We Can’t Play Video Games Around Anybody Anymore

Jacob S. from Link-Cable writes: "Video games aren’t what the family friendly, colorful pass-time we used to enjoy with our families. The medium has changed and you’ll now see games with far more violence, coarse language, and nudity than ever before, making it difficult to play around with anyone anymore. The fact that most of the games people do play are catered to an adult audience make it feel strange and almost embarrassing when the only overly sexualized or brutally violent moment in the game just so happens to be when you are playing near someone or have somebody walk in during your play session.Simply put, its getting harder and harder to share gaming with other people."

[savedsynner]

FWIW, I agree. My biggest issue is with gratuitous sex and violence(tho personally I believe sex is for marriage and games trivialize violence). Sometimes these elements are actually enhance the story(Witcher is a good example...you can make Geralt a sex maniac or someone you might consider bringing home to mom...there's a choice and reasoning behind it). Just because a story has sex or violence doesn't means it's endorsing it(tho often it is). But games like DoA and that ilk are just showing big breasted women, totally out of proportion just because they can.

Some games are made more adult audiences and some for kids, but each DoA-like title cheapens the argument that games are a legit form of media.

[spreadlove]

DoA is also a Japanese game and Japan is a highly sexualized country. It is the most sexualized country of the industrailzed nations. Where else would you buy used women's panties in a vending machine?

Even in the US we largely got rid of booth babes, in Japan it is the main form of marketing.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I just think more countries are becoming too conservative, nothing wrong with admiring anatomy.

[spreadlove]

white,

Appeal doesn't mean you need to act on it. Taking something without permission also appeals, but most of us hopefully don't engage in that.

[datriax]

"sex is for marriage"

What is this, the 1800's? lol

[savedsynner]

Haha, good one right. Saving the most intimate form of physical love for a monogamous committed relationship...how archaic. Sorry for the sarcasm but alot of people wait for marriage and are glad they did, apart from the moral and religious reasons.

[NXFather]

His name implies that he is a Christian but, yeah that has never been true.

[Sitdown]

Having a Biblical value is the 1800s?

[shauzy]

Even Muslims don't do that anymore 😂

[Cobra951]

Imposing Biblical values on a society is the 1800s (Victorian era, to be precise).

[savedsynner]

"Imposing Biblical values on a society is the 1800s (Victorian era, to be precise)."

Um, pretty sure no one is imposing anything. Also, pre martial sex was looked down upon for thousands of years before the Victorian era. There were certain cultures that embraced it but many did not.

[ChickeyCantor]

> I believe sex is for marriage

Everything tells me you will have sex before marriage

[savedsynner]

And you're basing this off 2 comments in a comment thread...might want to look into your basis for coming to a solid conclusion.

[ChickeyCantor]

Because people like you that preach the loudest fall the hardest.

Your nick name is even savedsynner, you are born with original sin ( im assuming that's what you believe ). You're already out of logic there.

M'lady.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I don't think any developer would noses sex and violence, anyway, we have a rating system for a reason. It's clear that gaming has grown up with it's audience.

[Realms]

@savedsynner

Wait what? Yes some games are made for adults and yes some games have questionable content, but so do other mediums.

You bring up DOA as proof of questionable game and the industry's creditability yet how many movies are made that are cheesy and over sexualize women? How many magazines are devoted to just that sexualize women come on man , and let's not get into the violence in other mediums because it's a lot worse in some cases. It's pretty simple you don't like that content don't buy it. The games have a rating system it's not like all games are extremely violent or overly sexualized.

[savedsynner]

You bring up good points. My point was that other mediums do not have to fight uphill to be accepted as true works of art like video games do. I dare anyone to play Metal Gear Solid and The Witcher and tell me they are not art but they are not accepted as such by society at large like a great novel or movie would be.

Games like DoA, GTA, and any of the other games which treat their entire fanbase like 14 y/o boy don't help with that.

Please note I'm not saying devs don't have a right or even an incentive to appeal to young males, but rather it cheapens the whole format.

