Big Question about Sex and Violence in Videogames

[SidingWithTheEnemy]

Disclaimer:
Proceed at your own risk:
I rated this M for Mysogenistic AND Mature
So sharpen you pointy sticky things,
grab the torches and prepare for the big witch hunt but answer me this
Why do videogames FOCUS almost entirely on VIOLENCE and consequently avoid the SEX theme?

I know I'm a dirty little old pervert but I would prefer less violence and more sex in games. I mean almost all games... it would make them more palatable.

Why isn't that possible? Why is it immoral even to hint sexual themed topic but on the other side we are allowing manslaughter, vicously perform finishing moves and utterly unrealistic bloodsplatter headshots?
I'm not asking for sex scenes, more subtle please, I know how to find porn on the internet...

Even something simple as a pop-up like: "You just spent a great time with and now <he/she> giggles every time you meet <him/her>" would be appreciated... No way that is going to happy either...
Yahtzee points it out pretty well in his extra punctuation articles, especially those two corning couples and maturity.

Now bear with me and just think for a second. Let's take a whole month as a timeframe.
During that time, how many times do you have sex with your partner and/or with yourself?
Oh, and how many times would you WANT to have sex?

Got an answer to to that? Good - keep that number in mind...
Now look at your favorite main character, hero, heroine whatever. How much sex does that poor bastard have in one month? Compare these numbers...

Let's pick a random number, let's pick like 12 times a month. Well I think even Geralt (The dude from Witcher I) has far less sex than 12 times a month. Considering that Geralt spent half the game travelling, uncouncious or in prison it should be quite easy to underline that point.

I mean, most of these heroes are f*cking moving testosterone driven manliest of man superdudes who save galaxies from some evil threat but they all seem quite impotent... even disinterested, maybe gay...

That's just making me sad. I imagine myself fighting through waves of aliens and returning to my spaceship just to - well you know, sit around waiting for another mission. Maybe do some upgrading, check in mission email stuff... Well but then you see that f*cking spacewear outfits of those females on board which are ridiculously alluring. And those females are always in a good mood and overly pretty and smiling those nifty sexy smiles and all of them, every single one has as Yatzhee would put it: "Stonking great Tits"
Of course I would invite those "chicks" to my bunk, I would even accept getting rejected from time to time by those with a more feminist attitude. Probably I wouldn't even get reject considering my manly superhero built and since all is fine in love or war no harm would be done.
I'm just you're average superhero...so let's procreate before I fail on a mission and mankind is doomed to extinction...
No, FORBIDDEN! You have to take a look at the gorgeous ladies, which in turn probably burn of desire to check out your superheroic regenerative healthbar feature of your manly manhood. But still no touchy, touchy. That is not allowed. No no no... Just looking...

So three simple letters:

WHY? That's just so messed up...

 

[AnarchistFish]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

 

[LordOmnit]

Because we wouldn't want the kiddies to be getting any ideas about sex before they are 18, now would we? I mean, you can't stop them from seeing violence since it's all over the news and happens frequently enough in public, but sex is something done behind closed doors so we can totally control that information.

At least that's how it is here in shouty America.

 

[DEAD34345]

Because sex is EEEEVVVVIIIILLLL!!!

Now get back to your mass murdering, like a good citizen.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

No need if you have Kinect!
Just do it yourself!

Now in 4-player co-op!


Anyway...
Try adding cooking mama with sex.
Doesn't seem like such a good idea now, does it?

...

'Also avalible on the Playstation Move, only single-player mode avalible'.

 

[spartan231490]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

Way to not read the OP, congrats!

Anyway, I agree. Games are currently ignoring a very large and real part of what would be happening in most game worlds just because video games are still viewed as "games" and we must protect the ickle children from realizing that people have romantic relationships.

Well structured post btw, welcome to the walking conflict that is modern western civilization. At least part of it.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

WHY? That's just so messed up...

Sadly, the answer to this is very simple. It's the same reason 95% of all Hollywood blockbusters are now PG-13 or lower. Significant sexual content would shrink the potential market for the game in question.

If your question is "why are the ratings boards comfortable with letting children view extreme violence and not human sexuality", well then...I have no answers for you.

 

[Kopikatsu]

I'd rather keep the sex out of video games....`-`

Mass murdering is fine, though. It's fun, even.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

I just saw an interactive fleshlight in a youtube clip, was eye opening. This may in you interest.

 

[AnarchistFish]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

Way to not read the OP, congrats!

Umm, just read it again and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. It's a game, it's rarely necessary or integral.

 

[Sexy Devil]

You don't see it a lot because it just comes off contrived and stupid unless it has any significance to it. God of War pretty accurately shows what I mean.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

Because sex is EEEEVVVVIIIILLLL!!!

Now get back to your mass murdering, like a good citizen.

I have to agree. Most people in general will look away to a violent event over a sexually offensive one any day. The main problem with that is that people are always afraid of sexual themes and content being accessible to a young, unintended audience.

Still, violent and sexual themes are entirely subjective; some might have an issue any game content that involves graphic violence while others would not allow any references to genitals in a game.

Personally, I don't mind violence so long as it's in the right context and if I think it's too much for young ones to handle, I play when they are not around. As far as sexual content (and I'm focusing more on God of War now), so long as there's no "outright" images of sexual content, it's okay in infrequent, small dozes. Also, a big no-no for the little ones.

 

[spartan231490]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

Way to not read the OP, congrats!

Umm, just read it again and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. It's a game, it's rarely necessary or integral.

