Everyone knows how to sexualize female characters in video games.
But how to sexualize male characters and do “fan service” for the female audience?
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This basically is the stereotype I am coming from. So far, the answers don’t contradict it.
To sexualize men for women, you have to understand women.
To men, attraction is largely visual. So to sexualize a woman for a male audience means making her look attractive, and dressed in a revealing outfit. Swapping the genders doesn’t work. A visually attractive man in a revealing outfit is far more likely to appeal to either gay men sexually, or men generally as a power fantasy. To appeal to women you need a fundimentially different strategy altogether.
Consider erotic literature. Its a genre that is disproportionately popular with women. Its basically anti-porn, no visuals all story. Male characters in these stories are almost always sexualized by women for women. The attraction mostly from their choices and actions than appearance. You need a completely different approach.
Go read some smut. Talk to straight women about who and what they find attractive. You have to learn a lot about women to appeal to them. What they are looking for, and how they are looking for it is entirely different from men.
Sounds like a major waste of time
I guess that’s one of the less-acknowledged reasons why you see more sexualization of women in games. It costs next to nothing in terms of game design. Take any game, slap a scantily clad woman on it and bam, you’ve significantly increased your appeal to male audiences. To do the same for female audiences you have to build the entire game around that requirement.
It is almost impossible to avoid romance novels at the library. There are always multiple men, they are always attractive and mysterious in some way, and if it gets down and dirty it gets really dirty.
Interesting. I have had a fair bit of experience with romance novels, and the ‘dirty’ part is always so bland and rehashed that you could substitute one book’s writing in for another’s with no problems.
My wife listens to audiobooks out loud when she’s alone and has left a more than few playing absent mindedly. Most of them seem to do pretty well in terms of both variety of acts and how they’re described. But there are only so many euphemisms that manage to straddle the line between overly dry and patently rediculous.
She did have one book where the author over used the word cock enough that I swear the VA reading it was pronouncing it differently each time just to keep things interesting. It was kinda like: my Cock, MY cock, my coCK, my COCK, mY Cockkkk… my? cock? for a solid five minutes.
Anecdotes aren’t data, I know. My romance novels might be just a small drop of the ocean and I’ve gotten screwed, but I just find all of the ones I’ve read to be bad reading. Plot-driven characters that lead to the same sex scenes. If your wife is getting variety, I’m jealous.
Sure, but you can say the same of porn. There’s a bunch of ways you can end up stuck in a dryer and there are any number of creative solutions to closing that deal, but the sex part gets pretty formulaic taken on its own.
Consider erotic literature. Its a genre that is disproportionately popular with women. Its basically anti-porn, no visuals all story. Male characters in these stories are almost always sexualized by women for women. The attraction mostly from their choices and actions than appearance. You need a completely different approach.
Yes, its no visuals. Thats why there isnt 500,000,000 books with fabio ripped and glistening on the covers.
Hey, dont judge a book of smut by the rippling muscled hunk on its cover!
I’d also say, there’s definitely a big media push on the idea that “men are simple, and attraction is visual”. It’s not always so true as the marketing world wants, and I think a lot of men like myself have more of a “type” we’re likely to connect more with.
There’s plenty of games out there with giant-tittied, half-naked women, that I have basically no interest in because they all blend together thoughtlessly. At the very least, having an interesting character design that portrays some personality and thought pulls me in. (In gacha terms, the former might be Snowbreak Containment Zone while the latter would be Zenless Zone Zero. The latter still falls back on generous endowment sometimes, but they also have some creative designs)
For anyone wanting to know more about these books, Reading Smut is a side-project podcast by the hosts of Reading Glasses. It’s really interesting, with lots of thoughtful guests and often odd books. One of the first episodes covered a book about a door that comes to life and lusts after the woman who lives inside.
One of the biggest mobile games on the planet is Love and Deepspace. It is a game that appeals to women(and gay men?) and on top of being kinda conventional videogame, it is the modern version of erotic literature.
I have only seen clips and they were much more spicy than most mobile games, even mobile games that appeal to straight men.
So lots and lots of cocaine. Got it!
The movies of the 70s are more a product of LSD than cocaine. And Zardoz is definitely one of the movies worth watching.
Cocaine doesn’t even begin to cover what happened during Zardoz.