[Realms]

@ Savedsynner

Who cares about what non gamers think, I don't. It's interesting that you bring up GTA because it's the best selling game by a large margin and yes underage kids and teenagers play it but who is buying said games the parents. So again some games are for adults I get that some people may think that they are only for kids but a whole generation has grown up playing video games and many of them are now adults who still enjoy them. I like GTA but not because it is ultra violent or because it's demeaning towards women but because it's satire of reality. Much like South Park the Fractured Butt Hole is these games are not for everyone but I'm glad they exist any kind of censorship is the first step towards an oligarchy where free though is censored.

[agent13]

I hate all sexual things i almost puke when i think about sex, the games like witcher 3 are good because they let you choose to see these content or not but some games and movies force you to watch these crap scenes.

[EatCrow]

Not to mention they dont adequately represent the intimacy either.

[NXFather]

They don't let you see in the butt like porn.

[G3ng4r]

No butt guts, no deal.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

You puke when you think about sex? Lmao never heard of nothing like that in my life.

[synistatha1]

I was thinking the same thing lol

[AspiringProGenji]

I would feel nauseas when I watched porn or thought about it when I was like 7 years old lol

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

Some people have hang ups or just find it gross, others have no interest in it. It varies from person to person.

[nitus10]

Wierd I know but if you are a Christian and have read the Bible you get something like the following: Genesis 1:1-31 “Go forth and multiply” just to name one and I am quite sure God did not mean for you to attend a maths class.😎

Personally, I don't have a problem with some people puking when they think about sex. Basically, they are one more member of the human species that has voluntarily taken themselves out of the gene pool.

BTW. Other holy books have something like the above and it looks like humans have been listening.

[Relientk77]

So when you have sex with a girl you puke on her?

Lol, bet she doesn't like that

[2pacalypsenow]

" i almost puke when i think about sex,"

I feel sorry for you.

[ziggurcat]

"I hate all sexual things i almost puke when i think about sex..."

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Segata]

Sex is horrible but having an avatar for a game where you murder people is ok tho right? You sound like the typical conservative. Blood and violence are fine on TV but a nipple is the worst thing ever! SO OFFENSIVE! THINK OF THE CHILDREN! SAVE THEM FROM THE NIPPLE!

[FullmetalRoyale]

“I hate all sexual things i almost puke when i think about sex”

https://d2kmm3vx031a1h.clou...

That was a good one, I’ll admit. Well done.

[Soy]

..........you're Stan Marsh, aren't you?

[Sunny_D]

Awww, you youngins will no doubt start thinking differently when you hit puberty.😂

[Sam Fisher]

This new generation is soo weird, before puberty hit i was already spanky the monkey 🐒

[Activemessiah]

Even Mario is showing his nipples now...

[Thatguy-310]

I actually think the opposite. Don't understand why one would be embarrassed with sex and a lot of violence in games. To me and to many others it's no different than watching a show or a movie.

[EatCrow]

And why did you not add porn in there?

[The_Sage]

Well... Would you feel comfortable with watching a sex scene with your mom?... How about your 6 year old daughter?...

My kids grown up now, but I did not play certain games till he was in bed when he was younger. I'm glad he was in bed when I got to Aphrodite in God of War.

[Thatguy-310]

Well obviously you wouldnt exposed such things to a child. That's just common sense. However to an adult why would they care? It's sex and its pushing the story forward in some way whether its done in a good or bad.

[Kleptic]

^what is troubling is that, more and more, this seems to be some sort of unheard of thought process...

I have a nearly 2 year old son...Any parent is probably aware that somewhere between 1 year to 18 months old, short little human beings start to turn into sponges...they repeat every single word you say, they imitate every single thing they see.

It's pretty obvious that certain content isn't meant for 'the family'. Everyone keeps acting like it's this huge surprise when you play a mature game, watch a rated R movie, or just gamble with netflix's original series...and there is some nudity and/or a face turning inside out. With even the slightest bit of awareness as to what you're actually doing entertainment wise; the judgement on who you should absorb it with is kind of automatic...isn't it?

