Nintendo erases gender from Miis on Switch 2 in what some see as a direct slap at conservatives and traditional family values

Nintendo has made a controversial change to its upcoming Switch 2 console by removing the option to select male or female when creating a Mii. Instead, users are presented with two vague “styles” that lack any clear reference to gender. The company hasn’t offered much explanation, but the decision is already fueling a growing backlash -- particularly from conservative gamers who see the move as yet another erasure of traditional identity.

Miis have been around since the Wii era, allowing players to reflect their appearance and identity through their avatar. For many, that included expressing gender in a straightforward way. By eliminating this option, Nintendo has effectively stripped away a basic layer of self-representation that some gamers valued.

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What if Nintendo decided to take it even further? Imagine if Mario was no longer a man. What if Princess Peach wasn’t a woman anymore? Stripping away their identities would completely unravel decades of storytelling and character development.

It would be more than a redesign, folks, it would be erasure. For fans who grew up with these characters, such a move wouldn’t feel progressive. It would feel like losing something familiar, something personal, and frankly, it would be horrible.

This isn’t just a niche gaming issue anymore. With Donald Trump now serving his second term as President of the United States, and culture war topics dominating the national conversation, this change is likely to gain political attention. President Trump has frequently railed against what he calls “woke corporations” and “anti-family agendas,” especially from foreign companies operating in the U.S. market.

Could Nintendo find itself in Trump’s crosshairs? It’s not far-fetched. Trump has used tariffs as a tool to pressure international firms he believed were harming American values or economic interests. Now, with Nintendo removing gender from Miis, some political voices may view the decision as more than just a design choice. Hell, they may see it as an ideological stance that warrants economic response.

Nintendo has remained silent on the controversy so far. But with outrage building and President Trump known for making bold retaliatory moves, it’s possible the company could face more than just bad press.