“Gee I don’t know boss, that’s a lot of hair…”
[gunshot]
“The gun shoots death…”
Same way. Hot bods, tight clothes, show plenty of skin.
Women enjoying the same things as men? Why, I never!
Says Velma with an oversized sweater, just look at Daphne’s outfit… Like, zoinks, Scoob!
Velma’s short skirt and knee highs though…
Velma’s short skirt and knee highs though…
On all fours… looking fo dem glasses…
She was my bisexual awakening before I ever even realized it lol
Everyone was too busy looking at Daphne to realise Velma had it going on
dorky chicks like you turn me on too!
Wait, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that one.
Testicle cleavage and beer belly shirts. What’s the sluttiest hair style a man can have?
Not cleavage. Give 'em the moose knuckle.
They should be so lucky
Thinning on top with the “monk ring” style cut. Nothing gets the ladies going more.
But serious advice for guys, know when to just shave your head man. People like full heads of hair, people like bald, nobody likes thinning. Make the call and save yourself the embarrassment. Bald is beautiful.
I saw screenshots of the new Resident Evil. Leon Scott Kennedy is definitely showing of for those that are into it. Capcom has at least figured it out.
Haven’t seen this much thirst from women since Baldur’s Gate 3 dropped Astarion on us.
Last year the two sexiest guys were a dwarf who can cook and a mean zombie cowboy.
So I guess write a guy good personality, and throw in giving a shit about people around him.
According to my wife…
Dress shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbow.
Kilts.
KILTS!
But how to sexualize male characters and do “fan service” for the female audience?
Easy, just add Caius Cosades to your game:
It depends on the genre of the game.
Fighting games like Mortal Kombat? Put the men in skimpy outfits that show their muscles like the women.
Survival game? I don’t need to see the characters sexualized while they’re trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. Give me character depth and growth, empathy, and strong story-telling visuals. I’ll fall in love with man or woman that way.
Nothing like a miniature sized trikini to survive the zombie outbreak.
Ever play Days Gone? I’m a straight dude and even I fell in love with Deacon St. John. Dude is the total package.
Reliable, faithful, and rides a motorcycle… yeah I get it.
Make them look like Danny DeVito or Shrek.
I think Hades is an excellent example of a game which just sexualizes everyone.
Rolled up sleeves. Just trust me.
Can confirm, this drives my partner wild.
Oh that’s easy, make them vaugly gay and twinky. Now if you are trying to arouse… Make them REALLY gay.
Watch jojo. You are gonna get your answer best way possible
That’s sexualizing men for everybody. He’s asking how to do it specifically for women! It may seem like the same thing but it is different.
I’ve tried to get into Jojo so many times for the beautiful men, but I kinda get bored.
Regardless ,thanks Araki. I still love the art.
Strange, cause I’m a straight(ish) dude and it hooked me in season 2. Season 1 was cool, but the hyper batshit insanity of the following seasons hits.
I think I never finished season 1… I don’t remember exactly but I felt it had a lot of filler. Might give it a chance again if season 2 is where it ramps up.
Jojo Rabbit? Not sure if Hitler is that sexy…
I’ll cite some examples:
Hades and hades 2 (all the characters) supergiant did it right in both fronts.
Khazan. (protagonist)
Elden Ring. Godfrey/ Hoarah Loux & Radagon. (Crumbling or whatever, I don’t care)
Or give me a guy in full plate with a sexy gait, see: Demon’s Souls Penetrator.
Or without sexy gait. See: DS1 Artorias
I’m sorry I don’t make the rules.
ETA: Halsin! (BG3) how could I forget?
Geralt from the Witcher fits nicely on this list.
Of.course, plus Geralt knows how to treat a lady. You know what, let’s trow in Eskel as well, for the “rolled up sleeves” people… I see y’all.
I can’t believe you’re into Halsin haha. I don’t know how you manage to make a sex crazed man-bear insufferably boring but by gods, they did it!
(
Lol, that’s your objection on this list?)True, but I’m not exactly going for substance here, and I’m definitely into how Halsin looks (and sounds.)
There’s plenty of well developed characters in BG3 that I’m not really offended by him being bland.
Tbh I’m not really all that into the way he sounds either, although I don’t know how much of that is related to how he’s written and acted. If we’re just talking about the tone of voice I guess it’s okay. But I’ve never really been one to go for the hunks, you know. A swelling bicep is nice and all but doesn’t really move me much.