Big David Fincher fan, and i'm aware of what the guy puts in his movies/shows...Mindhunter went up the other night, and maybe we're nuts...but my wife and I didn't start it until our child was in bed, away from the TV. (spoiler alert) within 4 minutes, someone's head was missing. Within 30 minutes people weren't wearing clothes, doing things that everyone does, but sensitives can't stand others doing (or something?). I was surprised, for that guy, i thought it started a little slow....not because 'omg this show has sex and violence in it, what am I supposed to do if my 'family' is around?' It's not a big deal unless you fack up and aren't informed, and aren't aware of who you're with.

to be honest, i'm not sure if you're complaining about the content, or implying that it take some monitoring. Either way, on the same page with god of war...not a game to play in front of a little kid...nor was it ever advertised or described as one.

[Cobra951]

I watched the 1st 2 episodes of Mindhunter myself last night, Kleptic. Good call waiting for the little ones to be asleep. Riveting show too.

[The_Sage]

I understand what you're saying, but there are circumstances where I wouldn't play certain games. I wouldn't play Dante's Inferno in front of my mom.

[shaun mcwayne]

Sex and violence has been around since the caveman days, club a woman and take her back to your cave for Sex. Its is just some people that get embarrassed, depending on how they were raised or events in life that make you think a certain way about things. Me personally I think the worst ive experienced was Trevor from gta that guy was a loon, I laughed as much as I cringed at him, but at the end of the game I didn't want to kill him off as he made the campain for me. I wouldnt want to be friends or hang out with a guy like that, but man one of the most memorable characters in any game.

[spreadlove]

If you club a woman, she is likely dead and you are having sex with a corpse. I don't think that was common even back then.

[shaun mcwayne]

Have you ever met a woman they are not made of glass. Tougher than most men.

[spreadlove]

Shaun,

Have you met a woman outside video games?

They are human, and have all those limitations.

[yeahokwhatever]

People are literally confusing a Mel Brooks movie with historical fact. This level of ignorance is how Hillary got any votes at all.

Shaun,
Wrong.
-Reality

[NXFather]

hyperbole

[Cobra951]

To my knowledge, nobody filmed Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon mating rituals during the paleolithic era. The clubbing of prehistoric women for sex seems more like a modern fantasy from frustrated male storytellers than anything based on reality. They certainly couldn't fix skull fractures back then.

[shaun mcwayne]

You guys are way to serious, lol.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

There are plenty of Indies that do what you're looking for.

[kevnb]

There are plenty of games for all audiences... I mean Mario is about to come out and is the must have this holiday... please don’t write stupid articles like this anymore, it’s embarrassing that someone is so short sighted.

[SouljAx360]

I feel you to an extent. I don't care about the violence and what not. But I freaking swear nobody actually comes around while I'm alone playing a single player game, until the boobs are unleashed and flying around the screen. It's like people are sitting behind the door waiting for that perfect moment to hit the doorbell.

The same shit happens with movies. I was watching some movie on Prime Video when my Mother happen to stop by. Been watching this movie for about 45 minutes nothing sexual at all. 60 seconds after she got in and sat down and it's a lesbian sex scene that lasted for a solid 5 minutes. "I swear this movie was nothing like this I had no idea I mean it was normal and and and" just every freaking time.

[NXFather]

Evil spirits.

[StormLegend]

If you play a game that's rated M+ or higher, than you get what's coming.

[savedsynner]

To a point I agree. I think his point was back in say the 90s, there were far less over the top violent and sexual games. That said, I'f I'm playing the witcher, and I have any knowledge of that world, I have to know there are sexual scenes and if that might cause an embarrassing social situation, I should know that.

[ecchiless]

In the 90s? Well in the 90s i was playing this great game called Fear Effect, great visuals for the time and great "sound" too ;)

Also there was plenty of M games for the PlayStation in that time, parasite eve, syphon filter, metal gear solid, etc... i still find a lot of "normal" games to play today, Atelier series, Ys series, Tales series dont have much risky stuff either.

