considering we have races mixed with animals and such.. mixed race marriage is allowed but same sex isnt, give me a break, there are still countries where mixed marriages arent considered ok either.. so is a darker skinned player not allowed to marry one of a lighter complexion?

[Orca]

They're doing regional servers right? If they do get feedback thats postively in one direction or the other, im sure theyd could enable/disable. Then if it was SOOOOO disgusting to one individual, that theyd be prepared to leave an entire game full of story, lore, battles, growth systems and friends over the CHANCE of coming across a pair of married lads/ladies.....

Well, then they could just server transfer to a place where it was disabled and carry on playing the game.

[Lurex]

As a gay player I would like for it to be an option, even if I dont get the chance to use it

^This. /10 char

[deathstix]

If SE really wanted to play it safe, they wouldn't have mentioned marriage at all, let alone bring up the issue of same-sex marriage. Actually I'd rather they'd just kept it under wraps and introduced it in 2.0....

and see the droves of people leaving the game for other games (/sarcastic smile).

[Kallera]

Like I said earlier, there is a long list of things that are banned or restricted in other countries they dont seem to have a problem with..

Most visible violent acts and commerce issues. They have also offered events for certain places and not others and had no problem doing that either.

Religion is a huge issue in many countries, worshiping other gods etc.. yet they have that in the game.. you may call that ridiculous but so is the extreme realism aspect of a gender issue when it comes to marriage on a videogame.. considering we have races mixed with animals and such.. mixed race marriage is allowed but same sex isnt, give me a break, there are still countries where mixed marriages arent considered ok either.. so is a darker skinned player not allowed to marry one of a lighter complexion?

A country that clutches its pearls over same sex marriage but says not a word to channeling the power of the primals (like, say,LEVIATHAN) really has no leg to stand on with their supposed piety. Its just power grubby nonsense of politics.