IGDA talks sex and video games

There has been precendent of sex in video games, take a look at the amount of H-Games that get churned out in Asia, or even the horrible flop Singles: Flirt Up Your Life (AKA "Sims with sex"). Of course, none of these games have received as much attention as GTA.

The "Hot Coffee" fiasco is the result of some sloppy righteousness on the part of some bandwagon-hopping politicians who can't even be bothered with some basic fact-checking (e.g. can the minigame be accessed without the use of patches or patch codes?).

It's generated some debate about the incorporation of sexual content, and that is definitely a good thing. The concept of sex in games has to mature beyond the point where answering a question correctly or pressing the right button combinations will get you a glance at some censored genitals. I mean, the point of a game is to provide entertainment. For the same number of keystrokes, I could either get a low-res shot of a blurry crotch, or I could type in the URL of a site which has videos and high-res stills, but which would be more fun?

In order for sexual content to work, developers need to consider it as another story-telling tool, not simply as a reward. It needs to make sense within the structure of the game (plot/world/gameplay), and it needs to be effective, that is, fun.

Take, for example, the ending of Metroid, where you'd get the main character Samus, in various states of undress depending on how fast you finished the game. As the sole motivation for finishing the game quickly, it would rather suck, considering you'd get more eye candy by heading to the local drugstore and glancing at the cover of Maxim magazine or the Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. As it is, the picture of Samus at the end was a little bonus in addition to the sense of accomplishment that you get. The programmers also revealed that Samus is in fact, a girl, which might provide a new perspective on the game. (Or you might wonder about the effectiveness of having a semi-nude male as the reward.)

However the situation ends up, I just hope that developers aren't reduced to saying "And now, ten seconds of sex."

First off, the whole “Hot Coffee” issue has to be one of the most asinine debacles in the history of media. The game exhibits massive amounts of violence, and it goes largely unnoticed by those that censor games... however, add a hidden scene that even remotely depicts sexual conduct, one that cannot be accessed without unauthorized modifications, and you have a war with political figureheads on your hands. What next? We go back and sue Eidos for making a game that can be modified to show a busty heroine in the buff? I say, get the %*&# over it already. If your buying GTA for your kids, to hell with your notions of instilling proper social conduct or ethics into your kids. By all means, sex scenes in videogames should be heralded as a refreshing break from the inhuman slaughter of innocent NPC's… Only goes to show that it is more socially acceptable to break a person’s arm than it is to kiss them.
Secondly, a “tasteful incorporation” of anything is entirely in the eye of the beholder, and if that eye is pleased with rampant destruction, then who says “Hot Coffee” isn’t as beautiful as a Shakespearian production?
PS: I fully condone videogame violence, BTW. It is in games like GTA that we can take out frustrations and satiate basic violent instincts without causing disruptions to other members of society. If you don’t agree with it, don’t buy games that support it. Meanwhile, the rest of the world shouldn’t be punished for the conservative views of a few politicians/members of the PTA.

The timing is pretty incredible, but plans for the SIG got underway following the "Sexuality in Games: What's Appropriate" roundtable at 2005 GDC. The mailing list was set up a month or so later. The SIG was basically in the approval process when Hot Coffee hit the fan.