Sex, schmoozing and video games

SAN FRANCISCO--If you were looking for the movers and shakers in the world of adult-oriented video games Thursday, most of them could be found here.

That's because about 150 of them--publishers, developers, programmers, writers and marketers--had gathered for the first-ever Sex in Video Games conference. The two-day affair kicked off Thursday with a series of panels, but the real work going on was networking and cementing the notion that the nascent industry can support its own conference.

To be sure, there's been sex in video games almost as long as there have been video games. That was one of the major points made during Thursday's morning keynote address by Brenda Brathwaite, chair of the International Game Developers Association's sex special interest group and a conference organizer.

Throughout Brathwaite's talk, in which she briefly discussed the history of sex in video games and then gave a comprehensive review of the previous year, the longtime game designer talked about the benefits of gathering a group of sex-positive people who agree that video games are a natural medium for sex-oriented material, and one that should be treated no differently from movies, books, comic books or any other medium in which adults choose to examine sex.

But because the conference is an opportunity for many in the industry to learn how to market their games in the post-"Hot Coffee" era--meaning after the 2005 scandal in which the popular game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" was discovered to contain hidden sexual content, despite its being rated for ages 17 and up rather than for adults only--many on hand were interested in talking about what it will take to get the growing number of adult-oriented games off the ground.

Video: Sex, games and videotape
Adults-only game developers make their play at Sex in Videogames conference.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday it had reached a settlement with "Grand Theft Auto" publisher Take Two after a months-long investigation into the "Hot Coffee" scandal. Under the terms of the settlement, Take Two agreed to properly label its games in the future and not to hide age-inappropriate content.

"Our purpose (in being at the conference) is we think there needs to be a concerted effort by a lot of people in this industry to be a success," said Brad Abram, president of XStream3D, publisher of "Virtually Jenna," the game based on the life of porn star Jenna Jameson. The conference is "more about the networking (than about the content) and putting faces to names. There are still old-school ways of doing business that are appropriate for any industry."

Anthony Valterra, director of business development for Lamplighter Studios, which creates 3D assets for video games, agreed. He was at the conference to try to nail down deals with publishers, and on Thursday seemed to be succeeding.

"Even though right now a lot of the companies here are underfunded and underexperienced," Valterra said, "some of them have funding and we'd love to work for them."

He explained that he'd gotten at least two publishers on hand interested in his company's offerings.

[newcreation]

minds and bodies to open up?

open up to what?,the perversion of the adult entertainment.not thanks i will pass on that one.

[newcreation]

minds and bodies to open up?

open up to what?,the perversion of the adult entertainment.not thanks i will pass on that one.

[newcreation]

minds and bodies to open up?

open up to what?,the perversion of the adult entertainment.no thanks i will pass on that one.

[newcreation]

minds and bodies to open up?

open up to what?,the perversion of the adult entertainment.no thanks i will pass on that one.

[Loganwxxx]

Playstation 3 games

I would love to see AO rated games on the PS3. I have always been a big fan of the Leisure Suit Larry games, but the AO rated Leisure Suit Larry games have only come out on PC. The LSL games that came out for Xbox and PS2 only were the M rated versions.

[Loganwxxx]

Playstation 3 games

I would love to see AO rated games on the PS3. I have always been a big fan of the Leisure Suit Larry games, but the AO rated Leisure Suit Larry games have only come out on PC. The LSL games that came out for Xbox and PS2 only were the M rated versions.

[mustangdel]

reply to sex article

I've been gaming since it began and loudly applaud the industry to finally begin to see the game industry as a free form of choice and expression. I remember the Zork series that barely touched the subject and the wonderful "Leather Goddess of Phobos" where in order to complete a mission you had to seduce a princess before she would give you information. It was fun, quirky, and belly laugh funny. I loved that game and waited for other developers to get the joke but somewhere in there the censors raised their ugly heads and started dictating our morality and freedom of choice and that was the end of it. My fervent hope is that sooner or later someone will make an AO game and it will sell a million copies. That will be the eventual success or failure of AO games. The bottom line.

[e-mail]

[damonras]

downfall of a nation

This kind of crap will ultimately destroy America and the world as a whole.

It is already destroying thousands of families and lives.

Free form of choice and EXPRESSION? Try PERVERSION. This garbage does no good for anyone, and those involved in producing OR supporting it should be ashamed of themselves.

