Kotaku
Conservative News Service Cybercast today issued a release entitled "Sex in Video Game Makes Waves Through Industry", which focuses on a topic that has been our own focus on numerous occasions for notably different reasons - the Mass Effect sex scene. The article is riddled with quotes from one Cathy Ruse, a lawyer and senior fellow for legal studies at the Family Research Council. I found it helpful to read her words while imagining her foaming at the mouth.
"There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way," and "when you do this, you're teaching them a distorted lesson about human sexuality and human dignity. These are lessons that they will take with them into adulthood and ultimately society," Ruse said.Ruse of course assumes the game is marketed towards children, because why the hell would full-grown adults play video games?
Could she be right? I certainly hope not, as it would be horrible for children to grow up thinking that one day they might form a deep bond with someone and engage in sexual activities - especially if said activities involve someone of another race or similiar gender. That would be terrible. Media specialist Bob Waliszewki with Focus on the Family agrees.
"We never shy away from sexuality in the media. It's just a question of how is that sexuality portrayed. One can use the media to portray some very healthy forms of sexuality. And when done wisely with taste and age-appropriateness, it can be done well."You know, sometimes I find myself watching an old black and white film, and for just a moment I find myself thinking about how lovely it would be to live in a society where children know nothing about sex, growing up into fine, upstanding adults with firm morals who then get married and discreetly bear children just like them. Then I return to the real world, which has its own particular charms. Someone really needs to get these folks a copy of Pleasantville. Sure, today's world is pretty fucked up, but it's a more passionate place than it has ever been, and I kinda dig it."Unfortunately," he said, "Mass Effect doesn't do that and even goes so far as to allow homosexuality to be on par with heterosexuality and heterosexuality outside of its proper context of marriage."
The article continues predictably. Waliszewki cites various reports linking video games to violent behaivior. Ruse calls out BioWare for putting the sex scene in to generate revenue without regards to what happens to the children who shouldn't be playing it in the first place. Bob does manage to talk some sense towards the end, cautioning parents to take a hands-on approach to their children's entertainment, but then Cathy comes back in for one last bit of foaming outrage.
Ruse noted that "most states have what's called 'Harmful to Minors' laws on the books that say that selling sexual material that a jury would deem 'patently offensive to minors, which lacks literary, artistic, political or scientific value.' ... might be prosecutable."Folks really need to know a little bit more about gaming culture before launching into tirades like this. Then again, I suppose I could say the same for myself when it comes to the Family Research Council. For all I know, Ruse could be one of the more sensible ones.
Sex in Video Game Makes Waves Through Industry [Cybercast via Game Politics]
Comments
These people should be nuked...
Do parents.........well the dumb ones anyway. Think that the M rating stands for Mostly everyone? Seriously WTF?
Amazon lists video games with toys.
Toys and Games.
Why and when will this form of "art" be removed from the "toys" section.
"Unfortunately," he said, "Mass Effect doesn't do that and even goes so far as to allow homosexuality to be on par with heterosexuality and heterosexuality outside of its proper context of marriage."
Conservative crap.
Honestly, any kid that can get to that scene deserves the right to know about sex.
Incredible,you see more on Cable anyway
"patently offensive to minors, which lacks literary, artistic, political or scientific value.' ... might be prosecutable."
Well,the game has artistic and literary value,so it doesnt make any sense at all
Being of a conservative mindset,the game played by mature people is not vulgar,the scene last for 5-10 seconds,and it is very tasteful
If parents don't want their kids playing M rated games they should either A: not buy them the game or B: not give them $60. Simple as that.
There are more graphic sex scenes in PG 13 movies, than in this game. Find another scapegoat people!
It amazes me that anyone could say this. If the people ranting could sit down and play the game to the point where the choice (Equally important) of whether to bump uglies comes up they could see that it has literary merit in the same way as any romance in film or literature.
Its an act of love during the worst of times and is tastefully done without being overly melodramatic. However asking such zealots to be constructive and look on things as a whole is not possible.
All that would be justified if the game wasn't already rated M for 17+
I call it a non-issue. It's not Mario on Luigi action we're talking about here. This game is clearly not marketed to kids.
Know your hardcore gamer, you can identify them by their pale skin and seamen encrusted pants from constantly jacking off when they can't find a victim to rape.
Yeah, because that is all the game is about! I have been playing for hours and haven't come across a single sexual situation but I have had to make choices, do a lot of reading, running around, interacting with different political and social figures and situations and sometimes I get to have a gunfight (but not often enough for my tastes.)
