Nintendo's Hidden Gems: A Pride Promotion
The Nintendo Switch eShop's latest 'hidden gems' promotion has sparked interest and controversy due to its lineup of games with LGBTQ+ themes. For Nintendo, a company that has faced criticism regarding queer identity, this promotion may appear as a step in the right direction. However, the name 'hidden gems' implies that these games are underrated, even though they all fall into the LGBTQ+ game category. This raises questions about Nintendo's stance on celebrating Pride.Let's dive into the lineup of the Pride promotion. The selection includes games like A Normal Lost Phone, Gone Home, and An everyday life with a cat and a ghost, among many others. Each of these titles explores queer identity and addresses the prejudice that LGBTQ+ people face in their everyday lives.
On the other hand, the selection also features games like Steven Universe and Coffee Talk, which depict LGBTQ+ relationships. These games are included in the Pride promotion because they highlight the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in gaming and address the need for diversity.
Interestingly, the language used in this eShop promotion avoids direct association with Pride Month, which may cause confusion. In contrast, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam have prominently featured their Pride promotions in recent years, showing their continuous support.
I do not intend to undermine Nintendo's efforts to feature LGBTQ+ games in their Hidden Gem selection. However, it feels like Nintendo is keeping its distance from explicitly supporting Pride. While I'm sure there are reasons behind this approach, it can come across as a weakness or a reluctance to embrace these games as well-known and celebrated titles.
Sony, Microsoft, and Valve have been vocal about their recognition of LGBTQ+ rights and their active efforts to commemorate Pride Month. This suggests that Nintendo may not have an official stance on this matter. In such cases, it is hurtful to label LGBTQ+ games as hidden gems, while 'straight' games receive praise for their innovation, originality, and appeal. This labeling implies that queerness is something that should be hidden away.
However, there are signs of progress within Nintendo. We are not far from seeing official Pride branding on Nintendo platforms. Yet, this highlights the lack of representation in Nintendo's exclusive catalogue.
It's worth mentioning that in the past, Nintendo faced criticism for removing gay marriage from Tomodachi Life, which became one of the best games for the Wii and Wii U consoles. However, the company appears to be more comfortable with the topic now. A quick search for 'Nintendo Pride' reveals the number of games they have published that include queer relationships.
The point here is not to criticize Nintendo but rather to advocate for more conversations about diversity and inclusion in their games. The lack of diversity is evident, illustrated by the overlooked potential of a game like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which could have been one of the best games of 2023 if it had better represented queer identity.
If a game like Tears of the Kingdom can portray a powerful queer identity without any canon representation, why not embrace it fully? It is true that embracing such representation may come with backlash, but that backlash is a reflection of the passion people have for representation and the potential for queer relationships in a franchise like Zelda, a series that has everything to gain and nothing to lose.
