Sims vs. Playboy: Sex and Relationships in the Dark Ages of Video Games
November 2007 Issue
Features
- From the Editors
- Craft Check: Gamer Soap
- Gaming in the Media: Fallen Guitar Heroes
- Market to Me: Using sex to sell
- Gamer vs Gamer: The Virtue of Reality?
Interviews
- Industry Interview: Shelly Mazzanoble [Author, Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress]
Articles
- Gender & Live-Action Role Play: Into the Tavern, Part II
Author: Samara Hayley Steele
- Sims vs. Playboy: Sex and Relationships in the Dark Ages of Video Games
Author: Cherie Thomason
- Another Rape In Cyberspace
Author: Pat Miller
- Immaculate Reception
Author: Latoya Peterson
In this ongoing series, Samara shares her experiences as a female LARPer in a male-dominated LARP Organization.
Cherie discusses the portrayal of sex in console video games.
The trauma of a sexual assault is not limited to physical hurt. Pat discusses the violation of virtual bodies as analogous to that of real bodies, and wonders how it can be stopped.
Latoya discusses the lack of sex in mainstream video games and critiques the interplay between hyper-sexualized characters and their chaste actions.
Gamer Stories
Reviews
Odds 'n Ends
While violence of all shapes and sizes has long been the purview of video games, sex and sexuality has not been treated with as directly or as frequently. Sexuality is certainly compelling enough to be used in selling video games, primarily to men, but developers have seldom included it as part of the gameplay. Within that scarcity, video games continue to cater to the common misconception that only heterosexual men play games.
I can think of one exception to the rule. Maxis’ The Sims/2 treatment of sex and sexuality is a breath of fresh air compared to the stagnation of the rest of the video game industry. Because The Sims/2 is essentially a sandbox, gameplay allows the player to have a lot of freedom in manipulating the lives of their Sims to suit their tastes. Sex and relationships do not comprise the sole objective of the game, but are aspects included in the player’s activities. The Sims allows relationships with some of the broadest latitudes in gaming today. Men can flirt/date/have sex with/marry/have a family with women and/or men. And likewise, women have the same options with men and/or women. They can also conduct multiple romantic relationships, albeit clandestinely–Sims who witness their partner in a romantic clinch with another will get extremely upset with both individuals. Sexual encounters also span a variety of situations. Sims can flirt in any social setting, ask for and go out on dates, make out and “woohoo” in bed, in a hot tub, or even in a photo booth at a public place. Sims can choose to just have a fun romp in the sack, or actually aim for progeny. And if a Sim is single or gay, he or she can call up an adoption agency to have a little one of his or her own. Marriage and name changing is also egalitarian. Any Sim, male or female can ask the Sim of their affections to marry them. The Sim joining the household changes his/her name to the household name regardless of gender. Men and women can both pursue the Romance Aspiration lifestyle where their lifelong goal is to rack up as many romantic partners as possible. Aside from the jealousy of their multiple partners, there is no other in-game cultural backlash to be had. While there are still some limitations that the game imposes that keeps it from being wholly inclusive, The Sims/2 blows away the rest of the video game pack in its open-mindedness.
On the other side of the spectrum, there’s Playboy: The Mansion by Cyberlore Studios. As its name might suggest, the game puts the player in charge of Hugh Hefner in his bid to get his magazine up and running and keep it going through the years. Gameplay consists primarily of throwing parties in order to meet people to feature in the magazine. These party guests can be interviewed for an article or become the subject of a cover or centerfold photo shoot. As with the real magazine, only women can apply to be in a photo shoot. One of the most effective ways for Hef to influence women favorably is through romantic interactions. Like The Sims, these interactions can range from flirting to sex, but unlike the Sims, Hef never commits to a romantic partnership beyond girlfriend status. Despite the blurring feature, the sexual encounters go well beyond mere suggestion. In Sims, the participants dive under the covers, or dive under water or just set the photo booth rocking. But in Playboy: The Mansion, the blur is only around the crotch region for both Hef and his lover, leaving the woman topless. Furthermore, in-game Hef seems to be quite successful in attracting and maintaining multiple girlfriends.
Naturally, there isn’t an unattractive prospect in the bunch. While bra sizes, if they’re worn at all, have a noticeable range, the physique lever is stuck at model slim. At least the women Hef has to choose from have a healthy range of professions–their backgrounds imply that they may not exist solely for Hef’s pleasure. Then again, their backgrounds have little to do with the gameplay. Scientists, actresses, politicians, journalists, musicians and business women are all equally reduced to a provocative topless pose in the centerfold of the magazine. Because the entire game is played from Hef’s viewpoint, it is necessarily biased from his point of view. One could argue that the game is simply depicting the actual person’s outlook and perspective. However, when compared with other games that espouse the same aspirations, it simply offers up more of the same sexist outlook.
This is the section where I should write about the equivalent games for women, gays, and lesbians. Sadly, I haven’t heard of any games that would qualify. While sex and sexuality in other entertainment media (film, television, books) have been exploring more than just the heterosexual male’s tastes, video games have a long way to go. In the meantime, there’s always The Sims.
