I’m pretty confident that panties were not thrown at Mr. Floyd when he presented this video in his Media Theory class at Savannah College of Art and Design. You can just tell he's no Prince of Love. Passing judgment on relative sexiness aside, Mr. Floyd’s put together an accessible history, analysis, and compelling argument on the future of sex in videogames. The man makes a good point when he says that mature treatments of sexuality must come from game designers themselves. But, truthfully, the people who play games have as much responsibility as designers in introducing thoughtful sexual themes into games. If gamers don’t show a willingness to turn a way from the stock settings and premises of most games, designers and, more importantly, publishers won’t see a need to satisfy that audience. Sexuality in games’ real hope lies not just in designers but in digital distribution. Game makers looking to explore human relationships, intimacy, and sex itself will find their greatest opportunity on the internet, free of publishing restraints and the scrutiny that comes from selling games in mainstream outlets.
All the same, good on you, Mr. Floyd. High five.
Thanks to Rock, Paper, Shotgun and Kotaku for finding the vid.
Editor's Note: I've been listening to Al Green all day. There may or may not be more Al Green references today. Our apologies to any readers who get sick of Al Green references.