They can't just keep adding more and more stuff like this. After asexual romance the next request would be polyamory. After polyamory it would be cuckolding. Etc. It's too much time and resources devoted to something that a tiny minority of players would experience and it's a never-ending list of requests to meet.
Funny, Mass Effect fans who opposed homosexual relationships in those games would've made a very similar argument... 
I've politely, and reasonably, asked for things like this before. And what response did I get from the "open, user-friendly, sexuality-friendly" Bioware? A flat refusal. And don't get me started on how the userbase responded to my polite, reasonable requests...
First of all, the userbase is irrelevant. It's all reactionary and crazy. It's almost as bad as YouTube comments.
And you also missed about 99% of what I wrote. It's not a "ask one time, and get what you want" kind of thing. If that was the case, there would be 7 billion romance options, the game would cover the entire of Thedas, and you would be able to do anything and everything you wanted.
That's why you keep going. You ask again. And again. And you get more people on your side.
I understand you are frustrated. But look at the progress that IS being made. There was a time in gaming that homosexuality wasn't present at all, and women could only be the protagonist if they had giant breasts. But now, you are seeing more and more representation of women and homosexuals.
Why? It's not because one person wrote a letter, got a rejection, and then gave up. It took THOUSANDS of people making a statement for DECADES to force a change. And we're not even THERE yet! It's not equal at all. We're JUST beginning to see some measure of representation, and nowhere near true equality of representation.
And that's what it will take again. THOUSANDS of people, making a statement for DECADES. I know it's frustrating, but do not lose hope. Keep trying, keep going, and it will get better.
Oh joy, this topic again...
OP, I fully agree with you that people who are asexual, celibate, or just not interested in the romances for whatever reason need to be acknowledged by the game somehow, yet Bioware constantly rebuffs us. I'd wager that there are far more of us than LGBT gamers, and yet Bioware is going out of their way to cater to them. I've asked for things like this many times before. And guess what responses I always got? "Forever Alone" memes, pathetic jokes about doing things with my hand, crazy cat lady slurs, and endless more personal insults. Huh, and people here wonder why the romance-obsessed people on these forums have such a bad reputation elsewhere on the internet. Frankly, I take it all with stride, because I see it as a pathetic defensive reaction from them.
What you want is totally different from the OP. You seem to be saying that you aren't interested in the romance content at all, which is fine; it's optional. However, the OP IS interested in the romance, but just doesn't want the sexual aspect of it. I do rather doubt that there are more asexuals playing these games than the LGBT folks. Asexual is not the same as "just not interested in the romances for whatever reason," and they should not be conflated.
I honestly don't see why an asexual person wouldn't let a sexual person that they are romancing to have sex with them. Ok, you don't personally enjoy it, but does it hurt? You don't enjoy pleasing someone you love? I mean when I give someone a back rub for example, I don't directly enjoy the act, it's a bit of a chore, but I am doing it for someone because I want to make them feel good. If I didn't enjoy sex, I can't imagine why it would bother me if a person I loved had fun with my body anyway. Just curious.
I find your response to be disgusting. You want someone who has no interest in sex to just lay there and let you use their body so you can get your rocks off. Generally, part of lovemaking is also wanting to please your partner. Using someone as a sex toy is what prostitutes are for.
I am honestly curious about the studies the OP mentioned.
Asexuals are part of the LGBTQA+ movement, so who the **** says there is more of who? That is just ridicules.
Also asexuality has a lot of degrees, from being repulse by sex, to being ok with it, to wanted with only people you have a connection and so on... all that is fine and normal. You can be heterosexuals and be celibate, this does not have anything to do with asexuality. Being celibate is a choice being asexual is not.
I also always though that Merril was demisexual for example.
Uh, isn't an asexual romance, just a close friendship?
No? The feelings you have for someone when you're in love with them is not the same kind of affection you feel for a close friend.
I'm not even asexual and even I can recognise that there's a difference between romantic love, platonic love and sexual attraction.
Or do you love your mother in the same way you love your significant other? I think not.
And something that has been left out of this conversation is that being gay isn't only about sex, it's about emotional connection. Being gay isn't about who you do, it's about who you love. And someone who exists on the continuum of asexual expression could be straight, gay, or bi based on with whom they establish emotional, romantic connections.
the LGBTQA+ movement
REALLY need a more succinct name for it. 
Funny, Mass Effect fans who opposed homosexual relationships in those games would've made a very similar argument...
no i didn't
Gender and Sexual Minorities (GSM) is the term on the up and up. I prefer Alphabet People though.
People use GSM a lot now too, actually I only put more letter there because some were saying that asexuality had more people than LGBT, which is ridiculous, there is not more of nothing. It is the same group.
But I wouldn't expect to see asexuality represented as a romance option any time soon.
But it's already been done, just not quite by BioWare. Visas from KOTOR II was, as it's been defined in this thread, asexual. She wasn't interested in sex, and the player wasn't forced to express disappointment in that. Instead, the romance was meditation together through the Force (and it was heavily implied that this meditation produced romantic feelings within the participants), a connection that resonated so strongly within them that sex wasn't necessary at all.
Now that doesn't sound so bad, right? After all it's really the emotional romantic connection many players want. It's for this reason that I personally don't like labels such as "asexual." It tends to invoke an Other mentality. When I romanced Visas, the label asexual didn't exist, and it was simply a romance that functioned differently than other romances might.
I agree, its already been done. Also, I think if the rumors about Cole pan out, he'd make a excellent asexual romance (Hes a ghost).
