Hot on the heels of the removal of an allegedly homophobic scene in the game, Nintendo's highly-anticipated Western release, "Fire Emblem Fates," has announced another feature that would not be available in the English version of the 3DS title.

Before everyone goes out with pitchforks and torches, however, it must be said that the feature that was removed was quite, well, quirky.

Simply put, Nintendo has opted to remove the petting feature found in the Japanese version of the game for its English release, according to Kotaku.

Interviewed by the popular gaming site, a Nintendo representative described the reasons why the petting feature, which involves players using the 3DS' stylus and touchscreen to "pet" the game's characters, was dropped in the English version.

"Yes, that is the case (that petting isn't in the English version). You might have heard somewhat misinterpreted or exaggerated information about the Japanese original game, but even in the Japanese original version, we have not included any features which are considered inappropriate in Japan," the Nintendo representative confirmed, according to Destructoid.

As revealed in a number of videos that were uploaded from the Japanese port of the game, the petting feature is part of the title's relationship-building function. Petting the characters basically equates to stroking them onscreen, evidenced by the sometimes-suggestive dialogue that characters would speak after players use the feature.

Probably one of the bigger reasons behind Nintendo's removal of the feature is the fact that petting could be initiated to a number of the game's characters, including the main character's siblings, according to Nintendo Life.

Thus, the gaming giant probably figured that having players' in-game siblings respond to virtual petting with suggestive dialogue would not be very well-received in the West.

Games, after all, have always been subject to changes when they get localized for a certain region. The representative from Nintendo, however, assured players that despite their previous titles having a number of their features blocked for their release in the West, the end product would still remain a game that is formidable both in its scope and its playability.

As fans of the series state their disapproval of the petting feature's removal for the game's Western release, however, it must be stated that the Japanese version of the game was classified under the "15 Years and Over" category. The English version, on the other hand, is slated for a "Teen" release, exhibiting the possibility that Nintendo is probably going for a more massive, mainstream audience in the West.