Entry Level 3 - "It's Business Time"

Evening all.

Bit late on the updates this week, for which I apologise.

During the last week I have been browsing the internet looking for news, gossip and chit-chattery to which I found a subject matter that appeared more often than I was expecting it to.

It would seem that a lot of people both young and old are looking for a bit more "bang" for their buck. More "pork" for their purchase. More "pound" for pound action. More "sex"... well, yes.

More sex in video games. Not an unusual request, I for one would like more sex in everything. Maybe even in my food. Sex has been thrust (1) into our games in many different ways. From the ever so innocent mating dance in "Spore" (not the way I do it but stronger Christians may learn a thing or two here) all the way to "GTA: San Andreas" (definitely not for stronger Christians) which was jerked off (2) the shelves to be fluffed (3) shortly after release.

This picture needed the 'Paint' job. Get it?

Other games have done it too, and hit that comfortable medium. Mass Effect, Indigo Prophecy, and Heavy Rain all carried the proud badge of a "Sex Scene" wherein there was nothing explicit, but you knew the train was arriving at the station (4). So what is the problem? It has been done, why not do it more?

Nothing can stop the industry right now, standing proud (5) and ready to penetrate (6) the homes of consumers with their most appealing assets (7). Technically, in this day and age a developer could create a game based on one man who, in his 40s, wants to seduce beautiful women and so plays all sorts of little games to get them to fall for him. Oh wait...

So why not adopt the snowball (8) effect to the adult world? I cannot speak for the industry, and I sure as heck cannot imagine what they are thinking in this regard but one thing I can say with confidence is that I do not think the industry is ready. Not "ready" like, the candles are not lit and Luther Vandross is still warming up in the dressing room. I mean not "ready" as in, the zebra pyjamas are fresh and clean folded in the top drawer, and the poster of Megan Fox is a little damp from the last time you tried kissing it.

Not shy of a bit of slap and tickle

It is not all the industry's fault though. The audience is not exactly 50% Faye Reagan and 50% Peter North (Not linking them here... look it up yourself). Looking at the culture of video games, and gamers as a whole I will admit we have grown in size (9) and matured somewhat over the years, just not enough.



I shall paint a picture. I went to trade in a load of games for Fifa and Buzz! and in the line behind me stood a 10 - 12 year old kid with his dad. What did he have in his hand? I shit you not, a copy of Dead Rising 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Whether he managed to buy the games or not I was not sure, I left the store... to be a poet, because I previously did not know it...

Now I am not going to dig a hole of awkwardness trying to explain why, if they were copies of Leisure Suit Larry, it might never have met the palm of his hand (10).

It just would not happen is my point. Generally, we are more protective of our children over sexual content and sexuality than we are over violence and gore. There is definitely a reason young single parenthood and STDs are rather unfortunately popular in Britain.

So what is the conclusion here? Well, no one is ready for more sex in games. We all need to grow up, the industry needs to produce material that allows sex to be viewed on a tangible level. Not slapstick or shallow. I am not bashful to admit I still feel a tad awkward watching a couple of animated characters "get it on" on screen. Maybe I am just so used to regular porn.

NEXT WEEK: Hang on... Where's My Controller Gone?

If you have anything you wish to share with me or indeed the readers, feel free to comment or e-mail me at twentyfiveand0@hotmail.co.uk - Don't forget to check out the What Have I Been Playing pages found on the right! OR Check out my channel at www.youtube.com/ike1luv