That being said, I can see the appeal of this. When I heard about Sebestian's romance in DA2, I thought it was silly but i was doing a pro chantry/Templar playthrough and I figured what the heck, and did his romance and I actually really enjoyed it. Since there was no sex to fall onto it could go places other romances couldnt go, I thought it was cute my Hawke married him, and the various responses that got especially from Carver/Bethany. I can't say any other romance in DA2 was really fulfilling in my opinion.
Really though, I can't wait for a few more years when bigots become a minority and the world accepts LBGT. Its sad how hateful these people can be of other peoples own lives, as if it affected them.
as some one who identifies themselves as someone on the asexual spectrum (i've never read those terms demi/greysexual but those sounds more like me), there is a lot of speculation about what asexuality is and most people do not understand. like all "sexuality" there are differences from person to person. some actually enjoy sex but do not seek it out. some look for long term romantic partners despite not enjoying sexual relations and some build up lasting brilliant relationships without there being any tension involved.
it is possible to have asexual romances in these games, and in a ways you probably have. I look at my Warden's relationships with Morrigan, Zevran and Leliana. Yes he was doing the nasty with Morrigan and generally loved her, for him it wasn't about the sex but about the bonding of personalities for them. Both were anti authority and control that humans brought (he was dalish). So I felt like it was a natural bond for him to explore and yes eventually track her down and leave with her.
With Zevran he found some one he could say all the crap he wanted to say and not feel obligated to bed. But a kind f bromance formed between them.
Meanwhile in the long run if my warden hadn't succumbed to the depression brought on by his own celebrity, he probably would have spent his life having mini adventures with Leliana since she was the music in his life. Granted he has no interest in Adraste.
my second hawke was the flip side of that, he was an angry blood mage who used his friends to further his own ambitions and despite not enjoying the act of procreation, he partook to further his goals and to blend in. in isabella he found some one else who was alive and fun, he didn't need the sex but he wanted her around to keep him grounded, in the sense of not giving into magic as so many others in kirkwall have done; but also she was alive and he needed that, what with the brooders hanging around with him.
i may have gotten a bit off track.
as for the sex scenes, if they were omitted or went fade to black id probably not even notice because they to m are not integral to my stories' narratives other than the morrigan's ritual and isabella's act 2 scene.
Oh joy, this topic again...
OP, I fully agree with you that people who are asexual, celibate, or just not interested in the romances for whatever reason need to be acknowledged by the game somehow
Nuhuh! They just need to know they're all squares. All the cool kids are doing it.
I'm pretty sure asexual people can and do have sex for the benefit of their partners.
If you were celibate, then why would you be in romances?
It's a personal preference. Some asexuals do, in fact, have sex with their partners. Others don't. Personally, the thought of having sex kinda... grosses me out. Like, it makes me really uncomfortable to consider it. Heck, I don't even like the thought of kissing someone, but, again, other asexuals do kiss or even enjoy kissing. It's all very specific to each person. (Like sexual acts, if you will. Some people like certain acts, others don't.)
right
There are different types of asexual people. I knew a guy who didn't like anyone to touch him, but others can enjoy sex and give birth to a child. As you said - they enjoy the closeness and the emotion in sex.
Different studies suppose the prevalence of asexuals is comparable with prevalence of gays.
you hit it right on the money
........ So basically they just plainly enjoy sex? Because that is what sex is...
no sex is sex, the emotional bonds with it vary person to person. sex is pleasurable, and one can enjoy it but have no interest in seeking it out. i have many fond memories of encounters, and there are a few women who if they asked me to perform an act on them i would, but it wouldn't be about me getting pleasure it is for helping a friend feel good.
Uh, isn't an asexual romance, just a close friendship?
no, romance triggers different chemicals in our brains than romance. an asexual romance can have all the cool things like the butterflies or a longing to hear some one's voice. or even a desire to grow old with some one. but not the need or the desire to procreate.
Funny, Mass Effect fans who opposed homosexual relationships in those games would've made a very similar argument...
Would've? As in didn't but you can't actually argue anything cogent?
Guest_Trojan.Vundo_*
Maybe if you romanced a golem?
(I may just really really want to romance a golem)
Or just add a preferences switch and call it a feature. It's not the romance thats the problem, is the sexual element. Hell, I'd take a "chaste," "vanilla," and "nasty" romance slider.
*And yes, the term "slider" is not lost on me.*
The more I think about it, the less problematic this seems to implement.
When you get to the "sex scene" stage of a romance, have a dialogue menu for the Inquisitor (just like any conversation). Your options are, to paraphrase:
"I am so in love with you, let's do this." -> Make-out, fade-to-black, sex implied, romance continues normally
"You sexy. Me sexy. Let's get nasty." -> Make-out, fade-to-black, sex implied, romance continues normally
"Let's not jump into anything physical right now." -> No sex, but romance continues normally
It's just a very minor number of additional dialogue lines, and no extra cinematic work. Perhaps for certain characters (like Isabela), I could see the "no sex" option potentially closing off the romance.
It gives asexual players an option, and it gives the illusion of choice (love making OR dirty sex) to everyone else. Everyone wins.
But otherwise, it's a pretty cheap, simple implementation.
This would be cool! Personally, I am hoping Solas is asexual. I just kind of get that vibe from him, although I could be wrong since we barely know anything about the guy.
I don't think any of us are in a position to say how expensive or non-expensive it would be, though.
I don't think any of us are in a position to say how expensive or non-expensive it would be, though.
A fair point. I feel like my idea wouldn't be difficult or expensive to implement. But I'm not a game developer, so I'm not 100% sure.
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