Wow, so you missed the part where he said: "Why isn't that possible? Why is it immoral even to hint sexual themed topic but on the other side we are allowing manslaughter, vicously perform finishing moves and utterly unrealistic bloodsplatter headshots?
I'm not asking for sex scenes, more subtle please, I know how to find porn on the internet..."

and then suggested: "Even something simple as a pop-up like: "You just spent a great time with and now <he/she> giggles every time you meet <him/her>" "

Romantic relationships can be easily portrayed without showing sex, and certainly without making it interactive.

As Romantic relationships are a huge part of the human experience, any medium that details the human experience should include them. Should in fact, make them a large part of the experience.

 

[Delta Gier]

Sex and Violence are both something that society focuses on. As for why they're in video games, Violence has almost ALWAYS been part of it. Mario jumped on turtles, in Contra you shot the hell out of things . . . . . As for sex, it makes the little twelve-year old trolls feel like men because they can see pixelized genitals and it makes them feel cool.

Violence and sex sell. There's really nothing to be done about them . . . .

 

[SidingWithTheEnemy]

Sorry I don't get it:

For you as a ten year old kid watching Mommy and Daddy having sex is very bad for your mental health okay, so far so good, well that is let's say arguably possible. But watching Mommy and Daddy strangulate each other she using a kitchen cleaver, he using some rusty garden equipment and the resulting bloody mess is completely fine then, or what are you trying to tell me?

I'd rather keep the sex out of video games....`-`

Mass murdering is fine, though. It's fun, even.

Have you tried both things in real life? I think (I'm not sure) Mass Murdering is pretty messy and -well- f*cked up in real life and - still in real life-some people even argue that sex is fun too.
Sorry for that sarcasm there, care to explain to me why you -personally- think it should be left out? I'm interested in your opinion, it's not like the games don't favor your point of view so maybe I understand this issue better.

Because sex is EEEEVVVVIIIILLLL!!!

Now get back to your mass murdering, like a good citizen.

Sadly that's not clarifing enough for me. Interested in telling me why do you think it is evil (stressed in captials and repetitively prolongued by repetition of the same letters)?

You don't see it a lot because it just comes off contrived and stupid unless it has any significance to it. God of War pretty accurately shows what I mean.

I think having to watch half naked heavy armor girl warriors and not having sex with them is - well, let me think about it - contrived and stupid as well, yet the games are full of them. So I am having difficulties understanding your point. Sorry, I'm not entirely familiar with God of War as I am a PC Gamer and sadly that games exists for consoles only.

[edit]

Sex and Violence are both something that society focuses on. [...] Violence and sex sell. There's really nothing to be done about them . . . .

Okay, everyone knows, SEX and VIOLENCE sells, that's why both of those words are in the title of this thread. Yes, I'm guilty, I did that deliberately, why shouldn't I?
BUT why is SEX missing (in quantity and quality in contrast to violence?) That's what is buggin me!
[/edit]
And yes to all, I am taking this "controversial" topic seriously. An No, Mr. Boris Goodenough, in the rare case of events and should the need really arise I am in favor of an old school kleenex sheet and not a fleshlight, but I am almost slighlty intrigued what kind of eye opening experience was utterly responsible for you making such a comment.

Oh and actually AnarchistFish, I really liked the interactive idea, but it isn't necessary and it would arguably scare away some prude customers but I don't get your point, it's about giving a more complete game and not dancing around the issue while putting "Titties" inside the game but no interaction options, so indulge me why you are proposing that...

 

[AnarchistFish]

How would you make it into a game?

Tap RT and LT in turn to thrust?

Way to not read the OP, congrats!

Umm, just read it again and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. It's a game, it's rarely necessary or integral.

Wow, so you missed the part where he said: "Why isn't that possible? Why is it immoral even to hint sexual themed topic but on the other side we are allowing manslaughter, vicously perform finishing moves and utterly unrealistic bloodsplatter headshots?
I'm not asking for sex scenes, more subtle please, I know how to find porn on the internet..."

and then suggested: "Even something simple as a pop-up like: "You just spent a great time with and now <he/she> giggles every time you meet <him/her>" "

Romantic relationships can be easily portrayed without showing sex, and certainly without making it interactive.

As Romantic relationships are a huge part of the human experience, any medium that details the human experience should include them. Should in fact, make them a large part of the experience.

How would they? Without it being an RPG it wouldn't really make it very relevant to the game and besides, lots of games have romance and sex. Fallout, Mass Effect, Just Cause, Assassin's Creed, even Gears of War has that thing with Dom's wife.

Oh and actually AnarchistFish, I really liked the interactive idea, but it isn't necessary and it would arguably scare away some prude customers but I don't get your point, it's about giving a more complete game and not dancing around the issue while putting "Titties" inside the game but no interaction options, so indulge me why you are proposing that...

Sarcasm

 

[SidingWithTheEnemy]

[...]
Sarcasm

I appreciate your honesty, now I would appreciate it even more if you would be a little more forthcoming and helpful.

 

[AnarchistFish]

Well I don't really know what to say that I haven't already. There are already plenty of games with sex and romance. Mass Effect for obvious reasons, Fallout 3 has that prostitute in Megaton that it's implied you sleep with and that woman in Big Town(?) that flirts with you, Just Cause has the character making sleazy remarks now and again and strippers (in both games), Gears of War has romance as does Assassin's Creed II and Brotherhood. It's not as if romance and sex is completely ommitted from all games and even if there is a slight taboo around it, I don't see it as a major problem. You can't really "play" at romance in most games and you don't need to.