When one considers the negative (and often unnecessary attention) that video games receive for displays of violence and overt sexuality, it should come as a surprise when one hears of any one opening calling for games to maintain and even increase shocking displays, provided that they are handled in a mature manner.
The person who is sounding this alarm of positivity is Winda Benedetti of MSNBC. Benedetti, who pens game columns as MSNBC’s “Citizen Gamer” humorously, begins her piece by giving the impression that she is an individual who saw a male organ for the first time. While gamers would undoubtedly dismiss this childish display, her mock reaction in the article’s intro shares some similarities to the realistic responses expressed by Cooper Lawrence when Fox News highlighted the Mass Effect situation, right before gamers justifiably chastised her for her immaturity.
Benedetti’s article does make some excellent points. One section that stands out is where she actually calls out developers for including this “sexual imagery” in games for its own sake. As she says, “game makers have been stunting the growth of their own entertainment medium by using sexuality primarily as a means of shocking players and, more importantly, as a means of moving their product … rather than as a natural extension of the story or the game experience they happen to be creating.”
She even admits to feeling sorry for the “hormonally challenged young men” that these games are being marketed to, correctly pointing out that most of these games, X-Blades in particular, have nothing to them other than this unnecessary flash.
The only point of contention that can be found in this piece is where she cites the Mass Effect scene as a poignant example of video game seduction. Everyone knows that the God of War titles do it much better.
I do think more games should have more sex and violence in them, but not if they are in there for "shock factor". I think if they are used to make a story more realistic or relevant, then it's a good thing.
Couldn't agree more, there is nothing wrong with sex and violence in the video games just as long as minor's don't get there hands on them.