If I smoked, I’d have a cigarette right now
I am exhausted, but happy, appropriate side effects to moderating the first panel at the first annual Sex in Video Games conference.
My panel, on the challenges of distributing adult-themed games, was filled with excellent clientele: Peter Payne, creator of the ultimate Japanese culture website J-List, Gabe Zichermann, of the digital download site Boonty, and Daniel Terdiman, tech culture writer for CNET. Terdiman’s website posted a general overview, but he’ll do a full feature later this week.
The panels and lectures were good, but the discussions over lunch, by the water table, in the hallway - that’s when it was apparent that no other place had there been such a concentrated number of people dedicated to this one subject. It was refreshing.
Our conversations leaned towards:
- How the adult entertainment industry was connecting to the video game industry, or vice versa, and the benefits and challenges of the relationship.
- Why cybersex would have certain advantages compared to traditional physical sex.
- How Second Life and other virtual lifestyle games have opened people to new possibilities, and if this was the future of online sexual expression.
- If brief sex scenes will be fully accepted as a normal plot device as they are in movies and books.
As expected with the first day, we didn’t come up with any answers! Collectively, however, I think we raised our awareness of the topic and broadened our horizon by hearing different viewpoints (gamer, developer, journalist, artist, etc.). Ideally, this better understanding will make me better as a sex journalist, a game journalist and, most importantly, as a pop culture documentarian.
I’m too drained from the day, but hopefully Wired’s Regina Lynn and Annalee Newitz, who both gave excellent conversation, will post more about the conference this week!
June 9th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Wish I was there: sounds like it was a good first year. Hope to see you there next year..
June 12th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
Vera, we’d love to have you.
Damon, I agree — the panels and speakers were fantastic, but it was the small group and individual conversations that really made this conference great. Lovely to meet you and I look forward to seeing you around!
June 13th, 2006 at 12:09 am
Between government legislation heating up and roughly a dozen sex-oriented games on the platter, I’m pretty sure there will be even more to talk about next year! Hope you’re able to come.
June 13th, 2006 at 12:11 am
Likewise, Regina! I can’t wait to catch up on my work so I can dig into your book.
August 25th, 2006 at 11:30 am
[...] Like sex in video games or Screen Actor Guild digital boycotts [3], real-world representations in video games weren’t much of an hotbed issue in the beginning. The first real-world video game ad I remember seeing was a Shell gas billboard in Pole Position, circa 1981. Roughly around the same time, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator version one was rocking the computer charts… with white vector lines [4]. Gamers praised both for having the best real-world experiences. Although I was a youngin’, I was one of those gamers. [...]