Poll: Does sex actually sell in video games?

[TPiddy]

I'm wondering if this is really culturally relevant any more. In discussing one of the many threads about female gamers, I came to wonder if sex actually did sell video games or make much of a difference. Looking at the more popular games in every genre, none of them really have a sexual selling point, and most of the games whose basis is sex like Liesure Suit Larry, X Blades, DOA, etc. have horrible sales.

So I am asking you this: Do you think sex really sells video games? Does it help sales? Can it hurt sales?

Historically speaking I would have been inclined to say yes, with Lara Croft being a huge example, but even the Tomb Raider series is not doing so well any more. I can't think of a concrete example of a hot-selling game where sex was it's main selling point.

 

[cgride555]

Sad but true. Yes it does.

 

[Trotgar]

Well, while many people probably won't buy a game solely for sex, but I think it helps. For me, it's just the same if a game contains nudity or not.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

Unfortunately it does makes games sell.
Until people start to realise. something.
Like it's fun to be Anti-/Asexual.
That way you don't get tempted to buy crappy games that's main selling point is sex.
not saying all games are crap if they have sex in it. Mass Effect was a good game.

 

[Eicha]

Personally, it used to, when I was 14, but now I wouldn't buy a game filled with sex and nudity unless the story is compelling. Then again I also criteqe the acting in porn.

But I guess it still does, if they keep making Soul Caliber games.

 

[Blackadder51]

Yeh it does

 

[Space Spoons]

Culturally, using sex to move product seems to be something that's never going to go out of style. Those creeping Japanese dating sims, the Dead or Alive franchise and, more recently, Bayonetta, come to mind. Whether or not sex is the actual intended selling point of such games is debatable, but it's pretty hard to deny that these characters were clearly designed with the "horny teenage boy" demographic in mind.

 

[Frankydee]

I... honestly don't know. You get games like BMXXX or Liesure Suit Larry and you often wonder just who the hell would want to play that sort of thing. And for that matter who has an utter lack of dignity to actually go to a gaming store and buy a copy in public.

 

[VaioStreams]

if done tastefully

 

[Baby Tea]

Pathetically and unfortunately, yes, I suspect it does.

Exactly this.
I'm certainly not sold because of the inclusion of sex, but what can you do when there are plenty of desperate, prepubescent kids playing games? "Gasp! Boobs?? Oh man! That's the best game ever! I must get it!". I shouldn't limit that to kids, though, since there are plenty of desperate, lonely adults who I'm sure think the same way.
It's all pretty sad, really.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I think that it can actually hurt sales due to parents monitoring what their kids consume.

 

[Rayansaki]

Yes and no.
Depends on the product and target market.

A game like Mass Effect that has a minor scene, or a game like Wet or Tomb Raider, which has suggestive title (the first one) and awesome looking main character (both), probably get a boost in sales because of it. Mass Effect got lots of free publicity off of the media, and Wet without that character would be... stranglehold.
However, games that make sex the major selling point, like DOA, usually do it at expense of quality of gameplay, which usually means they will be mocked down by reviewers and get low sales figures.

This is just my opinion, but I'm pretty positive it's the reality.

Edit: Ninja Gaiden Sigma is another one with alot of media attention for the ridiculous use of Sixaxis/ds3 motion control... and it got alot of publicity off of it, but the game had the right foundations so should get an increase in sales from it.

 

[TPiddy]

See, I wasn't sure it was having a positive effect, because when I look at a game if it's overly sexual I probably wouldn't enjoy it. I don't want to be sexually aroused when playing a video game.

I was annoyed by the fact that I had to have stripper poles in my cribs in Saints Row 2. I just find that stuff like that turns me off of video games. I was interested in playing WET until I tried the demo and hated the controls. It had nothing to do with the protagonist as Rubi could have been a man for all I cared, I was more interested in the action.

I was just curious as to whether anyone else felt the same way and to what extent does this sex selling video games go?

When I think of the most popular games, like Halo, Gears, Metal Gear, Little Big Planet, etc.... there's no sex at all in them.

 

[Trotgar]

You get games like BMXXX or Liesure Suit Larry and you often wonder just who the hell would want to play that sort of thing

Because many Leisure Suit Larry's are great and funny. They aren't solely for the sex (even though that plays a big role).

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Sadly yes, due to the age of gaming's core demographic.

Some companies abuse it as an easy way to sell a game, some don't. As to your example, despite never exactly having incredible gameplay Tomb Raider kept going for TEN games with no sign of stopping. Surely they wouldn't keep making them if they didn't turn a profit, right?

I'd say the same for the Dead or Alive series (are they up to 4 now? 5?) but I shouldn't judge something I haven't played- it may actually have some substance buried beneath all that cleavage.

 

[Avaholic03]

if done tastefully

I disagree. I think the less tastefully, and more explicit, the more effective it is. If a game could get away with full interactive porn, it would blow the hell out of Halo in terms of sales.

But with current rating systems, I think the best you can hope for is the "Mass Effect" effect (stupid redundant naming). It can get people to try the game out. But if the game sucks (figuratively, not literally ) it won't matter how much sex you try to cram into it, word will get out that it's a bad game and not worth the 2 seconds of bare ass, and sales will suffer.

 

[TPiddy]

You have to be stupid to get a video game with a sex scene in it. If you really want to see it, look it up on youtube. If you want to wank off to something, use the internet.

Exactly my point.... I don't dislike sex, I just dislike sex in my video games, just like I dislike sex in my sports. There's a time and a place for sex, and when I'm interested in sex I usually turn off my TV and/or video game console.

I suppose it could be a personal thing, where I'm able to separate these parts and other people aren't, but I just don't get how that would interest someone in any way.

 

[Kiefer13]

Pathetically and unfortunately, yes, I suspect it does.

This. Personally all it does is turn me off, for a number of reasons, but I suspect in general it does at least have some contributing factor. It's sickening really.