It has certainly not been the easiest year for Nintendo: Amidst deep financial troubles and criticisms from every corner of the gaming industry about a dearth of quality content for its Wii U console, it has appeared lately like the end could be near for the storied Japanese video game company. Now, according to an article published by SFGate, controversy surrounding Nintendo’s “Tomodachi Life” – a “life simulator” game for the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system – has only added fuel to the fire and given Nintendo yet another thing to worry about.

The issue with “Tomodachi Life” is that, while it seeks to give gamers a chance to create a virtual avatar and simulate their life in a online, interactive gaming world, it is not accepting of all demographics or life choices. The primary issue with the game for most users is that it does not recognize same-sex relationships.

All of the controversy arose last month when a gay “Tomodachi Life” player in Arizona took to social media with his complaints about the game’s lack of “virtual equality.” The fan wanted to marry his real-life fiancé’s in-game avatar, as married couples in the game are given access to exclusive content and new options that single players are not. The social media campaign quickly went viral, first attracting the attention of video game websites and later gaining traction among the gay rights community.

The widespread outcry about “Tomodachi Life” and its lack of virtual equality has put pressure on Nintendo to change the game, which is not even available in the United States yet. The game was released in Japan last year and is expected to hit American shelves on June 6. In Japan, gay marriage is illegal across the board, which might explain why Nintendo did not really think about making it an option in the American version of “Tomodachi Life.” In essence, the whole thing was driven by a cultural divide.

Nintendo issued a statement on Friday, saying that it was sorry for offending anyone, but that the release date for “Tomodachi Life” is too close for any changes to be made. The company vowed to be more inclusive in later versions of the game.