Sex in Video Games

by Brenda Brathwaite

Since the first computer games became available, sex has played a role in some form. But with the release of games like The Mansion, Leisure Suit Larry, and The Singles, sexual content has gained a firm foothold and for the first time, ventured into the mainstream. Even casual games like The Sims have started to rev things up a bit, and in on-line games, tales of cybering have become commonplace. This sexual revolution in games has generated intense scrutiny of the games industry by political watchdog groups and family-oriented organizations. And it has brought the importance of self-regulation and rating systems to the forefront of the industry. Seeking to understand this emerging trend, developers, publishers, retailers, and consumers are asking When is sex appropriate in a game? How far is too far? What will it mean for the product? For its distribution? For my company? For me? Do games with sexual content sell better? Are they generally profitable? So far, there are no definitive answers to these questions. Sex in Video Games provides insight into this issue and presents guidelines and answers by studying the history of sexual content use in games and within the industry itself. In addition, the book considers ethical issues, parental and retailer responsibility, and explores industry attempts at self-regulation, along with a growing concern about potential censorship.

Genres: Video Games, Nonfiction, Games, Psychology

300 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2006

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started and ended well, but would have been a better book if the middle chapters were simply dropped. Highlights included the history of sex in computer games (chapter 2), internal corporate liability for companies that would produce adult content in games (chapter 12), cross-cultural comparisons (chapter 13), and interviews with well-known game designers (chapter 14). Book contains many NSFW screen captures.