Pokemon Developer Slammed For Anti-Gay Tweet
You’d think if any gaming series would be safe for everyone, it’d be Pokemon, right? The all-ages RPG series has been universally beloved for decades, and with its soft edges and easily lovable beasties, it’s become a safe haven for people from every walk of life. Which makes the hate that stems from its interior even more shocking when it rears its head.
The call is coming from inside the house, it would seem, as a Pokemon developer has been called out for homophobia after an unpleasant tweet.
Pokemon Developer Slammed For Homophobic Tweet
In sending a harmless tweet, one Twitter user didn’t know they’d be the catalyst for Pokemon UNITE developers TiMi Studio Group to cause themselves a lot of problems. Tweeting the company “Can you say gay rights?” led to a pretty unsavoury and bitter reply from the company, with the team saying, "Why? Rights of heterosexual players are equally important.”
As another Twitter user expressed their disappointment in the reply, TiMi once again chimed in with, “Go and ask any gay people if they are disappointed by being treated EQUALLY.”
Click to enlargeIt’s clear that the interaction was a mistake, as the tweet thread has now been deleted and an apology tweet has been issued by the account.
As a result of this tweet thread, The Pokemon Company had to step in and reassure fans that the Pokemon series still stands for LGBTQ+ rights.
The Pokemon Company Steps In After Anti-Gay Tweet
Click to enlargeIn the wake of the controversy caused by TiMi Studio Group, The Pokemon Group has told Kotaku that they have the interests of the LGBTQ+ community at heart and will be addressing the situation with TiMi.
“At the Pokemon Company International, we believe in a just and equitable world and that every person, employee, and fan has the unique skills, powers, and purpose to contribute to this common cause. As part of this, we celebrate the humanity of every individual, and fully support the LGBTQIA+ community.”
They continued to explain the solution to the problem caused on Twitter - “These statements do not align with our beliefs, culture, or values and are fundamentally wrong. We’re working with our external partner to address the situation.” Looks like TiMi Group might be in trouble.
Fingers crossed this action helps to keep comments like this out of the Pokemon community - after all, it’s for everyone, right?
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