Mass Effect is the example of what a game for adults can be like. It is smart and rich and full of plot and interaction. Most kids would get bored of this kind of game play but I have to say if some teen-aged kid had played Mass Effect to get to the sex scene I would think the experience would end up being a more positive one towards his/her development than a negative one (as opposed to hooker killing in GTA.)
Wow! People like this always make themselves look like such ignorant ass holes. They don't even know that it's an adult game and they're just wasting there time.
I F***ING HATE THESE PEOPLE SOMEONE PLEASE DESTROY THEM!
@mahi: Yeah, typical conservative paranoia. I should tea-bag him and NOT propose afterwards. That'll learn 'im. Or at least scar him emotionally. I'm fine with either.
Look, everyone starts moaning, "oh you can't make selling M rated games to minors illegal, it's against the constitution." Now, Mass Effect of all games is facing potetional prosecution? No the game isn't marketed to children, no a child can't get a hold of it without parental consent, but yes, there are people who just love not doing their research, and then this happens.
Everyone, I assume, here for the most part knows that it wasn't gratuitous porn for the sake of sales, so there's no need to argue that. It's just, I'd rather see a legal buffer between people who are out for blood with the games industrey and the developers. If that means fines for retailers who break the ESRB rating, is that such a high cost? They aren't supposed to do it as it is, the fines just make it a legal issue.
Hopefully though, this will just go nowhere. I hope that eventually, through some groups efforts or another, the general public starts realizing that the days of PacMan and Frogger are long gone: gamers are older and games are maturing on many levels.
I'm conservative, and it really sucks when people in the same group paint you a bad name... Whatever, as long as they're just blowing smoke.
Games are rated.
Parents should read the ratings.
The much discussed and criticized "sex scene" is artfully done, shows no genitalia and, once again, is intended for MATURE GAMERS.
If a 10 year old plays the game, whose fault is it?
If a 10 year old goes to an R rated Movie, whose fault is it? They are both rated for their content, so that Parents can justify what their child can be exposed to. Games aren't for "JUST" for kids.
I'll stop now.
'I found it helpful to read her words while imagining her foaming at the mouth.'
LOL..tell us how you really feel, Fahey! As for the article, it's all the same sad story that's been told over and over again. Blah, games are horrible. Blah, violence. Blah, sex. Blah, oh shut the f*ck up already people. Ironically, it seems as if the only ones who are too immature to play and react to video games are the ones who are complaining.
i thought the sex was tastefully done.
Rated "M" for mature, you idiots. Kids aren't suppose to be playing it. They can't even buy it without you there to do it for them.
In short, they aren't feeding human (and other) sexuality to your children. YOU are.
Just another example of pure ignorance on their part. Mass Effect is rated M17+ for a reason. They aren't feeding anything to kids, it is marketed towards mature audiences.
Even still, the sex scene portrayed in the game is far from 'obscene' it has to be one of the most tastefully done sex scenes I've seen. There are far worse things in daytime and primetime TV.
Sigh,
No problems blowing heads off, car crashes sending limp bodies flying, and emulating senseless wars our forefathers fought and died in...as soon as there's a boobie exposed, SOUND THE ALARMS!
Seriously, though I've never played Mass Effect (I know, shoot me okay?) the sex portayed in-game is mild and extremely censored is it not?
Please cancel Desperate Housewives, Sex in the City re-runs, etc. as the sex portayed is indecent and is a poor example of socially accepted sexual relationships.
Oh wait, those shows are CLEARLY for an adult audience...
Mass Effect Age Rating: PEGI 18+
"There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way,"
Kids shouldnt be playing this game in the first place.
on the other hand people know about sex before 18, sex education drilled into our brains from the age of 10 if not younger....
These people also think that Shakespeare should be burned in a large bon fire at the town square. Romeo and Juliet, having sex? THE NERVE! BURN THEM! BURN THEM! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!
I'd really REALLY love for Bioware, or any other publisher / developer for that matter, to issue a formal response to this stating in no uncertain terms:
"Our game is intended for a mature audience as noted by the 'M for mature' rating it received. This rating is similar to the 'R' rating given to movies by the MPAA, and should be treated by parents as such. Thank you."
Parents, conservatives, and JT get all fired up over things like this on the inaccurate assumption that video games are strictly for children - and that's a fallacy that needs to go away.
@PapaBear434: Yeah, I find it amusing that the title of the article is "Cybercast Warns Parents Away from Mass Effect". You mean, again? Rated M for Mature, you tools of the Moronocracy.
Ironically, seeing the reaction and knowing how the "homosexual" sex was handled in Mass Effect, I suddenly see a political value in it.
And the fact how BioWare has generally been presenting same sex relationships in their games is something I think is rather good.
