Anti-Gay Campaign Targets EA

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http://games.ign.com/articles/122/1222404p1.html

Anti-Gay Campaign Targets EA
Thousands of letters hit publisher of games featuring LGBT character-options.

EA is the target of an anti-gay letter-writing campaign.

The company has received "several thousand" letters objecting to its inclusion of same-sex relationships in recent games.

According to report in GamesIndustry International, the letters have been sent to a cross-section of senior leaders at EA, often carrying a threat to boycott EA games unless it changes its policy.

The company says it will continue to include LGBT characters in its games, as options. EA's chief spokesperson Jeff Brown said, "Every one of EA's games includes ESRB content descriptors so it's hard to believe anyone is surprised by the content. This isn't about protecting children, it's about political harassment."

Recent EA games like Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic have included options for characters to engage in same-sex as well as heterosexual relationships.

Many of the letters come from Florida, base of the Florida Family Association, which recently posted a call to action against SW:TOR's LGBT content, and which claims that "extremists" forced EA to include the content.

Brown added, "EA has not been pressured by any groups to include LGBT characters in our games. However, we have met with LBGT groups and sponsored industry forums to discuss content and harassment of players in online forums. In short, we do put options for same-sex relationships in our games; we don't tolerate hate speech on our forums."

Thanks GamesIndustry International.

I find it hilarious that the Florida Family Association makes claims about "extremists" forcing EA to include the content. Obviously they never asked EA before making that claim. Anti-gay groups are not known to actually do any investigations though, other than in a particular work of Bronze Age fiction. Extremists should not throw around the term "extremist" in an accusatory fashion. I am happy that EA responded appropriately to these stupid hypocrites. The level of discourse engaged in by these fools is completely pathetic

It is just so sad that people can't be gay and be left alone homophobes often term out to be gay themselfs like Larry Craig.

I don't understand what the problem is. In the romantic sub-plot of the game, Mass Effect allows for the possibility of homosexual romantic relationships by allowing the player to have relationships with the same characters regardless of what gender you choose for your player character. You can still choose to be straight and male if you want but at least the games also cater to the minority of LGBT gamers.

People just like to have a reason to be angry

So...so I can play a female character AND have sexual relations with another, possibly alien, female character? Win...

Why can't they foucus their hate to people that helped cause the global economy crisis.

Yeah, politicians suck.

They all do I mean why do we elect them when they never do the Job that their payed to do.

maybe its the job thats the problem.

Yeah it is a job that is very corrupt at times.

Yes. And there are also possibilities to have relations with male character while choosing your player character to be male as well as having heterosexual relationships with the same characters by choosing a Shepard of opposite gender. I guess the lesbian options appeal to some guys but you don't really see anything in those sex scenes anyway, they are just the culmination of a romantic sub-plot and only happen towards the end of the game after a hundred hours of gameplay.

Haha, I guess EA care. Cause the Christian hit groups sending the letters are so full of potential game buyers.

Haha.

You do have to give religious people some credit, they are damn good at organizing against things that they rarely are exposed to.

It might turn out that there's a lot of closet homosexuals in the FFA.

... but politicians do a wonderful job. We select them so we have somebody to blame for our problems.