[gbsrnctaln]

I do wish many times that thete was a language filter while kids are in the room or playing. GTAV is so much fun for a kid to drive around and cause chaos in, but you have to hearcfbombs every 30 seconds.

[XStation4pio_Pro]

meh. i just see the medium maturing into the mainstream as a legit form of accepted entertainment. better tech allows for better storytelling which circles back into the medium maturing and reaching the capability of adult themed entertainment.

side scrollers were side scrollers because 3d wasn't possible. photo real or in the neighborhood of photo real was not possible. If Castlevania was a new game developed recently, you could bet it would be way more graphic and adult than it was back then - because production values have changed and the machines are exponentially more powerful. OG Castlevania looks like it does cuz thats the best they could do, not because creativity has changed. same with movies.

i still play with as many people as an adult as i did as a kid. if anything i play with more people now thanks to tech that didn't exist back in the day.

[MatrixxGT]

Theres been violent and sexual games for a long time now. Its just that the pixels have gotten clearer with modern consoles/games. Just like TV you have to understand the difference between the Disney Channel v.s Cinemax.

[Tctczach]

Pretty sure there are some fantastic games out right now that stay clear of those topics. Stardew Valley, A hat in time, and many, many more.

[meka2611]

Maybe for you sensitive types, I don't care what game I'm playing and who walks in, well as long as it's not a porno game, but that's different. Grow up and get over yourselves.

[Fist4achin]

Maybe you should hold off playing mature games until your kids go to bed or pop in something a little more appropriate if they are around and that they can also play.

[theshredded]

For sp games this is arguably true and especially horror games or VR. It's for immersion and to appreciate the narrative. For example, The Witcher 3 and RE7 are games I hate playing when someone is around me

[quent]

Drawing comparisons with another form of media entertainment ,can you imagine the Conan the Barbarian movies from the 80's without the sex and violence and what that would be like ?, depiction in fantasy or any works of fiction DOES NOT or should not relate to any real life actions or motives, they exist purely to entertain us, women viewers loved, again, being "entertained", seeing Arnold topless just as much as the rest of us manfolk loved ogling the female "characters" in the movies

Is drawing a line in the sand to differentiate between what's real and exploitative and what's meant to be seen as entertainment or something created to shock us so difficult to understand, need a Ruler ?

[Asuka]

Dont mind me. Im just sitting here catching up on some Senran Kagura. If you got a problem then to bad for you because i dont care haha

[Chaosdreams]

E
S
R
B

While it won't stop someone from walking past you, and perhaps putting you in an awkward situation (depending on how you feel about nudity, so forth) it will at least let you know what you're getting yourself into.

[ecchiless]

So true, i hate when ppl dont do their fking job and check what are they buying/playing, is like those dads that start to blame games for their child conduct and they buy those same childs games like gta, cod, etc....

[Gh05t]

What was the point of this article? Just like everything else you arent supposed to watch mature content with an immature audience. this isnt rocket science. This is basic human decency. On the other hand if you are watching mature material and someone comes in the room and you have feelings of embarrassment than it is your own INSECURITIES at play not the mediums.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

If it's really becoming that hard, then maybe, oh, I dunno, try expanding upon the kinds of games you play?

I don't mean that as some sort of snarky insult, either. I'm serious.
I used to be the same way; there were only a select few kinds of games I'd touch, be it because of content rating or graphical style, and it severely limited the number of fun games I had to choose from.
Some I'd get made fun of for playing in public, too, while others got ignored, but in any case, it helped me realize that my taste in games was very narrow and shallow, something that was painful to my pride to admit.

[sk8ofmnd]

Yeah, the industry is vastly larger than it was say... 20 years ago.

You know the saying...

Opinions are like a$$holes, and everybody has one.