[Loganwxxx]

I agree

I too would love to see an AO game sell a million copies here in the U.S. I really liked Leisure Suit Larry Magna *** Laude. I own the AO version for PC, and the M rated version for Xbox. I am a console person myself because I prefer to use a controller instead of a mouse and keypad. I would love to see some AO games come out for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3.

[mustangdel]

reply to sex article

I've been gaming since it began and loudly applaud the industry to finally begin to see the game industry as a free form of choice and expression. I remember the Zork series that barely touched the subject and the wonderful "Leather Goddess of Phobos" where in order to complete a mission you had to seduce a princess before she would give you information. It was fun, quirky, and belly laugh funny. I loved that game and waited for other developers to get the joke but somewhere in there the censors raised their ugly heads and started dictating our morality and freedom of choice and that was the end of it. My fervent hope is that sooner or later someone will make an AO game and it will sell a million copies. That will be the eventual success or failure of AO games. The bottom line.

[e-mail]

[damonras]

downfall of a nation

This kind of crap will ultimately destroy America and the world as a whole.

It is already destroying thousands of families and lives.

Free form of choice and EXPRESSION? Try PERVERSION. This garbage does no good for anyone, and those involved in producing OR supporting it should be ashamed of themselves.

[Loganwxxx]

I agree

I too would love to see an AO game sell a million copies here in the U.S. I really liked Leisure Suit Larry Magna *** Laude. I own the AO version for PC, and the M rated version for Xbox. I am a console person myself because I prefer to use a controller instead of a mouse and keypad. I would love to see some AO games come out for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3.

[sprettycat]

talkback sex,networking and video games

hi i just want to say with something like this in networking and video games,that is why there is so many relationship break-ups..woman getting beat-up ect....thing like this should not be on computers..thank you

[qwerty75]

what?

You have no argument at all. Nothing even remotely intelligent.

If computer games and porn cause domestic violence, then why has it occured for thousands of years?

I am not a supporter of the porn industry, but I am a supporter of freedom. Ignorant comments that have no basis in reality don't help you, neither do calls to restrict freedoms. That will bite you in the ass eventually, no matter what your activities are.

[mwa423]

Not to sound harsh....

But if you're going to be in an abusive relationship, wouldn't it be better to be 500 miles apart and over the internet so there couldn't be actual physical abuse?

[sprettycat]

talkback sex,networking and video games

hi i just want to say with something like this in networking and video games,that is why there is so many relationship break-ups..woman getting beat-up ect....thing like this should not be on computers..thank you

[qwerty75]

what?

You have no argument at all. Nothing even remotely intelligent.

If computer games and porn cause domestic violence, then why has it occured for thousands of years?

I am not a supporter of the porn industry, but I am a supporter of freedom. Ignorant comments that have no basis in reality don't help you, neither do calls to restrict freedoms. That will bite you in the ass eventually, no matter what your activities are.

[mwa423]

Not to sound harsh....

But if you're going to be in an abusive relationship, wouldn't it be better to be 500 miles apart and over the internet so there couldn't be actual physical abuse?

[EngDrewman]

this is horrible

Do people have ~any~ morals any more? Yeah- lets just take a woman (a human being) and make her into an object- a sex toy. Come on! I am an adult male and I do not find this kind of stuff entertaining at all. It is perversion. Sex is to be ~only~ between a man and a woman in a marriage relationship, and at that, a marriage intended to last "till death do us part!" I don't care if it is virtual or not, it's putting the wrong stuff in one's head, and this stuff has the ability to ruin people.

[hamster330]

I agree

I totally agree with what you said. This stuff is not good for our society.

[dodgeman007]

you cant censor what i watch

how can you tell another adult what to watch? children should not see most of the stuff adults can but why does that mean i cant see it? the parents are the ones responsible if the material gets into a childs hands not the people who made the game/movie/song. place blame in the correct hands.

[SkilledLlama]

You are horrible...

Do you have ~any~ brains in your head? This is only expressing a non-violent way to get hidden sexual feelings out into a consequence free environment, (Unless Micorsoft found a way to slip STD's into the 360 ^^). And why even throw the gay issue into it? ("Sex is to be ~only~ between a man and a women") The real damaging thing is your religious attitude, but you dont see people lobbying to take that out of video games now do you?

So the bottom line is: Perversion? Yes. But in a consequence free environment. Therefore there is no problem with it.

