FeedVideo Games Need More Nudity
by Goldanas on Feb.03, 2009, under Opinions, Rant
Inspired by a conversation had in the delicious new podcast, I came to ponder the nudity in video games thus far. It could have been a good time.
Aside from what’s in a tremendous amount of fan art, there really isn’t a whole lot that’s palatable in this day and age. Sure, we had the opportunity to see some pixel-sized nipple back in the day with Custer’s Revenge, but I would hardly say that’s in accordance with good taste. In fact, there’s hardly a game out there that treats nudity tastefully.
In a society of American liberals who argue that nudity will not corrupt children, we’re hardly doing enough to advocate that policy. Our Internets are filled with billions of images of women and characters topless and doing some nasty, and our video games reflect the exact same mentality.
How do we sit here and argue that we’re better than that and that this stuff doesn’t corrupt the youth when it seems that the only thing we crave is the next image of a tantalizing beauty, fictional or otherwise? Video games seem to only feature women of the incredibly topless variety, walking around readily flaunting their sacks of fat in an attempt to appear digitally enticing. I get rather tired of the cumbersome lines that accompany the pixelated “vixens” attempting some bizarre stab at sexuality.
Games like the Godfather II are just one example of the ridiculous nudity and sexuality presented herein. I don’t really want to talk about the Singles games that were made. Those could have only been aimed at the 13 to 16 year-old crowd.
"Holy shit, they're naked!"
At this point, you must be wondering, “What the Hell are you getting at, man? What’s with the title?” Well, I’m of the mind that video games need more nudity. Right now, we’re treating it as some kind of taboo that only horny dudes appreciate in their M-rated games for mature gamers, like myself. If we could just have some tasteful nudity in a game, the world would be fantastic.
The only game I can really think of that did it tastefully was God of War. The Grecian Goddess the player comes into contact with has an exposed chest, which was the preferred attire of the time. Those particular boobies weren’t doing anything to harm anyone; they were just being historically accurate. Of course, God of War threw all that away when the player participates in mini-game revolving around a three-way. Goddamn.
Tasteful nudity is something that I believe could elevate video games to the next level. I’m not suggesting they could rise to the same level as cinema, as a lot of movies have nudity just to have tit in there. No, tasteful nudity is something that’s hard to approach at this particular point in time. How do you achieve that level of nudity without having it appear sexual?
Simple:
Flaccid Penis
Video games need more flaccid penis. There is nothing that will immediately turn someone off faster than an ugly little penis hanging around. At the same time, it’s one of the most human and humanizing body parts there is, aside from the breast, but until we get it into our thick skulls that it’s not a sexual organ, we have to set that aside.
The penis is often symbolized in erect statues and objects that are referred to as phallic. The phallus is supposed to represent something that embodies strength and manhood. Anyone who’s ever been in its presence quickly sees that that’s not the case. It’s actually a rather weak and sad little figure, lazily hanging about waiting for its time to work and always coming in at the wrong time. In this regard, I find it characterizes men more dramatically than the idealism suggests.
How can we implement this into games? Heroic men fighting off scads of enemies whilst nude. One could implement the protection of his flapping man-meat as a form of gameplay revolving around health. The character only dies when that vital part is chopped off. It would bring dismemberment gameplay to a whole new level.
Developer’s don’t even need to go that far. It could be that while changing an outfit in order to slip past guards, they just happen to show the penis briefly. Perhaps after waking up in the middle of the night just before a zombie meltdown, the protagonist wants some milk, and–while walking to the fridge in the buff–zombies break in and he has to get out of there. There’s no time to grab your clothes in certain situations. How about just showing the genitalia during an operation? A game that’s supposed to be medically accurate is just ridiculous when it’s not at least anatomically correct.
Sometimes people have to take off their clothes, and it doesn’t always necessarily pertain to sex; that’s all I’m saying. Video games should reflect this. I’m just so tired of having titty forced upon me. I have no need to associate blood, guts, insipid humor, and sexualized buxom nipples. One of the greatest moments in film these past couple of years was at the end of Eastern Promises. If you’ve seen it, you know how it pertains to this article, but if you haven’t, go rent it somewhere.
If the ridiculously close-minded Hollywood can be that adventurous, why the Hell can’t video games? C’mon, developers, stop trying to poorly turn me on and try something actually unique and innovative.
February 3rd, 2009 on 6:21 pm
You’d think it wouldnt be a problem with the advent of the AO rating, unfortunately, most stores don’t want to sully their image by selling AO games. Not only that, but seeing as parents are so stupid and most 13 year old kids can play a game where people cut each other in half with chainsaws, it wouldnt be too difficult for them to get access to AO games.
I guess in a way i kinda have to be jealous of kids nowadays eh? Free streaming porn, ripping shit in half, didnt have that back in my day… whippersnappers
February 3rd, 2009 on 7:22 pm
While video games do have unimaginable potential to be artistic it’s hampered by the people who make them and the audience who buys them.
