Sex in Games: Beyond the Veil of Pornography

Sex is a natural aspect of life, but talking about the subject is often difficult. After centuries of the subject being taboo in conversation due to stigma, there’s still a lingering sentiment about it being embarrassing or a silly subject to talk about.

When it comes to the representation of sex in games, we encounter very specific circumstances. Erotic games are usually developed in Japan as visual novels, but they're not strictly focused on pornography.

Games that dedicate most of their time to sexual activities are called "nukige" (literally "masturbation games"). In a rough analogy, those titles would be the equivalent of the adults-only area of the old video rental stores. Expectations here revolve around shorter stories, wasting no time to get down to business, and incorporating plenty of explicit scenes.

In contrast, a significant portion of what is known as eroge (erotic games) presents a different perspective on such scenarios. With the exception of nukiges, other erotic games tend to be more extensive, serving a purpose beyond mere sexual gratification. These games focus on developing the relationship between the main character and their chosen love interest, gradually becoming more intimate until it becomes natural for them to engage in sex.

While I separated nukige from “non-nukige” erotic titles in order to show how sex can be portrayed differently, this does not mean nukige cannot provide their own intriguing worldviews. CLOCKUP’s Erovoice is a great example of how even the campiest games can provide some insight into the possibilities for the medium.

Erovoice, Character Traits, and Meaningful Sex

The story in Erovoice revolves around a young man who loves erotic games and is particularly fascinated by the voices of the heroines. He’s very particular about this aspect, buying titles based on his knowledge of the cast, a common case in the otaku culture. When he’s looking for a job, he finds one at a voice actress agency nearby and, despite their small size, he finds out they work with some of the people he admires in the industry.

After joining the company, the young man can pick an area to dedicate himself. Each work option will mean getting closer to one of the main girls as he learns the routine. As a nukige, it quickly presents erotic scenarios, some of which are hard to believe, just like a pornographic video that tries to make up some absurdly convenient plot.

What is especially intriguing here is how each heroine's personality impacts the portrayal of sex. Despite being the oldest in the group, Miss Touko is a really curious, active person. Her relationship with the protagonist develops around them roleplaying in the office and her eagerness to learn new possibilities is an endearing trait that shines through during these moments.

Meanwhile, Seika is a top star who has a penchant for abusing others. However, it’s not really about her being a bad person, but rather it's a mask she wears socially. Her sexual interactions with the protagonist allow players to see a glimpse of her true self through the peculiar kinks she explores with the protagonist, revealing she is a thoughtful person who understands his interests.

The other characters also have their own traits with aspects that would be severely lacking if they cut the sex scenes entirely. Erovoice’s depiction of sex reflects the characters’ relationships and personalities. The game's pornographic nature does not prevent the scenes from being meaningful and thought-provoking.

Intent in Narrative and Design Choices

Cute Demon Crashers is one of my favorite examples of how sex can be explored in games. The title was originally created for the NaNoRenO 2015 Game Jam, a month-long visual novel development contest. Due to the time constraint, the SugarScript team focused on a short story and made a game based on the special theme of “consent in sex”. Even though they could not complete it on time, they released the finished product as soon as it was completed. The result was a curious title in which a group of Incubi and a Succubus offer their services to a woman without pressuring her.

Instead of exploring the usual angle of those individuals being demons who need vital energy through sex, it instead offers a thought-provoking insight. Even for those who crave sexual acts for sustenance, pleasure has to be a two-way contract. Respecting the will of your partner, the very definition of consent, is a natural and irrevocable law that affects this game world.

Even at the game design level, the visual novel implements a unique option. At any moment, the player can use a stop button. This simple option is an effective reminder that this ability to affirm your own limits and having them be respected should also be the norm in real life.

Cute Demon Crashers’ consent mechanic shows the importance of how the game represents sex. Making better representation of sex in video games and its various nuances depends on dispelling the veil that makes the content seem like a meaningless pornographic material. It’s important to discuss and think critically about the narrative and gameplay design choices of erotic games.

Graphical Depiction of Sex in Games

The visual depiction of sex scenes is another important factor that can greatly impact the overall representation. In fact, considering the scene direction and composition with thoughtful intent can often be a more intriguing approach compared to explicitness alone.

ADELTA’s UuultraC explores the bodies of its men, showing them mostly in small bits rather than the full picture. This detail and the continuous change of pseudo-shots actually allow the scenes to direct the reader’s attention in a way that makes the scenes more dynamic, the focus centering on the aesthetics of their bodies.

Meanwhile, Eyeguys' Milky Way Prince opts for totally implicit sex scenes. Instead of showing the acts, it represents them through a senses system that allows players to choose how the protagonist will interact with his boyfriend. The text description will follow the choice, allowing players to read a mental impression of those senses. How did it smell? How did it taste? What kind of image stuck to the protagonist during the act? What did he feel as he touched his boyfriend? What could he hear?

On the subject of how these events are portrayed, a recent controversy is also interesting to mention. When developer Laplacian released their game Cyanotype Daydream in English, the title had to undergo censorship in order to be available on Steam. This practice is common as Valve’s store can be inconsistent in what adult games they allow on the platform, having previously banned games such as Meteor World Actor and Full Metal Daemon Muramasa.

Rather than cutting scenes, they made new illustrations to show sex implicitly. Eroge fans are used to having that content either intact or restorable with an external patch, so they were angered by this choice and complained about it on Twitter. However, this design choice seemed tactful and intriguing compared to the more usual complete removal of story chunks. The new scenes kept the erotic tone while focusing on the interlacing of the characters’ bodies.

Going Beyond the Veil of Pornography

While erotic games may seem like simple pornographic material at first glance, the truth is the subject can be portrayed in thoughtful ways. Narrative, audiovisual, and game design choices can provide creative, unique ways to represent sex, sexuality and the nuances of what it can mean as far as human relationships go.

The first step towards discussing this representation is not shying away from it. Sex can and should be seen as another facet of humanity that artists can express and discuss in their work. Otherwise, the media can’t evolve how it depicts this simple aspect of daily life.