The Star Wars Gay Ghetto Planet Of Makeb

[Rich Johnston]

Rich and Brendon both contributed to this report.

So there's Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massive multiplayer online roleplaying game from Bioware. It's rather popular.

There are lots of planets, lots of people, lots of quests. It was even designed so that you can get it on with a variety of characters, in a variety of species... but only if they are the opposite gender to you.

Which displeased some gay gamers, it seemed.

PCGamesNreported:

BioWare, in response to demand from fans, decided to bring gay relationships to The Old Republic. They?re doing this in a paid-for update called The Rise of the Hutt Cartel, and including it as a new feature alongside things like World PvP and the ability to copy your character to the Public Test Server. However, the clinically acronymed SGR (same-gender romance) won?t add gay companions for new players. Nor will it turn any existing companions bisexual. Instead it will place some gay NPCs on this new planet of Makeb, meaning gay romances in The Old Republic aren't as developed as straight romances, exist behind a paywall, and are for high-level characters only.

They've basically created a gay ghetto planet, making it the only place your character can engage in gay flings, and then not to the quality or extent as in straight relationships. And you'll pay extra for the privilege.

I'm looking forward to the Makeb-based cosplay at the next Comic Con. And, yes, there will be some.

Fox Newshave noticed their story, and their sub editor has totally recognised the segregation aspect:

Star Wars game segregates gay characters on gay planet.

So, it's certainly not perfect yet but the official statement from Bioware promises better integration of same sex romance in future iterations:

First of all, I want to apologize that this is taking so long to get in the game. I realize that we promised SGR to you guys and that many of you believed that this would be with a companion character. Unfortunately, this will take a lot more work than we realized at the time and it (like some other pieces of content we talked about earlier in the year) has been delayed as we focused on the changes required to take the game Free-to-Play. As we have said in the past, allowing same gender romance is something we are very supportive of.

Secondly, I want to reveal today that we are adding SGR with some NPCs on Makeb and do intend on pursuing more SGR options in the future. More details to come!

A victory for the campaign to get same sex relationships into the game. Is anybody petitioning for the same in the upcoming movies, do you know?

[Mike H.]

If we finally see the wedding of R2 and Threepio in the new movie, Episodes I-III will have all been worth it.

[Dawnelldo]

If we finally see the wedding of R2 and Threepio in the new movie, Episodes I-III will have all been worth it.

I'm still wondering who's the pitcher and catcher?

[Mike H.]

I'm still wondering who's the pitcher and catcher?

Interchangeable parts mean they're beyond such binary definitions. Threepio is with R2 because R2 brings out his inner freak. For example, that time Luke "gifted" the droids to Jabba? That wasn't just part of the plan to rescue Han. That was R2's way of getting C3PO to indulge in a little roleplaying.

[Enog the Prober]

I've got it from a good source that the upcoming movie will focus heavily on the planet Makeb, and that the director is none other than Joel Schumacher.

[alekesam]

Interchangeable parts mean they're beyond such binary definitions. Threepio is with R2 because R2 brings out his inner freak. For example, that time Luke "gifted" the droids to Jabba? That wasn't just part of the plan to rescue Han. That was R2's way of getting C3PO to indulge in a little roleplaying.

Since the end of the prequels, I have a far different view of R2, mainly that he doesn't give a **** by A New Hope. Who can blame him? Dude shows up and saves the day like a Lassie and Superman Super-Saiyan combo with a Swiss army knife upgrade but does he get a medal? Nope. So he just strolls along and takes his sweet @$$ time getting from point A to point B from ANH onward, going through through the motions and probably praying for the day he gets to the terminal too late and "master" Luke takes a lightsaber to something worse than a hand so he'll finally be free of the Rebellion and the humans because he's seen democracy turn into the Empire and knows that it's essentially the same $#!t, different channel.

[_OM_]

If we finally see the wedding of R2 and Threepio in the new movie, Episodes I-III will have all been worth it.

...Which answers Rich's last question, although I fully expect another paid add-on/expansion that will allow you to play a Cylon centurion and crash the reception in order to kick both their shiny metal asses

[DrNate]

I've played some MMOs in my life, but I've never really considered any of the high-level areas to be ghettos.

I guess we just have to be proud of bioware and support them for taking this step? It's only through small steps that we can someday make strides?

[Matt Krotzer]

They make it sound like the new planet is only for gay hookups, rather than a whole new planet of content for ALL PLAYERS to enjoy.

That'd be like saying DCUO is offering players the opportunity to make gay sex clubs, but only if you buy the new DLC content coming soon. Sure, you COULD do that, but it's really player housing for everyone. What you do in that space is your own business.

Okay, I admit my analogy isn't perfect... but my analogies rarely are.

[MrNitekatt]

You know, this is basicly a Gay red-light district - right down to having to pay for it.

This is NOT STAR WARS - plain and simple.