Bisexuality in VNs

[Greeny]

As far as I know, it's not that uncommon for a VN to have a single same-sex route to broaden the audience. Whether that's done well or not is one matter, as it can indeed feel tacked-on if you don't put your heart into it, but the point being that it's common enough to safely say not too many jimmies will be rustled at this point.

[Taleweaver]

In Winter Wolves' upcoming Seasons of the Wolf, for which I've written the script, I've given the player explicitly the choice of making the protagonist straight, gay or bi, depending on their "pursuit" of other characters. There are no "love triangles" in the game, meaning the player needs to, at one point, decide whether to go for a same-sex or a different-sex love interest (and the respective love interests will call out the protagonist on their preferences if they notice any flirting around with others), but it's not that difficult to give the player freedom to play the MC as having any sort of sexuality they want to.

Of course, the most explicitly sexual thing happening in Seasons is a kiss because it's a rather "clean" game, but still...

[Shoko]

Seeing how a same-sex relationship is just as valid as a hetero one, it shouldn't be given extra treatment just for the sake of being not offending people who really have no reason to be offended. I really don't see how you could get onto a same-sex romance route without realizing it unless you're as oblivious as a harem protagonist. Just treat the route like you do all the others, and let those offended/unprepared get over it themselves.

[kukiko-tan]

Well, I'm against homo/bisexuality and anything of the sort sooo I'm not the first to play games that include those.
However, if they have at least one hetero route or a friendship one, I do give it a chance usually and try to play it. And now here come's a turn-off that appears quite often: everybody including your mom and your dog is romanceable. (I'm exaggerating, of course, but that's what comes into my mind when I see every character as a love interest). However, this appears in hetero games as well...it makes things so unrealistic...like, you know, it sends the message that life is all about having romance and nothing else matters. Just go have your harem and buh-bye
By saying this, I think it is important to have balance. Don't make everybody a love interest (^7^;; ) try having a friendship route or simply have characters that do have at least a slight importance and are not romanceable and are just friends or close acquaintances, I guess.
I think the idea of deciding the player's sexual orientation is a really good idea, it would bring balance and probably widen the audience.

[SundownKid]

I doubt that many people would avoid it if the same sex relationship was optional. If they do, they are closed-minded. Major games like Mass Effect have an optional same sex relationship and it didn't impact their sales. However, making it required and explicit in some way is another story. And maybe throw in a clear indicator if there is anything sexual going on when you make a choice, like a heart.

[Rinima]

I see no problem with it myself, being a pansexual lesbian, but so long as it's done tactfully and not as a small add on that's so painfully obvious.
Or as a joke ending (like in Clannad), then I might get mad XD

[Asceai]

I see no problem with it myself, being pansexual, but so long as it's done tactfully and not as a small add on that's so painfully obvious.
Or as a joke ending (like in Clannad), then I might get mad XD

I can't remember which game it was, but there was an 18+ otome game with all these winnable characters, but you could get romantically involved with the female 'best friend' character instead. However, not only was it not a proper route, it was actually a bad end.

I was furious!

[rainbowcascade]

There's a few otomes with a single female romance route and honestly, I wish there was more otomes like that. Here's my must do list:

1. The female route should be taken just as seriously as the male routes. PLEASE, NO JOKE ROUTES!! Put some effort in it!

2. If you're scared of people rejecting your VN just because there's one single and optional gay route, well then they can go screw themselves! You don't need buyers/fans like that. You're better off without catering to those kinds of folks and besides, there's plenty of 100% hetero otomes they can play so they really don't have anything to complain about.

If you're feeling pressured and thinking, "Oh man, I have to balance out the number of girls with the number of guys!" Don't sweat it! Focus on getting the game done! If you have 4 pre-planned male characters and you're worrying about creating extra female routes, just make one female route and make it good. It's alright to simplify your time and resources. Just finish making your game! Then in your second game, you could have 2 men and 2 women or to really make things easier, just one guy and one girl route. Just some suggestions.

[Greeny]

2. If you're scared of people rejecting your VN just because there's one single and optional gay route, well then they can go screw themselves! You don't need buyers/fans like that. You're better off without catering to those kinds of folks and besides, there's plenty of 100% hetero otomes they can play so they really don't have anything to complain about.

This has to be seconded so much.