Screenshot: TiMi / Kotaku
Pokémon Unite is exploding right now, and with a new patch hitting servers in early August, many players have followed partner accounts to keep up with MOBA news. But the game is not managed by The Pokémon Company or Game Freak, but developed by the Chinese developer TiMi Studio Group. The official Twitter account has been quite chatty lately, which is why a gamer hit it with a popular meme encouraging them to say gay rights.
You’ve probably seen this before, just this week someone paid the original Halo host to say trans rights. It has become one thing to ask celebrities to repeat that phrase or variations of it, because the bar is so fucking low that someone who dares to say something as vaguely political as the mere concept of equal rights for queer people will feels like a victory for the community. . Brands always say they are inclusive, but it is usually in the broadest possible terms. Most of the time, brands adjacent to Nintendo don’t say anything like politics.
But TiMi Group Studio didn’t get the PR strategy memo here, and instead of ignoring the joke or just typing ‘gay rights’ for easy internet spots, their communications person responded,’ Why? The rights of heterosexual players are equally important. The tweets are now deleted, although the screenshots show that the TiMi account made several more replies.
Screenshot: Twitter / Kotaku
As the publications went down, hours later the TiMi account explained that it had made a mistake.
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Someone responded to this by suggesting that it mattered because not everyone has the same rights in society. To that, TiMi Studio Group responded, “I learned a serious lesson.”
The Pokémon Company, meanwhile, commented that it in no way endorsed anything TiMi said, and furthermore, it is going to… deal with it in some way. A representative of the Pokémon Company told Kotaku that the monster collecting company would not say anything more on the matter, so there is no real idea how the situation will be handled.
At The Pokémon Company International, we believe in a fair and just world and that each 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 each individual and fully support the LGBTQIA + community.
Diversity, fairness and inclusion are the foundations of our culture of belonging, and our core value of integrity and respect underscores the importance of treating people with respect and empathy to build an open and trusting environment.
These statements do not align with our beliefs, culture or values and are fundamentally incorrect. We are working with our external partner to address the situation.
So there you have it. The Pokémon Company doesn’t endorse straight people, all of you. Good for them.
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