Games Gone Wild - The Rise Of The Adult Title?

Thanks to GameSpot for its article discussing the alleged rise of the adult videogame, despite recent statistics that revealed "sales of Mature-rated titles were on the decline." The writer notes that the ESA "may be spinning the market-share shift as an overall decline in M-rated games demand", but goes on to mention: "The same week the ESA was saying interest in M-rated games was waning, the most-searched-for game on GameSpot was [previously covered M-rated title] The Guy Game." Elsewhere, Game Girl Advance has an article talking about new German-developed PC title Singles: Flirt Up Your Life!, in which "2 out of 12 possible archetypal characters (the eponymous 'Singles') wind up living in the same apartment... Your job is to make them get it on."

Comments

Larry Laffer

[rixstep]

The all-time best game has still got to be Larry Laffer. The first episode, but even the later one where he wins the hand of the chieftain's daughter by inventing Unix.

Japanese H-Games

[Soul-Burn666]

In Japan, the market for adult games is huge. Games where you play the role of, usually, some dude and meet many pretty girls. Obviously, if you play well you eventually get it on with them, but many of the games are much deeper than that and actually have immersive stories and the adult aspect of it is nice but not a main selling point.
It would seem though, that usually the Hgames that get translated aren't those with the immersive stories, but rather the best adult action parts, to fit the US culture. (regardless that many of the games include things that are on the boundry of illegal in the US, such as teens and younger)
Not only that, but some games are so popular that a TV anime series is produced and usually very successful, even if it isn't adult oriented.

Definition of maturity?

[sofakingl]

Who says M rated games are "adult"? Just because the ESRB calls them "Mature" doesn't mean they are mature in the real sense of the word. A several of the games that get the M rating are quite immature, relying on sex, violence, or toilet humor to make them enjoyable. Personally, I wish that the ESRB would change the name of the M rating to something more fitting. A truely mature game would have a literary quality to it, not a sophmoric quality.

And why isn't the AO rating used more? Surely Manhunt deserved it. I think one of the weaknesses of the rating system as it stands is that it allows companies to skip out on using the highest rating as they wish.

Leather

[Flyboy Connor]

A brilliant mature game is Infocom's text adventure "Leather Goddesses of Phobos". Well-written, fun to play, and full of spicy humor. Loads of bad movie references too.

Of course, when they created a sequel it was with graphics, and this game was actually very bad. Although the graphics were pretty tame.

Gamespot

[cgenman]

Gamespot counts articles that make the front page as searches. Therefore, having posted The Guy Game to the front page as the cover story, it should be no surprise that it was the most clicked link.

Re:Looking vs. buying: buying loses

[ElleyKitten]

Not to be too much of a priss, but DOA Volleyball, despite popular belief, isn't a one-dimesional adult game. It has decent volleyball mechanics, and probably the best variety of charactor costumes of any game I've played (Yes, it beats out FF X-2 by a long shot in that department, despite that game's misconceptions). Also, there's about as much nudity in DOA Volleyball as there is on prime-time TV. Definately doesn't deserve a 'M' rating. Ok, I am being too much of a priss. Oh well.