The sex in Mass Effect was PG rated. The game itself received an "M" for "Mature." I'd say they're well within their rights to include the tame sex scenes (that are much less offensive than much of what is found in prime-time television or daytime soaps). Of course the whackjobs at Cybercast are well within their rights to complain while making themselves looking like ill-informed morons who clearly haven't even taken a look at the game or the sexual content in the game that has them so concerned.
Let me be honest.
On one hand, I say bravo. They're right - children shouldn't be seeing this kind of imagery - I mean, if a Disney film contained a sex scene there'd be uproar!
Then of course I remember that Mass Effect is (in the UK) illegal to sell to those under 15 years of age.
However, as a 26 year old man I prefer my games not to have sex scenes - instead to keep my mind ready for my future wife - I just hope that there's a choice to avoid that scene when I play the game.
If you don't have a problem with such scenes, that's up to you - go for it.
I personally don't want to see it - and children shouldn't have access to that material either.
But I do personally believe in the adult right to choose.
I really hate these articles. I don't care that these people are forming opinions without knowing anything (ANYTHING) about what they're talking about. What pisses me off is all the people who read this type of conservative articles only ever see the one side. They can so easily swing people to their point of view when their point of view is the only one presented. THAT pisses me off.
Bioware have been always characterized by the tasteful romances in their games,i think the scene wasnt necessary,see KOTOR,the best character romanceable in a game(Bastila),and there was no sex scene,yet i feel fulfilled after she fell in love with my character,but these people give conservatives and the right a bad name
Mass Effect is designed very much towards adults. I don't mean that in the sense that there are guns and violence, since most kids want that in games nowadays.
Just the style and themes in the game are geared towards adults. Most kids don't want to play story driven RPG's with no blood.
I wasn't aware that M rated games were for children, nor was I aware that a sex scene you would find in a PG-13 movie was considered pornography.
If anybody just wants this game for the sex scene then they desperately need to get outside and get some of this stuff called fresh air.
"Guns on the other hand, totally fine. Have you seen the chainsaw hooked up to that one gun? We should use that against terrorists."
@Manjikengo: To many enlightened individuals, any kind of sexuality evidently brings up enormous questions about "human dignity".
"I let my children watch a porno movie, and now they keep asking me what a "glass-bottomed boat' is. There should be some kind of rating system or something!"
Idiots.
@anglon: No offence but when was toys just for kids :P trust me when I say it, there is things called adult toys :P
@TitillatedOcelot: Err....what's a glass bottomed boat?
Who cares what raving psychotics have to say?
@RagingAvatar: Yes, and when you pick up the box, it informs you that such content is in the game. You have been presented with the choice of not buying the game. The company that created the game is off the hook.
@MugiMugi:
They don't sell dildos in the Amazon Toys section but they do sell Dora the Explorer right next to Mass Effect.
@llllDrGONZOllll: LOL!
It's been said here already but it bears repeating: you'll see much more graphic sexuality on TV these days than in this 1 scene from Mass Effect. This is yet another example of neo-conservative BS trying to tie video games to the corruption of youth. Sad, sad, sad...
@rlh445: I'm...not really sure. I'm betting it's absolutely filthy though.
"There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way"
I think that she meant that any way you feel kids porn has cultural implications. She makes it sound like there's a correct way to feed kids porn.
"There are alien cultural implications for feeding alien porn to kids in this way," and "when you do this, you're teaching them a distorted lesson about alien sexuality and alien dignity. These are lessons that they will take with them into adulthood and ultimately space," Ruse said.
Fixed.
@Tonx: *sings* Just a spoon-full of sugar...
Did you guys just heart that? That's the sound of my head smacking against my desk...repeatedly.
Are all books aimed at kids? Are all movies aimed at kids? The answer is no! Why are people so afraid of where babies come from. You can have sex other than procreation... and enjoy it. "Sex is fun? Oh NOEZ!!1" Seriously, the Bible even has The Song of Solomon. According to the same book Adam and Eve "knew" each other in the Garden of Eden. Sex is not bad!
I applaud BioWare for making sexuality mostly equal (I'm still a bit ticked that they didn't allow you to have malexmale relationships)in this title. "Oh, I'm such a moral and upstanding person because I'm straight." That's pure and total stupidity.
The Mass Effect Sex scene couldn't be more tasteful. Go attack MTV; stop your kids from idolizing Brittany Spears; The Beowulf movie, which was PG-13, was ten times as graphic. In fact, so was Titanic.
There's no Nudity, so who care? For that matter, more importantly, who really cares what the Family Research Council thinks? I hope Bioware does not.