[zaznet]

Your own choice?

It does not matter that you would not use this product or not want it. I am sure there is a flavor of Gatorade you don?t like too. There are going to be plenty of things you will see in this world that you are not going to like. Your only way to deal with them is to educate others as to why they should also not like it and to avoid these things whenever possible.

I personally abhor cigarettes, so I don?t buy them don?t smoke them and don?t sit in smoking sections at restaurants. I don?t however go up to people and say ?You are horrible, stop smoking? and expect it will change anything. Dictating choice on others is not what the bible says we need to do.

[EngDrewman]

this is horrible

Do people have ~any~ morals any more? Yeah- lets just take a woman (a human being) and make her into an object- a sex toy. Come on! I am an adult male and I do not find this kind of stuff entertaining at all. It is perversion. Sex is to be ~only~ between a man and a woman in a marriage relationship, and at that, a marriage intended to last "till death do us part!" I don't care if it is virtual or not, it's putting the wrong stuff in one's head, and this stuff has the ability to ruin people.

[hamster330]

I agree

I totally agree with what you said. This stuff is not good for our society.

[dodgeman007]

you cant censor what i watch

how can you tell another adult what to watch? children should not see most of the stuff adults can but why does that mean i cant see it? the parents are the ones responsible if the material gets into a childs hands not the people who made the game/movie/song. place blame in the correct hands.

[SkilledLlama]

You are horrible...

Do you have ~any~ brains in your head? This is only expressing a non-violent way to get hidden sexual feelings out into a consequence free environment, (Unless Micorsoft found a way to slip STD's into the 360 ^^). And why even throw the gay issue into it? ("Sex is to be ~only~ between a man and a women") The real damaging thing is your religious attitude, but you dont see people lobbying to take that out of video games now do you?

So the bottom line is: Perversion? Yes. But in a consequence free environment. Therefore there is no problem with it.

[zaznet]

Your own choice?

It does not matter that you would not use this product or not want it. I am sure there is a flavor of Gatorade you don?t like too. There are going to be plenty of things you will see in this world that you are not going to like. Your only way to deal with them is to educate others as to why they should also not like it and to avoid these things whenever possible.

I personally abhor cigarettes, so I don?t buy them don?t smoke them and don?t sit in smoking sections at restaurants. I don?t however go up to people and say ?You are horrible, stop smoking? and expect it will change anything. Dictating choice on others is not what the bible says we need to do.

[damonras]

The downfall of a nation

I found this article very disturbing and saddening. Nothing in this world is sacred or respected anymore.

Pornography will ultimately destroy our country, and things like these sex video games just feed the evergrowing flame. Lives and families are being destroyed and those people producing and supporting these types of efforts just sit back and laugh. They are "past feeling". Having been involved in such sexual perversion for so long, these people no longer have a conscience or respect for humankind.

Those of you involved in producing and supporting this filth should be ashamed of yourselves. One day you will answer for the destruction you are causing.

And C|Net: Shame on you for posting articles like this to the web. This garbage doesn't need any more attention than it is receiving already.

[damonras]

The downfall of a nation

I found this article very disturbing and saddening. Nothing in this world is sacred or respected anymore.

Pornography will ultimately destroy our country, and things like these sex video games just feed the evergrowing flame. Lives and families are being destroyed and those people producing and supporting these types of efforts just sit back and laugh. They are "past feeling". Having been involved in such sexual perversion for so long, these people no longer have a conscience or respect for humankind.

Those of you involved in producing and supporting this filth should be ashamed of yourselves. One day you will answer for the destruction you are causing.

And C|Net: Shame on you for posting articles like this to the web. This garbage doesn't need any more attention than it is receiving already.

[damonras]

The downfall of a nation

This kind of crap will ultimately destroy America and the world as a whole. Pornography is a disease.

It is already destroying thousands of families and lives.

This garbage does no good for anyone, and those involved in producing OR supporting it should be ashamed of themselves.

[dodgeman007]

look at what your saying?

if porn would prevent only one rape or child molestation it is justified how can be so blind yet speak with such authority.

[qwerty75]

Let me get this straight

By destroying the very freedoms our country was founded upon, our country can be saved? From what?

There is nothing more dangerous then a hate-mongering, fascist, right-wing, christian supremist.

This country is not a christian nation. There is a very important reason why the founders seperated church and state. The reason is that people like you would turn this country into the worst sort of state. One that regulates all thoughts, desires and opinions.