Core gamers like ourselves are sort of analogous to the “movie buffs” of cinema. We are the people who care deeply about our hobby. The movie buff is likely to watch a movie over and over, analyze it, talk about it and try and appreciate it on many levels. Every once in a while games may demonstrate some artistic qualities but as you pointed out we still don’t have any that are regarded as art as some movies are readily considered.
Developers and publishers know sex sells so they use it in games. They probably don’t think tasteful, artistic nudity will sell so they don’t use it. Being a primarily male driven industry and the fact that “hardcore” gamers are all younger teenage boys clamoring to prove they are real men or males with disposable income that want to break from mundane to live a fantasy, tits are always relevant to their interest.
Some gamers may like the level of experience that comes with the vulnerability and discomfort of their character being naked. It’s awkward but brings to us more then just nudity. As much as I’d like to not give Hideo Kojima credit, he did do this with Raiden in MGS2. Of course Raiden was an awful character and he was comically cupping his man tackle the whole time but Kojima took it there because he’s a cinema zealot.
Though not to the degree Kojima took it, you could say Nintendo also attempted this in Metroid Prime: Zero Mission. In one part Samus loses her battle armor and is stuck in just her Zero suit (which some of the internet seems to feel is as good as nude) with an underwhelming fire arm. She was no longer this human weapon of alien genocide but a golden haired, young woman. I don’t know if this was a good or bad sort of awkward but it definitely made her more then just “video game protagonist.”
Even monsters can be nude. In your zombie example the zombie could be naked! How better to make your beast seem more inhuman and monstrous then to demonstrate it has no shame?
So why can’t the game industry get it too? I’d like to say that it’s mostly the above reasons and that we’re not far off from getting. If we can see games are capable of being more “artistic” than a bunch of Japanese RPGs stuffed with archetypal Anime characters we’ve got a shot!
When compared to movies or literature it’d seem games are still a young means of entertainment and have a bit more time to go before it’s taken that seriously. I can ramble even longer than I usually do if I approach the conflict of nudity in games (something some view as childish activity) in America (a country founded by religious exiles.)
I think tasteful nudity will become more likely when those that see it as art are able to easily create quality content and people in general can see it as more than just a “silly guy hobby”.
February 3rd, 2009 on 7:27 pm
Goldanas, admit it. You just want to see some guy penis.
February 3rd, 2009 on 10:11 pm
The sequel to God of War had it too at the beginning of the game. In the baths that you fall into, one of the shades you can destroy had those same women chilling in the water, and the same mini-game.
I can expect the third game to comply to this pattern as well (only in HD).
Regarding tasteful nudity, it’s probably not gonna happen for another couple years at least. It took a good while just for the movie industry to allow tasteful nudity in films, video games will likely fall in that same progress.
February 4th, 2009 on 8:00 am
Oh god, Soul Calibur
What happened to you?
I saw a comic where everything was removed except for the ridiculously oversized T&A. I thought that seemed a little over the top since I’d last played SC3 (And started with Soul Edge in an arcade, what a surprise) until I played Soul Calibur 4. I literally almost cried, that what I’ve always viewed as a competant strategic fighter was just a game made for 15 year olds who want some tits in their games so they can wank while they wank.
I always disliked Ivy anyway.
February 4th, 2009 on 4:34 pm
This is a terrible blog and you should feel terrible for posting it.
Just kidding, of course developers shouldn’t be so angsty about sex just because OH NO IT COULD HURT THE CHILDREN. But really, ‘need more nudity’? That’s a bit too much, maybe.
February 4th, 2009 on 4:49 pm
This article made me Lol, and at the same time it told some truths.
But, I would just like to bring a point to the table, a trend ive been seeing in comments on here lately…
“just a game made for 15 year olds ”
Do you people really consider that an insult? Im 16 and whose to say Im not as smart as any of you?
Im tired of the whole age thing being a complete slap in the face to me and every other mature kid who wants to play some games.
Can’t you just say “stupid kids” or “kids with no taste” instead of actually naming an age group, thusly stereotyping that age group
February 4th, 2009 on 8:05 pm
NaruZap, don’t take it personally. When we say “It’s a game targeted at 15 year olds” we’re generalizing. Obviously if you have a deep appreciation for video games, that becomes the relevant qualifier for yourself in relation to this situation.
I suppose I could say “kids with no taste” but the word kids doesn’t give a specific age group and is vague. Kids with no taste could mean any kid with no taste as where the specification of age brings to mind the image of the young male that covets “mature” games simply because it’s something meant for grown men.
February 4th, 2009 on 10:18 pm
Flaccid penises all around!
February 4th, 2009 on 10:34 pm
Dry crusted STICK.
February 4th, 2009 on 11:54 pm
I’d enjoy watching tits bouncing everywhere for no reason but to stimulate my non-dry-crusted phallus.
so screw you Goldy.
February 5th, 2009 on 12:36 am
@NaruZap
15-year-olds doesn’t refer to, well, 15-year-olds. But look around you, at the kids in your school, etc. How many of them refuse to play ‘kiddy shit,’ referring to anything without an M on its cover? Those are the kinds of people we refer to, and I apologize if the term used is offensive. It also refers to 20-year-old frat boys, afterall.