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Sex in Video Games

Awkward, cringe and hardly necessary segments that could've been left out.

By Jord TuryPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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Sex. It's definitely a thing. It's also definitely worth a lot of money when implemented into the correct things, too. Say, video games, for example. Now that we're on that page, we might as well dive a little deeper into the controversy behind the explicitness of the subject in the gaming universe. It's something that people tend to think about but not necessarily discuss over a candlelit dinner and a cheap bottle of chardonnay. So, I suppose Vocal is the best place for it.

Sex has always been a thing in video games. It's also a barrel of cringeworthy moments that have, at times, made me want to cower beneath a blanket and question my own morals in life. But that's usually when my wife is in the room staring point-blankly at me as I button-mash in time with my heroes thrusting motions. Besides that, I've often managed to survive the sequences long enough to keep playing post-climax. And even then I still feel a sense of low self-esteem and anxiety. But, you know – whatever.

When it comes to exploring the nature of sex in video games it all comes down to how far developers are willing to push the boat out. Say, for example, if a snappy but strategic fadeaway is enough for players to get the gist of the situation, or if a ten-minute playable portion is somehow, in their eyes, necessary to the plot. Whatever it is – it's definitely beginning to feature in most current-gen games. Plus, it appears the tabooness of the subject is finally starting to vanish and developers are becoming slightly more confident in toying with it for future projects, too. That, of course, can either be rather interesting to witness, or an absolute shambles in the making. Either way, I just hope my wife isn't around when they show up.

There's no hiding from it, to be fair. It's happening on every corner of every platform – regardless of what you're playing. Even Sims has it; what with its mosaic mayhem and rose petal porn. That's something I wasn't expecting to see when I was about ten-years-old, to be honest. But, little did I know that many years later I'd be the victim to countless awkward moments in my gaming career. That was something I was never entirely prepared for, nor was I expecting to earn a living from writing about it either.

Looking back through some of the most awkward moments in gaming history it's almost laughable to say the least. I mean, I'm not really the type to cringe over things – especially in video games. But, that being said, asking me to map out several buttons as my character mounts the heroine sprawled out on a bed? Yeah, that's something that makes me question myself as I sit in a dark room trying to remember I'm in a living room and not a dungeon. Sadly, nine times out of ten, I struggle to remember what the f*** I'm even doing with my life at all. Being a gimp is sort of a bolt-on burden I'm rarely ever prepared to be at the snap of two fingers, to be honest with you.

We're often used to seeing the exterior of a home or bedroom window as we sit through nine seconds of moaning. But, not anymore. Now, we're greeted with full-face models pressing noses with our screens and physically having to mash buttons for five-minutes straight without fail. Because, should you miss a quicktime event, you're essentially branded as being awful at sex. That's something you probably don't want to hear in real life – let alone from your wife in Fable 2. But, strangely enough we're expected to perform. That's a weird thing I don't think I'll ever get used to in video games, no matter their ability to recreate picture-perfect breasts and A-list actor groans. I'll just never really feel that immersion like many others would.

Nonetheless, sex will continue to explode purely because it sells. It has the ability to rake in the additional millions on top of expected profits. It has a gritty edge that smashes the taboo subject and proves to players that games can be daring too. And, so long as developers go forth and experiment with further technology, there's just no stopping the progression of recreating sex from the comfort of your own home.

Personally, I have no interest in picking up a VR headset and ploughing my way through the Playboy mansion. However, I guarantee they'll be millions of others queuing up at the thought of such things in the future. And hey, who knows, it'll probably be sooner than we think before these things become a reality.

We've seen everything over the last twenty or thirty years of gaming. From triangular breasts in Duke Nukem to glossy, exaggerated and awfully blatant whoppers in Dead or Alive: Volleyball. Again, it's entirely up to the developers on how far they're willing to go and how desperate they are for the extra funds from a collective group of gamers. But there really is a point where we have to question the levels of sex in video games. Sometimes, it's fine and hardly noteworthy. However, on the other hand, some games do rely purely on sex for their sole income and audience. That's where a line should probably be drawn for consumers and developers. But that's just me. I know I'll be scoffed at for saying such things at some point, no doubt.

Gaming will forever be a playground, that's for sure. It will continue thriving to gain the approval of every living soul in the world. And, as far as sex goes, it's most definitely a billion-dollar topic that many developers are thirsty to take a bite from. That's why we can pretty much expect to see it in most future titles. So, we can either ride the wave or scuff our feet. Either way – sex will always sell. And, it will always be playable and most likely cringeworthy. That's something I don't think we can ever ignore.

Have an idea for an article? You can reach me through Facebook here. Oh, and if you're feeling generous you could always chip in towards future projects on my Patreon account. Every single contribution helps towards future goals so I really do appreciate every bit of support.

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About the Creator

Jord Tury

Just a regular guy living in the West Midlands, UK.

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