[damonras]

The downfall of a nation

This kind of crap will ultimately destroy America and the world as a whole. Pornography is a disease.

It is already destroying thousands of families and lives.

This garbage does no good for anyone, and those involved in producing OR supporting it should be ashamed of themselves.

[dodgeman007]

look at what your saying?

if porn would prevent only one rape or child molestation it is justified how can be so blind yet speak with such authority.

[qwerty75]

Let me get this straight

By destroying the very freedoms our country was founded upon, our country can be saved? From what?

There is nothing more dangerous then a hate-mongering, fascist, right-wing, christian supremist.

This country is not a christian nation. There is a very important reason why the founders seperated church and state. The reason is that people like you would turn this country into the worst sort of state. One that regulates all thoughts, desires and opinions.

[JesusChristisLord]

It is sad to see

It is sad to see the way video game industry is heading, is this something for the good of others, I think not, it is another way that will continue to cause a major morale decline in the home of families in America

[Tomcat Adam]

Into a form of art?

Yes...very sad indeed.
It happened to paintings, music, movies and...worst of all...books!
Look how horrible all of those mediums have become!
Oh, wait...

[David Trammel]

Get Religion Out of Games

Given the choice between viewing some harmless adult fun in my next video game and the hatefilled bigoted stuff many main stream religious groups want to push on society, I'll take the sex any day.

Check out this what they would like you to play:
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/29/195855/959

"Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians. Your mission is "to conduct physical and spiritual warfare"; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life."

[EngDrewman]

let me clarify something...

First I would like to state that I am a Christian and, although I may not fully agree with Bush, I still support and respect him as our leader, and I support and respect our troops. These people who call themselves "Christians" who do stupid stuff such as protesting the war at military burial cerimonies are unpatriotic and unamerican. Furthermore I do not walk around telling gays they are going to burn in hell. I believe that we should be showing them why it is wrong rather than telling them messages of hate and doom.

Also, the game David mentioned above is also the wrong image. The war Christians are involved with is strictly a spiritual battle, not a physical one. Christians are commanded to obey and respect those in authority over them, unless what the government commands them to do violates God's commands (which is usually a government commanding them to worship an idol or some other god, or forcing them to believe some false doctrine). The crusades of the middle ages were a result of corruption that had worked its way into the church, not genuine commands from God.

[newcreation]

best way to hit is through the pocket book

just imagine what if millions of men stop watching porn or buy there services

[David Trammel]

Get Religion Out of Games

Given the choice between viewing some harmless adult fun in my next video game and the hatefilled bigoted stuff many main stream religious groups want to push on society, I'll take the sex any day.

Check out this what they would like you to play:
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/29/195855/959

"Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians. Your mission is "to conduct physical and spiritual warfare"; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life."

[EngDrewman]

let me clarify something...

First I would like to state that I am a Christian and, although I may not fully agree with Bush, I still support and respect him as our leader, and I support and respect our troops. These people who call themselves "Christians" who do stupid stuff such as protesting the war at military burial cerimonies are unpatriotic and unamerican. Furthermore I do not walk around telling gays they are going to burn in hell. I believe that we should be showing them why it is wrong rather than telling them messages of hate and doom.

Also, the game David mentioned above is also the wrong image. The war Christians are involved with is strictly a spiritual battle, not a physical one. Christians are commanded to obey and respect those in authority over them, unless what the government commands them to do violates God's commands (which is usually a government commanding them to worship an idol or some other god, or forcing them to believe some false doctrine). The crusades of the middle ages were a result of corruption that had worked its way into the church, not genuine commands from God.

[newcreation]

best way to hit is through the pocket book

just imagine what if millions of men stop watching porn or buy there services

[David Trammel]

Make Love Not War

I've never been able to figure out, why is it esepcially from all the moral upright religious people out there, you're perfectly happy letting children see scenes of killing and destruction in video games, yet the first time someone shows a bit of rather tame sex, you think the world is about to end?

Oh, that's right, after centuries where religion has been the excuse to murder tens of millions of people, a bit of cross burning of heretics is just harmless fun.

[Loganwxxx]

RE: Make Love Not War

I agree 100% I would like to see more in games than just religion, death, and destruction. I would love to see more video games that promote love, sex, and nudity/naturism. All this hateful religious propaganda needs to stop. We live in the U.S.A, not the holy lands.