If you know anything about the ESRB, then you'll know that any game with an Adults-Only (AO) rating is pretty much dead in the water. Most stores will refuse to stock it, while the "big three" hardware manufacturers won't license it for their systems. One particular interactive porn merchant has a big problem with that and is making his displeasure known.
"It doesn’t make sense," complains D-Dub CEO "Hod". "The ratings boards are not telling us that these games aren’t for kids. We know that already. What they’re telling us is that adult games shouldn’t exist at all. We don’t agree, and neither does our customer base of adults who are interested in games that might include themes like sex, drugs, and language.
"Since they’ve made it so that games like ours can’t be marketed and distributed through the channels other video games use, we are starting a new industry to get this game out to our customers."
D-Dub's latest game is BoneTown (NSFW ... and stupid) and the publisher's overall goal is to create an "adult videogame industry." I think that's something we can all support if it means we can continue to play engaging, thoughtful, and mentally mature titles like BoneTown -- a game where you have to shag fat chicks and "work your way up" to "hot" ones, before watching cutscenes with comedy Indians and hilaaaaarious drug references.
A brave new world, says I.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
52 comments | showing # 1 to 50
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
9:34 PM on 11.28.2008
| 
Also, BOOBS!
At least it appears to have a good sense of humor about itself.
Ron Jeremy is still creepy, though. I always see him as being the same guy from Boondock Saints.
also, "GIANT STONKING TITS"
I think he makes a good point. I don't think it's right to edge out porn in video games. It's just going to start (or already has?) a black market for it, then you have a whole bunch questionable software being thrown around that can't be controlled. It's not a smart move. Porn is porn, accept it and move on.
And, quite frankly, the trailer for it made me feel like my creepy uncle's friend who doesn't bathe made a pass at me. So weird.
Just another argument for an open-source games console, IMHO.
"DWC Software was founded in 2004 with as much balls as talent."
Somehow, I don't doubt it.
I know its not a monopoly but it seems all three forming up against it breaks some kind of law.
I find it endlessly irritating that video stores will happily stock "unrated" or NC-17 movies but no store will ever touch AO games - even if they aren't pornography!
Yes, we are both going to hell.
The AO revolution begins now... -__-
Seriously though, it has been said on numerous occassions that adult media of this nature should be allowed its share of it's particular (albeit niche) market without any opposition as long as they remain within the constraints of the law and ensure that they take measures that their product will pre-dominantly land into the possession of legal consenting adults. With that in mind, there really is no need to take great measures in order to hinder the progress of this particular industry. In fact, it is detrimental to software developers as a whole.
However, it is understandable that every major console manufacturer is against licesencing such products for their systems. After all, they have a general image to uphold. That image being (for some more than others *cough* Nintendo) of accessibility and electronic entertainment that relates to a wide audience young and old. The existence of media of a pornographic nature developed for use on their consoles would most likely, close up doors to potential clients & customers. Not that pornographic media would be the only option, but the fact that it is an option at all would leave a bad taste in the mouths of some consumers. How serious such media would effect sales I could not say. It could go either way from a possible marginal decrease in sales to the rampant accessibility of said media developing into a very lucrative cash cow (seeing as how the adult entertainment is a multi-billion dollar industry).
The fact is, such material still leaves a black mark in the eyes of many and I just don't think that the major console developers are willing to risk the possible tarnishing of their reputation in order to tap into that particular market.
(BTW. Night Trap does not count. I'm sure it came to mind for at least a few of you.)
Personally, I'm all for the development and advancement of adult oriented videogames. However, this example in particular I do not feel is exactly a shining example of the genre and do not think it is of "the right stuff" so to speak to be the herald of this new era of gaming.
To be frank, it really is rather shit. The combination of sex, pot jokes, and toilet humor is very two dimensional and contrived. It really does make Leisure Suit Larry look like game of the year material.
No, an usher of this golden age of porn games it is now. I guess we're all still relying on the Japanese for our quality fix of tentacle rape and anal violation of 14 year old girls/boys/(insert family member of choice here) but oh to dream. Oh yeah, and bukkake.
I for one would love more BOOBS in my video games! seriously....
I think Sexual AO games have a serious market. There's people that want to make them, and people that want to play them.
I do wish that games didn't require certification for console manufacturer content compliance. I certainly want a game to work on my machine if its supposed to, but I'm not a fan of console maker content censorship. I kinda loathed codemasters (or code-something) as a kid, for side stepping Nintendo's certification and releasing ridiculously bloated, unauthorized games. But looking at as an adult a really wish that this all ran a bit more like tape and disc media players, wherein anything that meets tech spec runs on it.
If there is a market for these games, I don't see why they wouldn't sell well online. Heck, that's where the adult industry in general has gone.
As for getting certification from the console makers, I don't see that happening anytime soon, but d-dub isn't in any position to complain. If his games were up to the quality of the average console title, then maybe he would have an argument, but that's clearly not the case. If the company is that desperate, they should try to prove the success of their products in the PC market first. Japan has a huge hentai game market that's almost entirely PC-driven.
Also, Jewish titties 4tw.
Also I posted a comment about a similar topic for the last Podcast but it was ignored as a bonerquestion. :(