Video games have come a long way from the time when gaming consisted of basic blocky graphics. The earliest were basically 1’s and 0’s on a black and white screen. Video gaming successfully grew from its humble beginnings to become the most profitable entertainment class, bringing in more than the music and film industry. Nudity has become an integral part of the space, sometimes sneaking into age-restricted ones.
Video Game Ratings
Before games are released, they must be classified based on the level of adult activities available within. The US has a classification system, and many other countries align with this system, but some other countries and regions, like the EU, institute age-restriction classifications. Gambling games and sites like Syndicate Casino often get the highest rating possible. The three major rating systems are:
- ESRB. Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) rates video games with letters such as AO, M, T, E. AO stands for Adults only, M for Mature, T for Teens (13+), and E for Everyone.
- PEGI. PEGI, the Games Rating Authority, uses numbers to communicate ratings based on age. 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18 are some of the ratings used by PEGI.
- VRC. Video Rating Council opts for a system that combines the first two seemingly. VRC uses GA, MA-13, and MA-17. GA stands for General Audiences, MA-13 represents “Mature Audiences,” and MA-17 signifies that it is for adults.
There are different ways to rate a game, and most titles carry multiple ratings. The types of ratings available to you can change based on your location and other local regulations. Many industry players do not feel that studios have done enough to protect vulnerable groups and restrict access to certain titles.
Sex as a Selling Point
A quick research on the demographics of video gamers might shed more light on why sex sells in the gaming ecosystem. Playing some mature games can feel like it is the major selling point while the gameplay and plot exist to keep players engaged. Some characters add no depth or value beyond looking sexy and feeding into the fantasies of players and viewers alike. It’s inevitable to come across adult themes and characters in these types but these characters should add something meaningful to the storyline.
Some like Grand Theft Auto feature missions requiring players to interact with strippers, but it can be argued that these characters and themes fit into the broader storyline. Sex is a reality and a part of life as an adult, but some studios recklessly add these themes to attract people who cannot live without interacting with sex. Oftentimes, the representation of certain demographics concerning sexual themes feeds into stereotypes and undoes decades of hard work to overcome unfair stereotyping and prejudice. There are better ways to represent sexual themes without feeding into primal thoughts and actions.
Unrealistic Body Standards
Reality is often exaggerated in digital entertainment, that’s why studios create an idyllic version of almost everything in-game. Many people have spent the last few years engaging with male and female characters through video games. These characters often have perfect bodies, can do what they want with limited restrictions, and generally defy most laws of physics. An unfortunate by-product of presenting “physical specimens” is that many gamers no longer have realistic expectations of what a man or woman should look like in real life. Some characters are exaggerated to the extent that the bodies being portrayed cannot be achieved without surgery or other excessive means.
It might be hard for some gamers to imagine, but the average woman doesn’t have a 40-inch hip with a 22-inch waist; neither do they have DD breasts on a 75-pound frame. Consequently, there aren’t many men that are 6-6, 250 pounds, with an 8-pack and 4% body fat. These exaggerated body features exist in some people, but these people are the exceptions and not the norm. It’s time for everyday gamers to begin understanding what is possible and impossible in everyday humans. Controlling expectations can make life significantly easier for everyone.
Here are some ways entertainment studios can better combat sexualisation:
- Create realistic, sexy characters: Characters can be attractive and sexy without breaking the rules of human biology. Our imperfections, folds, and shortcomings are part of what makes us unique and human.
- Communicate with gamers better: There are ways to let gamers know that the characters they are engaging with might not represent the average human in their category.
- Tone down the sexualisation through language, context, and innuendos. Sexualisation starts from the way characters speak, think, and interact with the gaming environment. There’s always a better way to get things done.
Is Sexualisation Overstated?
It’s unlikely that sexual themes and characters are fully removed from games made for adult audiences, the best we can hope for is ethical studios that understand the concept of creating better storylines and studios within the realm of our sexual realities as adults in the 21st Century.