The real issue is that parents buy their kids M rated games (age specific) and then want to complain about said game because its doing exactly what the front of the box said it would.... 😂 or they wish for a filter to turn off cussing, blood, nudity, annd drug use... Fp

[LandoCalrissiano]

Try not playing rated M games? Any T games I play are suitable for my niece and nephew to be around (10 and 5)

[Scar-]

I actually agree with him he's talking about violence as well as sex btw. I been gaming since the NES days so I've lived through the over all change in direction. The industry use to put family friendly games like Sonic and Mario at the front of the industry. Hell even Sony entered gaming with Spyro and Crash and the next gen with Rachet & Clank and Jak&Dexter gaming was at a different place back then, you had M rated games but there were the niche while Family friendly was mainstream. It's funny how that people reduce this argument to ZOMG sex is the best thing in the universe it should be everywhere your a hypocrite because your okay with violence ZOMG ZOMG. Speaking from personal experience I've had to shut off a number of games because my company didn't enjoy the Graphic content Sex & Violence titles such as God of War, Socom, GTA etc. So I agree with the article completely.

[bluefox755]

What? Do you feel the same way about R rated movies? Do you surround yourself with puritans?

[inxine]

wow, there are many ppl really thinking this is actually true. are you all so insecure about it these things that u get embarrassed playing stuff around someone? thats really a shame. i agree some things are over the top sexualised amd violent but nobodie asks u to play those specific games in front of ur parents lol. i mean i played DoA with my lass for a while. but i guess to each their own. bless you ppl.

[TargusX]

I totally agree, great article. It's sad to see games go this way. Picking games that I can play in front of my partner gets harder and harder! Trying to dodge games that don't involve some kind of of sick torture scene or throat slitting is hard. I have to pick different types of games these days because of it!

[Kuma]

Anyone can get porn on multiple web sites. Why must it be in the games?? Please keep gaming free of sex and politics and just play for fun.

[Tankbusta40]

What a weird article to read and some of these responses.... If you cant handle sex and violence...I suppose all TV, movies and most books are off the table for entertainment

[GamesMaster1982]

I say if you don't like the content in a game don't Fing play it and don't whine on to others that do enjoy it. If a game is rated 18+ you know that there is going to be some adult content in some way, so just keep your prude ass away from it and go play Mario simple as that.

[ABBAJESUS]

Buy a switch, cry baby.

[InTheZoneAC]

Never did understand the need for sex to be in games, and I don't get the appeal to want it in games either.

Incoming counters about violence in 3, 2, 1...

[Psychotica]

That's why I never played video games on the big tv in the living room when I had small children. I always played console and PC games on my PC monitor at my office desk away from my kids play areas.

[Tetsujin]

This reminds me of those situations where someone watches an R rated movie, then complain because "they didn't know X and Y would happen" although it's printed on the back of the box.

Granted I don't have children, or immediate family who watch me play games, but I at least know what to play around my company at any given time. A friend of mine has a son who sometimes visits; and if there's a game I'm playing he feels is inappropriate, I turn the game off until they leave. I also wear headphones 99% of the time, so if there is something going on, no one but me hears it. I can see where the author is coming from to a point, however there are moments where you need to know your audience first, and have set times if you know if a game will contain something someone might not like.

It's to the point where society doesn't know how to read their company (visitors), teach proper right/wrong to the younger generation, and wants the government to tell them everything when it comes to common sense and what they need to do. It takes less effort to research what you're going to play/watch, and if you know it might pose a problem with someone else, wait.

[Achamian]

Seven paragraphs should not be considered a full article. There are too few examples and very little commentary to be found here.

The article presented is also of the scatterbrain variety, is it "Games should be conisdered as art because sex and violence," or "wow the times are changing."

Choose one sir journalist. Give us an honest opinion and FULL article. I wish N4G wouldn't allow such paltry content

[jokerisalive]

I play whatever I want...benefit of living alone and my girlfriend is very open to different types of games and being asian she is alot of fun and not so uptight like alot of other types of girls. She usually laughs at some of the stuff I show her when gaming because she is smart enough to know its games and not real life which I think is what alot of people who freak out over everything do not know how to discern from reality..