The makers of Star Wars have been forced to unveil the first ever gay characters in its latest computer game. Designers behind 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' have included a 'gay' planet called Makeb where male and female characters - and aliens - have same sex relationships. The homosexual characters appear in the 'Rise of the Hutt Cartell' - a part of the role-playing game which can be accessed by gamers who pay for an expansion pack. Scroll down for video . Up with the times: Designers behind 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' have included a 'gay' planet called Makeb where male and female characters - and aliens - have same sex relationships . Players who enter the new level can exchange 'flirtatious' dialogue and enter into same-sex cyber 'relationships' with computer-controlled characters of the same gender. To get to the gay planet, users must also have a powerful character - as the planet is populated by powerful monsters. BioWare, the Canadian studio behind the game, say the characters have been introduced after pressure from gay fans. Expansion in ideas: The homosexual characters appear in the 'Rise of the Hutt Cartell' - a part of the role-playing game which can be accessed by gamers who pay for an expansion pack . Flirt online: Players who enter the new level can exchange 'flirtatious' dialogue and enter into same-sex cyber 'relationships' with computer-controlled characters of the same gender . Darth Gaydar: To get to the gay planet, users must also have a powerful character - as the planet is populated by powerful monsters . Executive producer Jeff Hickman said in a post on the official website: 'As we have said in the past, allowing same gender romance is something we are very supportive of.' The game is the latest expansion to the MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game - set in the fictional Star Wars universe, and has around a million players. But the move has also created controversy - with some gamers upset that the gay characters have been segregated from the rest of the game's population. Universal appeal: The game is the latest expansion to the MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game - set in the fictional Star Wars universe, and has around a million players . Pressure: BioWare, the Canadian studio behind the game, say the characters have been introduced after pressure from gay fans . Some gay groups claim the designers have created a 'gay ghetto' by forcing players to carry out relationships in one particular area. The game, which was launched in December 2011, does not allow a player to have a gay sidekick, but the team at BioWare are hoping to fix that at a later date.
Designers behind Star Wars: The Old Republic add 'gay' planet 'Makeb'
Players can hold 'flirty' dialogue and have same-sex cyber 'relationships'
Canadian makers say characters introduced after pressure from gay fans .
It is an online role-playing game with 1m players set in Star Wars universe .
Gays groups slam 'gay ghetto' for confining gay relationships to one area .
The makers of Star Wars have been forced to unveil the first ever gay characters in its latest computer game. Designers behind 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' have included a 'gay' planet called Makeb where male and female characters - and aliens - have same sex relationships. The homosexual characters appear in the 'Rise of the Hutt Cartell' - a part of the role-playing game which can be accessed by gamers who pay for an expansion pack. Scroll down for video . Up with the times: Designers behind 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' have included a 'gay' planet called Makeb where male and female characters - and aliens - have same sex relationships . Players who enter the new level can exchange 'flirtatious' dialogue and enter into same-sex cyber 'relationships' with computer-controlled characters of the same gender. To get to the gay planet, users must also have a powerful character - as the planet is populated by powerful monsters. BioWare, the Canadian studio behind the game, say the characters have been introduced after pressure from gay fans. Expansion in ideas: The homosexual characters appear in the 'Rise of the Hutt Cartell' - a part of the role-playing game which can be accessed by gamers who pay for an expansion pack . Flirt online: Players who enter the new level can exchange 'flirtatious' dialogue and enter into same-sex cyber 'relationships' with computer-controlled characters of the same gender . Darth Gaydar: To get to the gay planet, users must also have a powerful character - as the planet is populated by powerful monsters . Executive producer Jeff Hickman said in a post on the official website: 'As we have said in the past, allowing same gender romance is something we are very supportive of.' The game is the latest expansion to the MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game - set in the fictional Star Wars universe, and has around a million players. But the move has also created controversy - with some gamers upset that the gay characters have been segregated from the rest of the game's population. Universal appeal: The game is the latest expansion to the MMORPG - massively multiplayer online role-playing game - set in the fictional Star Wars universe, and has around a million players . Pressure: BioWare, the Canadian studio behind the game, say the characters have been introduced after pressure from gay fans . Some gay groups claim the designers have created a 'gay ghetto' by forcing players to carry out relationships in one particular area. The game, which was launched in December 2011, does not allow a player to have a gay sidekick, but the team at BioWare are hoping to fix that at a later date.
Old Republic' have included a 'gay' planet called the times: Designers behind 'Star Wars: The Old cyber 'relationships' with computer-controlled game, say the characters have been introduced dialogue and enter into same-sex cyber multiplayer online role-playing game - set in the been introduced after pressure from gay fans . a 'gay ghetto' by forcing players to carry out