Now, a lanky tortured poet on the other hand… Something like Finn Andrews is a bit more my speed.
Oh my, how he looks at the camera… you present a strong agument tho I do not need convincing, I’m already here for it. (Also, cool song, I like it)
As an admirer of the physical form it’s hard to not go for the classical examples of beauty in a question about overt sexualization (since op mentioned fan service). I threw in some wild cards in my list, but perhaps I’m just into being approached with murderous intent. XD
If we get a little more cerebral than that, yeah I guess you can talk about some more dimensional archetypes like “tortured poet” (and the like) and still answer the og question. Maybe a more interesting question would be, “how to better sexualize characters in videogames” and drop the gendered part of it. (Tho the female gaze is definitely an interesting topic to discuss, If one thing is true is that we as an audience are more open to variety.)
So hum… You are into the lanky and tortured? Is being a poet also a strong requirement for you?
Oh my, how he looks at the camera… you present a strong agument tho I do not need convincing, I’m already here for it.
Helps that his face isn’t half bad either right but yeah, that gaze is just piercing isn’t it? And the raspy vibrato just gets me too…
(Also, cool song, I like it)
It’s a great band. I’m not even sure The Letter is their best song, it’s just a great video to showcase Finn’s beauty.
Also you gotta be careful saying things like that, you know. I might take it as an opening to send you a more songs I like.
As an admirer of the physical form it’s hard to not go for the classical examples of beauty in a question about overt sexualization (since op mentioned fan service).
(…)
If we get a little more cerebral than that, yeah I guess you can talk about some more dimensional archetypes like “tortured poet” (and the like) and still answer the og question.
You know, it’s my bad actually. I totally ignored the actual topic of the OP to needle you about Halsin and then started talking about my own preferences like a narcissistic asshole. So uhm, whoops?
I do think there is something there for me in the sense that - at least when it comes to men - I am definitely more drawn to archetypes, faces and “presence” (I refuse to call it aura out of principle). So like, I can appreciate some shirtless washboard abs and everything, it’s nice, but it doesn’t necessarily move the needle for me (figuratively and literally).
But again that is only navel gazing my own preferences and not really answering the OPs question at all. Also now that I’m really sitting down and thinking about it I feel like for some reason if we’re talking about the male musculature then sculpted legs are kind of hotter than arms. Like, they go together obviously because if you just have one and not the other then the body will look awkward and disproportionate. But sculpted thighs are kind of hot. Biceps are overrated.
Maybe a more interesting question would be, “how to better sexualize characters in videogames” and drop the gendered part of it. (Tho the female gaze is definitely an interesting topic to discuss, If one thing is true is that we as an audience are more open to variety.)
Yes, this is an interesting topic for sure. I think the agency of the characters in question within the story and their characterization has a huge influence on the way any physical presentation is perceived. Even though sexualisation and objectification are often interlinked, they don’t have to be by nature and I think this is the key. Someone can be an empowered sexual being without being characterised as an object of desire to be claimed by someone else. It’s the difference between Bayonetta and Eve from Stellar Blade.
So hum… You are into the lanky and tortured? Is being a poet also a strong requirement for you?
Hah, I can be flexible. I do like the archetype and all, but as a wise woman in Disco Elysium said: “never trust a poet”.
Also you gotta be careful saying things like that, you know. I might take it as an opening to send you a more songs I like.
It is, so go ahead…I’m curious, and I enjoy passing judgement. I feel the need to reciprocate so I hope you don’t end up regretting it. (what if my taste just sucks?) prepare for some lukewarm takes as well.
And then started talking about my own preferences like a narcissistic asshole. So uhm, whoops?
Sometimes I cringe and regret the dumb throwaway comments I make on this site (like the one you responded to) but this turned out to be a delightful exchange, might be one of my favourites I’ve had with you…so imma ask you to cut it out with that, ok? I’m deeply apreciative of all those thoughts you shared and I’ll just say that indeed biceps are overrated.
And on your closing pargraph, yeah I’m with you 100%, beautifully put. I just saw a video essay the other day that also compared Bayonetta and stellar blade so, even though I haven’t played either of those, I get the point.
And… Shit I really need to go back and finish Disco Elysium.
